Mets Sign Grandson of Cubs All-Star to Minor League Deal

Grae Kessinger, grandson of former Cubs infielder Don Kessinger, joins the Mets on a minor league contract.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 9:55pm

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The New York Mets have signed Grae Kessinger, the grandson of former Chicago Cubs All-Star infielder Don Kessinger, to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Kessinger, a second-round draft pick in 2019, has played in 48 MLB games over the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Houston Astros, batting .131. He spent the 2025 season in the minors with the Arizona Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate.

Why it matters

The Mets are adding some infield depth to their organization, with Kessinger potentially providing insurance in case their unusual infield alignments of Bo Bichette at third base and Jorge Polanco at first base don't work out as planned to start the season. Kessinger will look to leverage his strong baseball pedigree to earn another shot in the major leagues.

The details

Kessinger, a native of Oxford, Mississippi, was originally a second-round pick by the Astros in 2019 out of the University of Mississippi. He made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2023 and played parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons in the majors, batting .131 in 48 games. After leaving the Astros organization, Kessinger spent the 2025 season playing just 11 games at the Triple-A level for the Diamondbacks.

  • Kessinger made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2023.
  • Kessinger played parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons in the majors with the Astros.
  • Kessinger spent the 2025 season playing 11 games at the Triple-A level for the Diamondbacks.
  • Kessinger signed a minor league contract with the Mets on January 28, 2026.

The players

Grae Kessinger

A 24-year-old infielder who is the grandson of former Cubs All-Star Don Kessinger. He was originally a second-round draft pick by the Astros in 2019 and has played in 48 MLB games over the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Don Kessinger

A former Chicago Cubs infielder who made six All-Star teams and won two Gold Glove awards during his 12-year MLB career from 1964 to 1975.

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What’s next

Kessinger will report to Mets spring training and look to earn a spot on the major league roster or at least get playing time at Triple-A Syracuse to start the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The Mets are taking a low-risk flier on a young infielder with strong baseball bloodlines, hoping Grae Kessinger can leverage his pedigree and past MLB experience to potentially contribute at the major league level down the road.