After a whirlwind few weeks for the Mets that included the signing of third baseman Bo Bichette, and trades for center fielder Luis Robert plus right-handed ace Freddy Peralta, fans are now asking, what’s next?
Not much.
President of baseball operations David Stearns hasn’t shut the door on any more large acquisitions, and the executive is always monitoring the various player markets to see if he can improve the Mets in any way, but it doesn’t appear as if there are more blockbuster moves on the horizon.
“We’re confident in this group,” Stearns said last week. “I think it’s a group that’s going to fit well together and and, yeah, I’m happy that we’ve been able to address the needs of the team as the offseason has gone along.”
Remaining moves are expected to be ones made around the margins. When building a roster, Stearns doesn’t just look at 26 players, or even 40, he’s looking deeper into the position groups to determine whether each group has enough insulation in case of injury, ineffectiveness, or in case something else comes up throughout the course of the season.
This is especially true when it comes to pitching. An oft-echoed phrase every winter is that a team can never have enough pitching. Last year, there were 46 players who threw a pitch for the Mets, including three position players, setting a new league record.
Typically, teams look to start the season with about 10-12 starting pitchers between the Major Leagues and Triple-A. The Mets have about 13 starters, with about nine who are capable of making Big League starts regularly, and five who can start or come out of the bullpen. This number is not counting the two Rule 5 draft picks the Mets picked up last month in the minor league phase at the Winter Meetings.
Entering spring training, it appears as though the entire group is healthy, but nothing is guaranteed. The Mets could opt to sign a few veteran starters to minor league contracts with invitations to big league spring training. Having veterans in the Triple-A clubhouse to help young starters like Jonah Tong and Christian Scott mature and develop is never a bad thing, and it would give the Mets another depth option in the event they lose a starter off waivers or in a roster crunch.
However, it’s more likely we see the team bring in some relief arms on minor league contracts. Last week, the team signed veteran closer Craig Kimbrel to a minor league contract, and they signed Robert Stock to a similar deal earlier in the offseason. Right-hander Michael Kopech could be an intriguing candidate for the Amazin’s. Kopech, a 29-year-old hard-throwing reliever who was once considered a top prospect, has struggled with his health and command over the last few years. He might be a project, but he’s a project with high upside.
The infield and outfield seem more or less set, especially with the recent additions of infielder/outfielder Vidal Brujan and infielder Grae Kessinger. Infielder Ronny Mauricio will play a utility role, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him start the season in Triple-A. Brett Baty will see time in left field, as well as at third base, second base and first. Jacob Reimer and Ryan Clifford, two rising prospects, will get time at the corners in Triple-A. Jett Williams and Luisangel Acuña, two infield prospects who were once blocked at their positions, are now in other organizations, having been used in trades for Peralta and Robert.
The catching depth remains thin. Typically, the Mets like to have catchers with some big league experience at Triple-A, and they have that with homegrown Hayden Senger, who is so good defensively that he’s capable of catching a big-league catching staffing, but doesn’t offer much with the bat. Kevin Parada, the Mets’ first-round pick in 2022, has been slow to develop. It’s a tough call with the catching staff, since another veteran could take playing time away from Parada.
The heavy lifting is likely over, though Stearns cautioned against definitely stating that he’s done for the winter. Still, his calling card as an executive has always been finding quality depth around the margins of a roster, so he’s expected to remain advantageous throughout the final days of the offseason.
