Press Release - Mets 25-man Cuts

Mets Option INF Jordanny Valdespin 

 New York Reassigns Five Others to Minor League Camp

 March 29, 2012 –The New York Mets today announced that they have optioned INF JORDANNY VALDESPIN to the minor leagues. 

New York also announced that OF ADAM LOEWEN, LHP GARRET OLSON, C LUCAS MAY, C ROB JOHNSON and OF MATT DEN DEKKER have been reassigned to minor league camp. 

 Of the group, only Valdespin spent time with the Bisons last season. The infielder was promoted to the Herd on August 10 and hit .280 (30-107) with two home runs, nine RBI and four stolen bases in 27 games with Buffalo. In 107 games with Double-A Binghamton, the 24-year old hit .297 (120-404) with 24 doubles, 15 home runs, 51RBI and 33 stolen bases. 

 Loewen spent the majority of the 2011 season with Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas and hit .306 (159-520) with 46 doubles, 17 home runs and 85RBI in 134 games. His 46 doubles were the sixth most in all of minor league baseball last season. He had his contract selected on September 7 and played in 14 games with the Blue Jays, hitting .188 (6-32) with a home run and four RBI. 

 Olson split last season between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Indianapolis Indians. The southpaw made the Pirates’ 2011 Opening Day roster and was 1-1 with a 2.08ERA in four relief appearances before being designated for assignment. He was 4-3 with a 3.05ERA in 24 games and 15 starts for Indianapolis. 

 May split last season between Triple-A Omaha and Reno of the Pacific Coast League. In 77 games combined, the catcher hit .238 (59-248) with 10 home runs and 44RBI. 

Johnson played 67 games with the San Diego Padres in 2011 and hit .190 (34-179) with three home runs and 16RBI. Johnson has 228 big league games to his credit, spending parts of four seasons in Seattle, 2007-2010. 

den Dekker was the Mets 5th round pick in the 2010 draft and is entering his third season as a professional. He split last season between Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton and hit .265 (143-539) with 17 home runs, 68RBI and 24 stolen bases in 139 games.