Bruin Agbayani, the 19-year-old son of former New York Mets player Benny Agbayani, has been traded to the Mets organization. The move comes as a surprise to his father, who was unaware of the specific trade destination. Bruin, a left-handed infielder, was acquired by the Mets from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for reliever A.J. Minter.

Benny Agbayani, who played for the Mets for four seasons and is remembered for his pivotal home run in the 2000 NL Division Series, expressed his pride and emotion at his son potentially continuing his legacy with the team. "It means a lot," Benny Agbayani stated. "He wanted to get drafted by the Mets when he was first coming out of high school. That’s all he knew, and that’s all we talked about. It’s a great opportunity for him."

The elder Agbayani, now 54, also offered to share his insights on playing in New York, acknowledging the challenges of the city and its demanding fanbase. "I’m going to tell him the ins and outs of playing in New York because it’s tough," he said. He advised his son to "just play good" and give his best effort daily, as Mets fans appreciate hard work regardless of game outcomes.

Bruin Agbayani was selected by the Twins in the sixth round of last year's draft out of St. Louis School in Honolulu. His father's support for his baseball aspirations was significant; Benny Agbayani took a job as a ramp agent at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in 2014, utilizing the free flights to help fund his children's athletic pursuits on the mainland. He continues to work this job today.

While Bruin inherited his father's hitting prowess, he plays a different position and bats left-handed, unlike his right-handed outfield-playing father. Benny Agbayani believes his son is "growing into his swing" and is "a better hitter than me," a significant endorsement considering Benny's .282 batting average and .833 OPS over 322 games with the Mets.

Bruin, who was named the Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year before being drafted, has faced a setback this season due to a right shoulder injury, limiting him to 10 games. His father confirmed he is recovering and "on his way back."

Benny Agbayani's own time with the Mets is highlighted by his memorable 13th-inning home run in Game 3 of the 2000 NL Division Series against the Giants, a moment that cemented his place in team history. He previously scouted Bruin a bit during his draft year, including at an organizational workout in California.