Long Island Ducks Outfielder Tapped By New York Mets

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY —Long Island Ducks' right-handed pitcher Jackie Bradley Jr has been tapped by the New York Mets organization to play Major League Baseball, the organization announced on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Virginia native will report to the team’s Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets.

“Jackie has been incredibly deserving of this opportunity,” said Ducks Manager Lew Ford. “He has been one of the Atlantic League’s best hitters this season, and we look forward to watching him continue pursuing his goal of returning to the Major Leagues.”

Bradley Jr. joins the Mets in the midst of a 28-game hitting streak, the longest in Long Island Ducks history and just three games shy of equaling the longest in Atlantic League history. During the streak, he has posted a .471 batting average with 56 hits and a .537 on-base percentage.

This won't be the first time Bradley Jr.'s played in the major leagues. He spent 11 seasons playing major league baseball, including eight seasons with the Boston Red Sox, one with the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.

Bradley Jr. helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers and was named the American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player that year. He's also a former first round draft pick who earned the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for center field in 2018 and was selected to play in the 2016 MLB All-Star Game.

Bradley Jr. is the ninth member of the 2024 Ducks to have his contract purchased by a Major League or foreign organization. Earlier in the season, pitcher Chris Ellis went to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tyler Zuber joined the Tampa Bay Rays, Rixon Wingrove and Tyler Dearden were tapped by the Minnesota Twins, Dan Straily joined the Chicago Cubs, pitcher Matt Seelinger's contract was bought by the Detroit Tigers, Raynel Espinal joined Rieleros de Aguascalientes. and Emilio Marquez transferred to Pericos de Puebla.

Since beginning play in 2000, the Ducks have had 31 players reach the Major League level after joining Long Island, and 116 have had their contract purchased.