The Mets have claimed Anthony Kay off waivers from the Chicago Cubs.
The left-hander has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
New York selected Kay in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He was one of the better pitching prospects in the organization, appearing in the 2019 Futures Game.
He reached as high as the Triple-A level that season after posting a 2.96 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 135 strikeouts across 26 starts.
Ahead of the trade deadline, the Mets sent the Stony Brook native to Toronto along with fellow pitching prospect Simeon Woods-Richardson in exchange for right-hander Marcus Stroman.
Kay spent four seasons in Toronto, making his MLB debut during the 2019 season, but didn't find much success, posting a 5.48 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 28 appearances.
The Blue Jays designated him for assignment this offseason and he was picked up by Chicago. He struggled there as well, pitching to a 6.35 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in 13 outings.
Kay was DFA'd again when the Cubs called up another former Mets prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong, ahead of his MLB debut earlier this week.
The 28-year-old now returns to New York hoping to finally get a chance to pitch at the big league level in orange and blue.