Ex-Met Jon Niese Inks Deal with Seattle Mariners Organization

By Jerry Del Priore 

It didn’t take long for former New York Met Jon Niese to return to affiliated baseball after the Long Island Ducks selected him in the draft following the Atlantic League’s Open Player Tryout, which was held on March 29-31 at the TigerTown Complex in Lakeland, Flordia. 

Niese, who signed a contract with Long Island shortly after the tryout, will report to the Seattle Mariners’ Tripe-A affiliate in Tacoma, Washington, according to the Atlantic League’s website. 

Niese started the Ducks’ exhibition game against the Long Island Black Sox, an amateur baseball team, on Tuesday, April 23. The lefty whiffed seven batters across four innings while allowing two runs. 

The Ohio native spent time during all nine of his Major League seasons with the Mets (2008-16) while also pitching with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016. He made 211 appearances (197 starts) in the big leagues, amassing a 69-68 record with a 4.07 ERA, three complete games, two shutouts, and 914 strikeouts over 1,189.1 innings of work.

Additionally, Niese made six postseason appearances during the 2015 season, helping to lead New York to its fifth National League championship in franchise history.