The Mets signed veteran outfielder Wily Mo Pena to a minor-league deal today and assigned him to extended spring training. Pena, 27, will report to Triple-A Buffalo after that. The right-hand hitting Pena, originally signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1998, had refused a minor-league assignment from the Nationals last month and was granted his unconditional release.

Pena hit just .205 in 64 games for Washington last season. He has a career .253 batting average, with 67 doubles, five triples, 77 home runs, and 225 RBIs in 560 major league games with the Reds, Red Sox and Nationals.