Non-Roster Invitee Preview: Brandon Waddell
Brandon Waddell has a non-roster invitation to Mets camp for a second straight season. Waddell signed with the Mets after a stint with the Doosan Bears in the KBO in 2024.
In 2022 KBO play, the southpaw had a 3.60 ERA over 65 innings and followed that with a 2.49 ERA over 104 2/3 innings (18 starts) in 2023. He then pitched an additional 71 innings with a 3.30 ERA for Rakuten in 2023. He only pitched with the Bears in 2024, putting up a 3.12 ERA over 75 innings.
2025 was a chaotic one for the Mets’ bullpen, and Waddell was called to the majors multiple times, pitching 31 1/3 innings over 11 games, including four starts with a 3.45 ERA, 4.54 FIP, 1.277 WHIP and a 118 ERA+.
By Roberto Carlo
Waddell had some great outings, holding the Pirates to one hit and no runs over three innings on June 28, or holding the Marlins scoreless over 4 1/3 innings on August 31. However, he also suffered some poor starts, allowing four runs in five innings to the White Sox in May.
Baseball Savant wasn’t enthused by his short time with the Mets in 2025. His xERA of 5.59 and xBA of .281 put him basically at the bottom of the league. He was in the bottom quartile for Chase% (26.3%) and Barrel% (a staggering 10.0%).
Over his 31 1/3 innings, he used his high-70s sweeper 23.6%, a pitch that he added in 2023 while overseas. He tossed his low 90s fastball 22.7% of the time and his sinker 21.7%. Rounding out his repertoire is a mid 80’s slider and changeup.
Waddell had a successful 2025, becoming a regular in the Mets bullpen throughout the summer. The Mets went ahead and re-signed him to a one-year major league contract at the start of November.
With few left-handed relievers on the roster (Brooks Raley, Bryan Hudson) and others recovering from injury (A.J. Minter), Waddell can compete for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen along with Hudson if the team wants to carry two southpaws while waiting for Minter to return.
Entering 2026, Waddell doesn’t have any minor league options remaining, one of the more attractive options that appealed to the Mets in 2025. That said, if the Mets were to add him to the roster at some point during the season and then need to remove him for a different pitcher, Waddell would be available for other teams to poach with no option remaining.
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