Brewers grab Mets' Nieuwenhuis off waivers

The Milwaukee Brewers bolstered their outfield depth Wednesday afternoon by claiming Kirk Nieuwenhuis off waivers from the New York Mets.

Nieuwenhuis, who turned 28 in August, regressed dramatically last season following a strong performance in 2014, hitting just .195/.270/.375 (79 OPS+) in 74 games between the Mets and Los Angeles Angels. The former third-round pick etched his name into Mets lore, however, when he launched three home runs in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 12, becoming the first player in franchise history to accomplish the feat at home.

Over parts of four seasons in the majors, Nieuwenhuis owns a .695 OPS with a 31.5 percent strikeout rate across 273 games.

After trading both Carlos Gomez and Gerardo Parra ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline, the Brewers' outfield depth heading into 2016 was a bit suspect. Nieuwenhuis - who won't become eligible for salary arbitration until next year - has experience at all three outfield positions and owns a career .736 OPS against right-handed pitching, making him a strong candidate to land a reserve role in Milwaukee.