TORONTO -- Right-hander Logan Verrett is returning to the majors, this time with the team that drafted him.
Verrett, who turns 25 on Friday, has been promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas. He is due to join the New York Mets on Thursday, replacing Akeel Morris.
Morris allowed five runs and recorded only two outs against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday in his major league debut after a call-up from Class A St. Lucie.
Verrett actually was the first draft pick of the Sandy Alderson/Paul DePodesta era with the Mets to reach the majors, although it came elsewhere.
After Verrett went 11-5 with a 4.33 ERA in 28 starts for Las Vegas last season but was not added to the 40-man roster, the Baltimore Orioles selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December.
Verrett -- a third-round pick in 2011 out of Baylor -- narrowly failed to make Baltimore's Opening Day roster, but was claimed off Rule 5 waivers by the Texas Rangers.
After making his Rangers debut in an exhibition game against the Mets on the eve of the regular season, Verrett made his major league debut on April 8 as a reliever with Texas.
A starter throughout his career, the 24-year-old Verrett ended up with a 6.00 ERA in four relief appearances before losing his roster spot when the Rangers needed to create room for the addition of Wandy Rodriguez. After a 10-day layoff while designated for assignment, Verrett was returned to the Mets on May 4 and assigned back to Las Vegas.
He was 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in 11 appearances (four starts) for Las Vegas since rejoining the club.
"It's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride," Verrett said. "I know it sounds cliché to say that, but it really has been. I've been with three teams in the span of five months. That's just a pretty crazy thing in itself. It was a great experience, and the Rule 5 really helped me out with my career a lot. It got my feet wet in the major leagues and helped me to realize I can succeed at that level. It gave me a little boost of confidence. Coming back here, it's got that taste in my mouth that I want to get back there."
Verrett grew up outside of Houston before moving to Corpus Christi for high school. So he rooted more for the Astros when younger. Still, he was elated when he was claimed by Texas once Baltimore began the process of sending him back to the Mets. He lives with his wife 20 minutes from the stadium in Arlington.
"It was a surprise," Verrett said about the waiver claim. "I didn't realize I had been put on waivers. So when they informed me I was claimed by Texas, that was a shock in itself. I was getting ready to either find out if I made the Orioles' club or if I was headed back to the Mets. Finding that out was a bit of the shock. It was a bit of a dream come true. Living in Arlington with my wife -- our house is about 20 minutes from the stadium -- that was going to be pretty much the perfect situation. Unfortunately it didn't work out, but it was a great experience to get my feet wet.
"At the same time, playing in your hometown, there's a little bit of added pressure. You always have somebody at the game -- whether it's family or friends."
On facing the Mets in his Rangers debut in the exhibition game, Verrett added: "That was crazy because I hadn't started a single game all spring training. I hadn't gone longer than two innings all spring training. I found out the day before that I was claimed by the Rangers. I flew into town the next day. And that was the day of the game. I get to the field and they were like, ‘How do you feel about starting today?' … I didn't even really have time to process that I'm about to be in the big leagues and I'm about to start against my former team. It was a crazy situation, but it was fun."
Because he was working as a reliever since attending spring training with the Orioles, Verrett initially worked multi-inning relief with Las Vegas after rejoining the Pacific Coast League club.
He more recently had jumped into a starting role with Duane Below injured.
"I feel like I've done well out of the bullpen and shown them that I can be effective,” Verrett said. “… It was a good experience throwing out of the bullpen and figuring out how that whole routine works."