Former New York Mets & Yankees Outfielder Harrison Bader Signs Free Agent Deal

He's spent most of the last three seasons in the Big Apple, but now Bronxville, NY native Harrison Bader will take his stellar defense to the Minnesota Twins, after signing a one-year free agent deal.

The Twins are signing Harrison Bader to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2026, per @JonHeyman pic.twitter.com/Z3DHt8nyCl
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 5, 2025

The contract will pay him $6.25M plus $2M in incentives, and there is a mutual option for 2026.

Despite some offensive struggles last season, Bader still had 12 HRs and 51 RBIs for the Mets, though his .284 on-base pct. left him with an OPS+ of 86. If he can replicate at least those minimum offensive numbers and provide elite defense, this could be a fine addition for the Twins. Bader ranked in the 95th percentile in outs above average.

The 30-year-old's ability to play center field provides a huge backup for Minnesota for the inevitable chunks of the season where Byron Buxton is out of the lineup.

Over his eight year career, Bader owns a .242/.306/.392 slash line, with a .698 OPS and a 91 OPS+. He has averaged a 95th percentile in Outs Above Average throughout his seven full seasons, and averaged in the 98th percentile in speed over his first five years in the league, but that dropped to 74th percentile last season.