Juan Lagares

On February 10, 2020, Lagares signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres.

Lagares was non-tendered by the Mets organization on December 2, 2019.

On May 17, 2018, Lagares tore the plantar plate in his toe while attempting to catch a fly ball, requiring surgery. He missed the remainder of the 2018 season due to this.

Lagares battled injuries but contributed to the Mets with 58 starts and 252 at bats. He hit .250/.296/.365 for the year and participated in a deep and injury-riddled outfield in 2017.

On April 2, Lagares and the Mets agreed to a four-year extension worth $23 million which will run from 2016 through 2019. The Mets have a $9.5 million option for 2020, with a $500,000 buyout. Lagares made the team out of spring training as the starting center fielder. On July 31, the Mets traded for Yoenis Céspedes, who would play center regularly throughout the season. Lagares moved to backup outfield role, regularly coming in as defensive substitution late in the game.

Lagares made the Mets' Opening Day Roster in 2016, serving as a backup outfielder, pinch hitter and defensive substitution. On June 16 the Mets placed Lagares on the disabled list due to a sprained left thumb he had suffered while making a diving catch in a game on June 4. He again went on the 15-day disabled list from July 29-September 16 for his sprained left thumb, and then had surgery on August 1 to repair a torn ligament in his thumb.

Lagares finished the 2015 season appearing in 143 games batting .259./.289/.358 in 441 at-bats in 465 plate appearances while compiling 114 hits, 41 RBIs, 6 home runs, 16 walks, 47 runs scored and striking out 87 times.

Lagares made the Mets' roster for Opening Day in 2014. On April 14, he left due to an injury during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lagares grabbed his hamstring after beating out a double play in the seventh inning. The next day he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a pulled right hamstring. He was batting .314 with a .345 OBP, five extra base hits and seven RBIs in the 13 games. He was recalled from rehabbing with the 51s on May 1.

Lagares finished the 2014 season appearing in 116 games with a batting average of .281 in 416 at-bats in 452 plate appearances while compiling 117 hits, 47 RBIs, 4 home runs, 20 walks, 46 runs scored and striking out 87 times.

For the week of July 15–21, 2013, Lagares won the NL Player of the Week Award. In that week, Lagares hit .700 with a home run and 5 RBI. In 121 games for the Mets, he hit .242/.281/.352 with 4 HR and 34 RBI. Lagares had a .983 fielding percentage, as well as leading the MLB in assists at center field (14), defensive runs saved (26) and the NL in Range Factor/9 innings at center field (2.98).

Lagares finished the 2013 season appearing in 121 games with a batting average of .242 in 392 at-bats in 421 plate appearances while compiling 95 hits, 34 RBIs, 4 home runs, 20 walks, 35 runs scored and striking out 96 times.

Lagares had a son, Juan, Jr., in September 2013 and is not married. Lagares has his son's name stitched into his glove.

2011 was a breakout season for Lagares. He began with St. Lucie, where he tore it up before being promoted to Double-A Binghamton. In 120 games total, he hit .349/.383/.500 with 9 HR, 71 RBI and 15 SB. Lagares was added to the Mets 40 man roster on November 18, 2011. He played 2012 with Binghamton, wherein 130 games, he hit .283/.334/.389 with 4 HR, 48 RBI and 21 SB. Lagares began 2013 with Triple-A Las Vegas as their center fielder, where he played in 17 games before getting called to New York.

Lagares was signed by the New York Mets as a non-drafted free agent on May 5, 2006. Lagares was moved from shortstop to the outfield in 2009. He was assigned to the DSL Mets in 2006, wherein 57 games, he hit .255/.339/.412 with 18 XBH, 33 RBI and 12 SB. Lagares was promoted to Single-A Savannah for 2007, wherein 83 games, he hit .210/.262/.317 with 20 XBH, 16 RBI, and 11 SB. After an arm issue occurred, his 2008 debut, with Savannah, happened in late June. After 46 games with Savannah, Lagares was demoted to Low-A Brooklyn in the middle of August. In 65 total games, he hit .253/.284/.352 with 3 HR and 24 RBI. Lagares began 2009 with Savannah, but a wrist injury suffered in late May ended most of his season. He came back in September after a rehab stint with the GCL Mets. In 53 total games, he hit .266/.297/.323 with 14 RBI and 10 SB. Lagares began 2010 with Savannah, and after hitting .300/.318/.459 with 5 HR, 39 RBI and 18 SB in 67 games, he was promoted to High-A St. Lucie, but was limited to 33 games thereafter a fractured ankle ended his season on July 28.

Juan Osvaldo Lagares (born March 17, 1989) is a Dominican professional baseball center fielder with the San Diego Padres. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. He made his MLB debut during the 2013 season. Known for his defensive prowess, he won the National League Gold Glove Award in 2014.

On November 4, it was announced that he had won his first Gold Glove Award. He was the third outfielder in franchise history to win a Gold Glove award, the others being Tommie Agee (1970) and Carlos Beltrán (2006-08). He also won the Fielding Bible Award as the statistically best defensive center fielder in the National League.