The New York Mets’ fire sale has begun, as they made an expected move three days out from the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
A little after midnight on Thursday, the Mets dealt left-handed relief pitcher A.J. Minter to the Minnesota Twins for prospects Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani, the son of former Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani. Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the move.
After starting his career with the NL East division rival Atlanta Braves, Minter joined the Mets in the 2025 offseason. Through 13 games, he showed signs of being a productive member of their pitching staff until a torn left lateral muscle ended his season.
Following a month of rehabilitation, Minter made his return in May of this season and steadily picked up from where he left off. In 23 appearances, he recorded 20 strikeouts to eight hits and six earned runs on a 2.35 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP.
However, his time with the franchise didn’t last much longer due to his production and the Mets, built by president of baseball operations David Stearns, being at the bottom of the NL East standings with a 47-63 record.
For the Mets, this is the start of what is expected to be an active trade deadline. They are expected to send off a number of veterans, including Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, Kodai Senga and Freddy Peralta, who is scheduled to start against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Friday.
On the flip side, Minter joins the Twins, who are slowly recovering from a 32-40 start as they now hold a 55-55 record. Despite being a .500 team, they have the fortune of being in a weak AL Central Division, and sit just 3 games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox entering play Friday.
In exchange for the veteran lefty, the Mets received Amick and Agbayani, who were the No. 21 and No. 29 prospects in Minnesota’s system.
In three minor league seasons, Amick, who is splitting time at first and third base, tallied 149 hits, 112 RBI and 30 home runs on a .251 average. This season with the double-A Wichita, he slugged 23 home runs but has 108 strikeouts in 313 at-bats.
Agbayani, on the other hand, recorded 15 hits, six RBI and three doubles in two seasons at the minor league level. A low-A ball middle infielder, he is the son of Benny Agbayani, a beloved playoff hero for the Mets best known for slamming a walkoff home run in Game 3 of the 2000 National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants at Shea Stadium. The victory would help propel the Mets to a National League pennant.
