Former Blue Jays pitcher finds new home in Atlanta after being cut by Mets in 2025

A former second round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays has found a new home. Sean Reid-Foley was signed to a minor league contract by the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday (Jan. 20) after spending the majority of the last five years in the New York Mets system.

The 30-year-old Foley, will look to resurrect his career with the NL East after a few seasons of mixed results, and the inability to stay healthy.

Former Blue Jays pitcher finds new home in Atlanta after being cut by Mets in 2025

Blue Jays fans may remember some of the hype surrounding Reid-Foley. In 2017 he was ranked as the 64th best prospect on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list and the following year he reached the big leagues, pitching in seven games (all starts) for the Blue Jays. He threw 33.1 innings that season and had great strikeout numbers (42 K's / 11.9 SO/9) but also gave up too many walks and hits (1.560 WHIP, 8.9 H/9, 5.7 BB/9) for anyone's liking, finishing with a 5.13 ERA.

But it was at least enough of a sample size to think he could bring it all together the following year if he made some adjustments. However, 2019 proved to be much of the same for Reid-Foley, 31.2 innings pitched in nine games (six starts) with his walk rate and hit per nine rate staying roughly the same, but his strikeout numbers dropping to 8.0 SO/9. In the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020, he had his best stint in a Blue Jays uniform, though it lasted just 6.2 innings, he gave up just one run and struck out six.

But the writing was on the wall for Reid-Foley and his Blue Jays tenure. In January of 2021, GM Ross Atkins traded Reid-Foley to the New York Mets, along with Yennsy Diaz and Josh Winckowski in exchange for Steven Matz. It was a deal that worked out well for the Blue Jays. In Matz's lone year in Toronto, the left-handed had his best season since 2016. He finished with a 2.2 bWAR pitching to a 3.82 ERA in 150.2 innings. Matz had 144 strikeouts and an ERA+ of 117 and turned that performance into a multi-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals the next offseason.

As for Reid-Foley, the Mets gave him plenty of chances but undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2022 hurt his overall value. Between 2021-2024, he pitched in 50 games, all out of their bullpen. His overall stat line looks good thanks to his 2024 season that looked like the Mets were finally getting the Reid-Foley that was highly touted as a prospect. He pitched in 23 games that year to a 1.66 ERA with 25 strikeouts, 14 walks, no home runs allowed and just 13 hits given up in 21.2 innings. That brought his Mets career ERA down to 3.75, with 75 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched.

However, on June 22, 2024, Reid-Foley was placed on the injured list with right shoulder impingement and that effectively ended his season. Reid-Foley's comeback attempt in 2025 was spent entirely in the minor leagues. In 15 relief appearances with Triple-A Syracuse, he pitched to an 8.36 ERA and was released from his contract on May 15. He got picked up by the Arizona Diamondbacks and spent just under two months in their system with Triple-A Reno, but the results just weren't there as he finished with a 5.79 ERA in 16 games before being released near the end of July.

It's a low risk move for the Braves who are trying to get back into being a contender in the NL East with the Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. It's also a move that could end up being an absolute steal. In a small sample size playing in the Mexico league, Reid-Foley has given up one earned run in 15 innings pitched with 18 strikeouts and six walks (one intentional). Those are the kinds of numbers that will translate well for the Braves if he can sustain it at the MLB level in 2026.