Mud Monsters Activate Outfielder Karell Paz
CRESTWOOD, Ill. (July 12, 2026) - The Mississippi Mud Monsters have announced the activation of outfielder Karell Paz from the Inactive List.
Monster Notes
Paz returns after being a key part of Mississippi's inaugural season.
- Karell Paz has been activated from the Inactive List.
- Paz finished second on the Mud Monsters with 56 RBIs in 2025.
- The outfielder hit seven home runs and stole 22 bases last season.
- The Ciego de Ávila, Cuba native previously played in the New York Mets organization.
- Paz joins Victor Diaz and Sergio Sanchez as recent returners activated for their 2026 campaigns.
Paz Returns
The outfielder was a major contributor during Mississippi's inaugural season.
A major contributor to the inaugural iteration of the Mud Monsters in 2025, Paz joins Victor Diaz and Sergio Sanchez as returners who have recently been activated to begin their 2026 campaigns for Mississippi.
The Ciego de Ávila, Cuba native finished second on the team to Travis Holt in RBIs last season with 56 in 86 games.
Bringing both speed and power back to Mississippi, in addition to his 2025 RBI total, Paz finished the year batting .253, tying Diaz for the second-most home runs on the team with seven while swiping 22 stolen bases, good for third on the Mud Monsters.
Path to Mississippi
Paz left Cuba in 2017 and eventually reached affiliated baseball with the Mets.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound outfielder left Cuba in 2017 to pursue a career in baseball, moving to five different countries before finally making it to the United States in 2022 and signing with the New York Mets.
While in the Mets organization, Paz advanced through three different levels between 2022 and 2024, reaching as high as the High-A level with the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2024.
Across three seasons with the Port St. Lucie Mets, Florida Complex League Mets, Dominican Summer League Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones, Paz appeared in 142 games, batting .258 while hitting 11 home runs and driving in 66 runs.
Back Before the Break
The activation comes before the 2026 Frontier League All-Star break.
This afternoon's three-game series finale against the Windy City ThunderBolts is the final game before the 2026 Frontier League All-Star break begins. Running from July 13-16, Paz returns at an opportune time for manager Jay Pecci as Mississippi continues its 2026 season.
Youth & Senior Day Meets Swamp Splash
The Mud Monsters return home July 21, and the next day game at Trustmark Park is built for youth groups, senior groups, daycares, camps, churches and community organizations.
Wednesday, July 22
- Youth & Senior Day vs Evansville Otters
- 11 AM first pitch at Trustmark Park
- $16 ticket includes hot dog, chips and Pepsi
- Swamp Splash fun from 9:30 AM to 11 AM before the game
- Sprinklers, slip n' slides, giant hoses and a fire truck on site
- A splash-free zone will be available from dugout to dugout
More Day Game Fun
Youth & Senior Day returns Wednesday, July 29 at 11 AM. Groups can get a $16 ticket with a hot dog, chips and Pepsi included, with $12 no-lunch tickets available upon request.
View Youth & Senior DaysAbout the Mississippi Mud Monsters
Baseball Lives Here. It Just Got a Little Weirder.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters are a professional baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, competing in the Frontier League. Built in the mud and rooted in Mississippi, the Mud Monsters believe baseball should be unapologetically fun, a little weird, wildly welcoming, and deeply tied to the place it calls home. Real baseball. Real people. This is swamp-built, Mississippi-made baseball, where the vibes matter just as much as the final score.