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The Cuban left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets on Wednesday, according to journalist Francys Romero on his social media.
The move comes after the Matanzas pitcher was released by the Washington Nationals, an organization that removed him from the 40-man roster after he recorded a 6.19 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP in 16 innings pitched during the 2026 season.
Pérez went unclaimed through waivers, opted for free agency, and is now joining the New York organization, where he is expected to report to the Triple-A Syracuse team, affiliated with the Mets in the International League.
According to RotoWire, control will be the determining factor for Pérez to get a chance in the New York bullpen, as he recorded 11 walks compared to only nine strikeouts in his 16 innings with the Nationals.
The story of Pérez with Washington began with a lot of optimism. In January, his showcase in Tampa attracted the interest of over 10 organizations, where the left-hander showcased speeds of 98-99 mph with his fastball.
That performance earned him a contract with the Nationals in February with an invitation to spring training, where he pitched six scoreless innings, with a WHIP of 0.50 and five strikeouts.
The performance in training was so solid that Pérez secured a spot on the 2026 Opening Day roster of the Nationals, a remarkable achievement considering he started from outside the 40-man roster.
However, the regular season did not maintain that level, and the 29-year-old pitcher could not stay on the team.
The signing with the Mets marks Pérez's fourth organization in Major League Baseball, representing yet another attempt at resurgence for a pitcher who experienced his peak in 2022 with the Baltimore Orioles, when he posted an ERA of 1.40 in 66 appearances and was regarded as one of the best acquisitions by general manager Mike Elias.
Since that peak, the left-hander's performance has gradually declined: an ERA of 3.54 in 2023, 4.53 in 2024, and 8.31 in 19 appearances in 2025, which led the Orioles to designate him for assignment last May.
Pérez spent the rest of 2025 in Triple-A Norfolk with an ERA of 6.85 in 21 games, before becoming a free agent on September 29 of that year.
In his MLB career, the native of Matanzas has a total of 257 appearances with a record of 15-6 and an ERA of 4.22 over 237 innings pitched, figures that reflect both the talent and the inconsistency that have characterized his journey in the majors.
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