A former HBCU baseball player is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. Alabama A&M alumnus Trey Rutledge has signed a contract with the New York Mets. Per a statement released by Alabama A&M Athletics, Rutledge has already started his professional journey, as he's reported to the Mets' spring training facility for camp.
Rutledge had a phenomenal career as an HBCU baseball player, first starting at Miles College in 2024. In a statement obtained by WVTM, Miles College head baseball coach Milton Barney spoke about Rutledge and his time with the team.
“Well, it's very difficult to make it to the next level, it's very few people that make it,” Barney said. “He just did everything that was asked of him and he just worked really hard, brought a lot of energy every day and obviously that translated into major league opportunities,”
Rutledge was effective for the Golden Bears in the 2023-2024 season, finishing with a .333 batting average, a .501 on-base percentage, and a .529 slugging percentage. In the season, he had 11 home runs and 67 runs batted in (RBIs), and he stole 52 bases in 58 attempts. He played 89 games for Miles and, in 2023, was named Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
He then transferred to Alabama A&M, where he started to further cement his HBCU legacy and get the attention of the majors. While with the Bulldogs, he led the country in on-base percentage at .573 and was fifth in stolen bases per game.
He now joins a Mets team that finished the 2025 season 83-79, second in the National League East behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
