Czech veteran catcher Martin Cervenka has agreed to terms on a minor league contract with the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB), his fourth franchise in organized baseball after the Cleveland Indians, the San Francisco Giants and the Baltimore Orioles.
The 28-year old backstop signed as an international free-agent for the Cleveland Indians before the 2009 season. He has appeared so far in 545 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) games, including 143 at the Double-A level and 12 at the Triple-A level.
Cervenka played for Kotlarka Prague of the Czech Extra-Liga, the country's top league, in the 2020 season.
During the offseason, he worked out at home, training with his brother Marek, a former National Team pitcher.
"I also built a small gym in my house," added Cervenka.
The Czech Republic is currently No. 16 in WBSC Baseball World Ranking, the second-highest rated baseball programme in Europe after No. 9 Netherlands and ahead of No. 17 Italy and No. 18 Israel.
Cervenka was the everyday catcher for the Czech Republic at the European Baseball Championship 2019 and the WBSC Europe-Africa Olympic Qualifier.
"I'm delighted to see Martin fly to the US to fulfil his dream," said Petr Ditrich, the Czech Baseball Association President. "We all keep our fingers crossed for him. It will be a huge success to have a Czech player play at the MLB level."
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