This article is part of our MLB Team Previews series.
Mets Team Preview
Jan Levine, RotoWire.com
Following the loss of Matt Harvey to a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery in 2013, the expectation was that 2014 would be a year or growth building towards possible playoff contention in 2015. While there were positive signs, especially in the rotation and from young power arms in the bullpen, they were offset once again by the offensive struggles. Offensively, the Mets finished 11th in the NL in batting at .238, eighth in runs with 629, and ninth in home runs with 125. Those numbers were largely due to the so-so campaign by Curtis Granderson, a black hole in the other corner outfield spot, and an injury-plagued year by David Wright; overshadowing Juan Lagares' continued growth. That was balanced by the team finishing sixth in the NL with a 3.49 ERA, aided by the fine, out of nowhere season, by Jacob deGrom that netted him Rookie of the Year honors. Instead of making a big splash or adding one of the myriad of potentially available shortstops, all GM Sandy Alderson did was sign Michael Cuddyer to a two-year deal, giving up their first-round pick (15th overall) as compensation, and John Mayberry Jr. as a right-handed bat off the bench and part-time starter. The Mets are hoping that Wilmer Flores can handle shortstop defensively while providing some pop from the position, though they are keeping tabs on Tulo Tulowitzki to see if Colorado deals him lowering their asking price and he is healthy after hip surgery. Look for Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz to make their debuts during the season and for there to be some buzz in Queens this year while the Mets finish slightly over .500 and possibly battle for a Wild Card spot in 2015.
Offseason Moves:
Lost the following as free agents: Taylor Teagarden, Omar Quintanilla, John Lannan, Bobby Abreu, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Satin, Gonzalez Germen, Eric Young Jr., Zach Lutz and Dana Eveland
Clearly not a Murderers' Row list, with Young the most prominent of the bunch in terms of playing time last year. Teagarden was catching depth while Quintanilla had been brought back to provide some depth at shortstop. Lannan spent some time with the Mets parent club in the bullpen but wasn't long for the organization. Abreu saw more action than expected, playing 78 games and announced his retirement at the end of the season, ending a fine career where he notched 2,469 hits. Dice-K made 34 appearances with the Mets, including nine starts, posting a 3.89 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 83.1 innings. He signed a contract with the Softbank Hawks of Japan's Pacific League this past December. Germen has already been DFA'd four times this offseason while Eveland, who pitched well after his end of May promotion before being sidelined in September with an injury, was rumored to be coming back on a minor-league deal to compete for a lefty spot in the Mets' bullpen but instead signed with Boston. Satin and Lutz each saw some action with the parent club the past few seasons, with Satin seeing more playing time, though each were viewed as organizational depth. Young burst on the scene two years but it was expected his playing time would take a hit in 2014, which is what happened. His arb figure and diminished role on the team made him a casualty for 2015.
Signed Johnny Monell, Alex Castellanos, Buddy Carlyle and Duane Below to minor-league contracts and drafted Sean Gilmartin in the Rule 5 draft.
Monell and Castellanos are Triple-A Las Vegas depth with minimal shots to earn a roster spot. Carlyle, who pitched for the Mets last year, and Below, who was in Triple-A for Detroit in 2014, will both battle Gilmartin and several others to be the second lefty in the Mets' bullpen behind Josh Edgin. Gilmartin, who is usually a starter but will be tried out of the 'pen, will have to be offered back to Minnesota if he fails to earn a spot on the 25-man roster.
Signed Michael Cuddyer to two-year, $21-million deal
Cuddyer, who grew up in Virginia where David Wright is from, drew interest from the Mets even before free agency began. That interest seemed to have waned when Colorado surprisingly extended him a $15.3 million qualifying offer, meaning it would cost whoever signed a first-round pick if outside the top-10. Wright continued to work on Cuddyer and the Mets decided to go that route, signing him to a two-year deal just before the week after the offer was placed. Cuddyer will start in right field and possibly see some time at first against lefties while likely batting fifth in the order, behind Wright and Lucas Duda. The move away from Coors Field will safely deflate Cuddyer's numbers, but it doesn't dim his outlook entirely, as he was able to hit a respectable .286/.332/.463 on the road over the past three seasons, though Citi Field is not an easy park in which to hit. Health could again loom as the most significant obstacle for Cuddyer, who hasn't suited up for more than 140 games in a season since 2010.
Signed John Mayberry Jr. to a one-year, $1.45 million deal
Mayberry gives the Mets a right-handed bat off the bench, something they lacked last year. He also could start in the outfield against left-handed pitching, allowing manager Terry Collins to use Cuddyer at first base over Lucas Dudas. Mayberry hit .243 in 70 at-bats but with five HR and 15 RBI against southpaws last season, and is three years removed from a .271/.317/.494 line with eight HR and 19 RBI in 166 AB versus left-handed pitching.
Avoided arbitration, signing one-year deals with: Bobby Parnell ($3.7 million), Ruben Tejada ($1.88 million), Dillon Gee ($5.3 million), Daniel Murphy ($8 million), Jenrry Mejia ($2.595 million) and Lucas Duda ($4.2 million).
Parnell opened 2014 when he finished 2013, as the Mets' closer. But he served just one game in the role before landing on the disabled with partial tear of his UCL that required Tommy John surgery on April 8. This was the second straight season that injury cut short his year. In 2013, he missed the final two months of the year with a herniated disc in his neck. Prior to the injury, he had posted a sterling 2.16 ERA and 1.00 WHIP to go with 22 saves in 26 chances, despite notching modest strikeout totals (7.9 K/9) for a closer. Parnell may not be ready until May and will either get his closer role back or set up either Jennry Mejia or Jeurys Familia, each of whom assumed larger roles during 2014 while Parnell was sidelined.
Tejada's days as the Mets' starting shortstop are coming to a close, but it felt like he was constantly on the brink of being replaced last season, yet he still managed to make 419 trips to the plate. He has very little power to speak of (seven homers in 1,778 career plate appearances), but is an ample defender at a premium position. One interesting aspect of his 2014 profile is a significantly improved walk rate, as Tejada drew free passes at an 11.9% clip while carrying an on-base percentage (.342) that ranked third among shortstops with at least 400 plate appearances. Even with that growth, Tejada is expected to back up Wilmer Flores or whoever else is added at shortstop.
Gee, who seemingly has been on the block since the season ended, is surprisingly still a member of the Mets. Maybe it's the team's asking price of lack of a match, but for now, he is penciled in as one of the starting five in the team's rotation, It doesn't feel like Gee has maxed out, but at the same time he is now 29 years old and has three seasons of a greater than 4.00 ERA in his last four while posting no less than a 1.25 WHIP in any of the four. So maybe this is just who he is at this point. His 21.0% strikeout rate from 2012 is looking more and more like the outlier as opposed to a precursor of things to come as he followed it up with back-to-back seasons below 17.0%. He has always leveraged his home ballpark for a better ERA (3.36 career home mark) and maybe he has inadvertently given the fantasy community the road map for maximizing his value, assuming he has a rotation spot, of course. The development of the Mets' pitching might have Gee on the outside looking in, as Matt Harvey –- returning from Tommy John surgery - as well as the expected promotion of Syndergaard and Matz might make him expendable.
Murphy is the epitome of a non-sexy sexy fantasy baseball player. Over the past two seasons, only two second baseman have hit at least .280 while scoring 75-plus runs and driving in at least 50: Robinson Cano and Murphy. Murphy is a high-contact batter that uses that ability to get on base more so than walking. His BABIP has been over .315 each of the past four seasons, allowing him to consistently hit for a high average. The steals dropped from 23 to 13 last season, but Murphy is still a double-figures threat in that area to go along with a high average and runs. He is a 3.75 category player and the Mets are bringing in the fences in right field, which should give Murphy a boost in the power department. Last season, he out-earned the like of Ben Zobrist, Dustin Pedroia, Matt Carpenter and Chase Utley while being drafted later in most leagues. Murphy has become at least passable defensively, improving the past few seasons. With Dilson Herrera looming and another big payday on the horizon with the Mets seemingly not interested in offering him a long-term deal, it's possible that this could be Murphy's last year in Orange and Blue.
The Mets mishandled Mejia early on, as both his 2010 and 2012 stints with the club were completely inexplicable. He very clearly wasn't ready even without the benefit of hindsight, especially because they were still committed to keeping him a starter even though he spent most of that first tour in the bullpen. Mejia resurfaced for an impressive mid-summer run in 2013, but bone spurs in his elbow stymied him and reintroduced the questions about how durable he could be as a starter. He went out and answered that question himself in 2014. Mejia held batters to a .504 OPS in his first run through opposing lineups before seeing it jump to .780 the second time around and then explode to 1.095 the third time. It started to become clear that he was a 50-pitch guy, not a 100-pitch guy. The Mets finally sent him to the bullpen where he flourished in a ninth-inning role, notching a 2.72 ERA with 28 saves and 60 strikeouts in 56 innings. It might not be enough to secure the role out of the gate in 2015, though, as the return of Parnell looms coupled with presence of Familia in the team's pen.
Finally removed from the shadow of Ike Davis at first base and no longer miscast as an outfielder, Duda had a breakout campaign in 2014. There's little reason to believe he'll ever be able to hit left-handed pitching (32.8 K%, .516 OPS v. LHP last season), which is why Cuddyer and Mayberry could see time at first against southpaws, but his numbers against righties were elite (.915 OPS) and he showed power to all fields last season after previously being a predominantly pull hitter. The power potential has always been there with Duda, and his first 30-homer season wasn't simply the result of a spike to his HR/FB rate (16.0% in 2014, compared to a 13.5% career mark). If he can maintain the progress that he made with former hitting coach Lamar Johnson, Duda should be primed for another big year in the heart of the Mets' lineup in his age-29 campaign.
Projected Lineup (RH/LH)
1. Juan Lagares. CF
2. Daniel Murphy 2B
3. David Wright 3B
4. Lucas Duda 1B/Michael Cuddyer RF/1B
5. Michael Cuddyer RF/John Mayberry 1B/RF
6. Curtis Granderson LF
7. Travis d'Arnaud C
8. Wilmer Flores SS
The lineup is balanced righty-lefty through the first seven spots in the order against RH starters. Lagares took another step forward in his career last year, solidifying his role as the every day center fielder. His defense is unparalleled, as seen in his much-deserved Gold Glove win. Lagares had a 96:20 K:BB ratio and .321 OBA but showed he could steal bases after being prompted to be more aggressive last September, which will aid him in remaining as the top-of-the-order hitter. I discussed Murphy and Cuddyer above while I will get more into Wright, Granderson and Flores below. D'Arnaud is fully healthy after having his elbow scoped and he showed signs after his short stint back in the minors of being the hitter the Mets thought they were getting when they obtained him in the R.A Dickey deal. From June 24 on, d'Arnaud hit .272 (70-for-257) with 19 doubles, 10 homers and 32 RBI. On paper, the offense should be much improved, with young players ascending and veterans providing their usual support, but that could also go the other way, as there are more questions than clear answers on this team. Against southpaws, the expectation is there will be some changes, though if Duda shows he can consistently hit against them, he will remain in the lineup. If not, Cuddyer or Mayberry will play first base with the other likely in right field. In addition, Granderson could be moved to seven-hole against lefties, with d'Arnaud moving up a spot.
Projected Rotation
1. Matt Harvey RHP
2. Jacob deGrom RHP
3. Zack Wheeler RHP
4. Jon Niese LHP
5. Dillon Gee RHP
6. Bartolo Colon RHP
Many experts view the Mets as having a top-five rotation. Of course, much of that rating is dependent on the return to form of Matt Harvey, who when the season starts will be nearly 18 months clear of when he had Tommy John surgery. As spring training starts, Harvey is only throwing fastballs but is expected to break in curveballs and slider by mid-February. It will be interesting to see if he continues to throw his power, 90 mph slider, or dials it down a bit to save wear and tear on the elbow. DeGrom came out of nowhere last season to win the NL Rookie of the Year. He originally was called up in May to fill a bullpen spot, DeGrom earned a rotation spot when Dillon Gee landed on the disabled list, and went 9-6 with a 2.63 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 144 strikeouts in 140.1 innings over 22 starts. His tenacity on the match matches his solid four-pitch repertoire, of fastball, slider, curveball and change up, resulting in his fine performance last season. For Wheeler to take the next step in his development, he needs to become more efficient with his pitch counts and get deeper into his starts this season. Too often, he hit the fifth or sixth inning with 100+ pitches, limiting his chances to win. If Wheeler shows improvement there, which should also help lower his BB/9, he could take a major step forward. Niese, rumored to be on the block this offseason, is the solely lefty in the rotation for now. His injury history made the interest level in him lukewarm, meaning he will be back with the Mets. Niese's overall numbers are still solid, but his K ratio has dropped and he failed to win in double-digits the past two campaigns. With Harvey coming back from his surgery and the Mets aiming to reduce his innings, the team will open the year with a sixth-man rotation. Filling the bottom two slots are Colon and Gee, each of who were on the block. Colon's season looks like he regressed severely as his ERA rose from 2.65 to 4.09, but his FIP says he wasn't quite that good in 2013, and not nearly. Those numbers look even better when you realize he gave up five or more earned runs in eight starts, but had 20 quality starts in his 31 outings, including 16 in which he gave up two runs or less. Gee was unable to replicate his brilliant 2013 season, which is looking more and more like an outlier rather than the norm. He has three seasons of a greater than 4.00 ERA in his last four while posting no less than a 1.25 WHIP in any of the four. With Syndergaard and Matz coming, Colon and Gee are likely in trouble, but as we have seen, there is never too much pitching and an injury or two could keep them in the rotation.
Closer: Jenrry Mejia
Key bullpen members (projected): Jeurys Familia, Bobby Parnell (injured), Vic Black, Carlos Torres, and Josh Edgin head into spring training with spots, though that could change in Florida. Rafael Montero, Jake Leathersich, Erik Goeddel, Dario Alvarez, Cory Mazzoni, Buddy Carlyle, Sean Gilmartin and Duane Below will all challenge for a spot.
Overall, the Mets pen has power arms, something lacking the past several seasons until last year. They did a solid job stranding runners, another concerning area at times in the past. The pen could get even deeper if NY opts to use some of their excess, young starters in relief roles. Familia had a breakthrough campaign last season, posting a 2.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 73 strikeouts in 77.1 innings in 2014. Mid-90s heat and a devastating slider make him hell on righties (.377 OPS), but he's still got work to do against lefties (.821). If Familia can figure out how to retire southpaws, his strikeout rate will likely jump above the 25.0% mark. Parnell likely won't be ready until May. He likely will pitch in a set-up role when he returns. Black has suffered from neck woes the past two seasons, each of which were cut short due to the ailment. When healthy in 2015, he posted a 2.60 ERA, 1.298 WHIP and 32:19 K:BB ratio in 34.2 innings for the Mets while stranding nearly all of his inherited runners. If healthy, Black should open 2015 as the team's seventh-inning reliever. Torres is the team's runner-armed man, stepping in to make spot starts when needed while also used in multi-inning relief appearances. Edgin saw most of action against lefties, holding 60 batters to a .185 batting average. He wasn't bad against righties either, as 35 batters hit just .219 versus him. Edgin tossed just 27.1 innings in 47 appearances, so he is fairly close to being a LOOGY, while relying on his low-90s fastball and mid-80s slider to retire hitters.
The Mets may use Montero out of the bullpen. With seemingly no spots in the rotation available, using Montero's live arm and ability to miss bats in the bullpen makes sense. New York is torn as to where he best fits, but the choice may be made for them with sixth other starters already battling for the five spots. If Montero does make the squad that leaves one spot, which likely will be filled by a lefty. Carlyle, Gilmartin and Below all will get a look see, as Leathersich may need some more minor-league seasoning.
Fantasy Notes/Strengths/Weaknesses; On the Rise/Decline/Sleeper/Supersleeper
1. Is Wilmer Flores the answer at shortstop?
All offseason, the talk has been who will supplant Flores as the starting shortstop in NY. Yet as spring training begins, Flores is still penciled into the role with Ruben Tejada as the backup. The fanbase was clamoring for an upgrade, but GM Sandy Alderson refused to budge, either via signing a free agent or making a trade unless a clear-cut upgrade was available. Alderson has fairly adamant that none was, either in general or at a reasonable price.
Didi Gregorius, Chris Owings, Billy Miller. Stephen Drew, Jed Lowrie and Asdrubal Cabrera all were mentioned this offseason as possible options. That doesn't even include Troy Tulowitzki, whose availability was in question. Even if he were, there were varying opinions whether acquiring him given the cost to do so would be a wise move. The same can be said about Ian Desmond, who was mentioned as part of a huge three-way deal, but would have cost Syndergaard, cooling the Mets' interest.
Flores' bat has never been in question but his defense has and is. After struggling after his promotion, Flores turned it on the last two month to post passable numbers. Our projections for him this year is on the lower edge of others within the industry, but those numbers weight those last two months heavily. Regardless of if he hits, his defense may determine if he keeps the job. Flores has worked this offseason on improving his slow first step and increasing his range. If one or both happen, his bat should keep him in the lineup, if not, Tejada or Matt Reynolds or one of the names mentioned above could end up as the starting shortstop.
2. Whither David Wright?
For the third time in four years, an injury had a significant adverse affect on Wright's numbers, but it's unfair to blame all of 2014's stinkfest on his left shoulder injury, even though it lingered a good part of the year. Wright was a top-25 player on draft day and finished the season with a .269/.324/.374 line and failed to reach double digits in home runs and steals for the first time since the 2004 season. Rather than having surgery, Wright opted to rehab the shoulder. We will know fairly quickly whether the injury has again sapped any of his power and/or prevented Wright from getting full extension on his swing. Wright is a gap-to-gap hitter, so he should benefit from the Mets moving in the right and center field fences.
When Wright signed a seven-year, $122 million contract extension in November 2012, which could keep him in New York through 2020, several believed he had made a mistake leaving large sums of the money on the table. To date, Wright has likely come out on the positive side of the ledger with than deal, due to his injuries and ineffectiveness. The Captain and Face of the Franchise - at least on the hitting side - will have a pair of solid hitters before and after him in the lineup, which should bode well for success. If he struggles again, those whispers of Wright being in major decline will grow louder.
3. Can Curtis be something sort of Grand-erson?
The Mets' big splash in free agency following the 2013 season came with the addition of Granderson, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract. In addition to the financial commitment, the Mets gave up their second-round pick to sign him. Granderson finished April with a .136/.252/.216 line, but hit .244/.339/.420 from May 1 through the end of the season. He was especially strong in September, going 26-for-78 with four home runs and 17 runs batted in over his last 22 games. Granderson showed signs of progress with his plate discipline last season as well, dropping his strikeout rate to 21.6% - his lowest mark since 2009. He also displayed power on a level similar to his final season with the Yankees (.161 ISO), and turned his heavy volume of playing time into 20 home runs.
Of course, whatever positive numbers Granderson had are offset by his horrific start to the season. In addition, he hasn't batted over .232 the past three seasons while hitting just .220 against righties last year. Two reasons for hope are the hiring of Kevin Long as hitting coach and moving in the fences in right field. Long helped unlock Granderson's power potential when he hit 41 and 43 home runs, respectively, in 2011 and 2012 while the movement in of the fences should result in several more long-balls on Granderson's ledger. Turning 34 in March, Granderson is unlikely to return to the 40-homer level he reached the Bronx, but he should continue to provide cheap power and run production near the middle of the Mets' lineup as the team's regular left fielder in 2015.
4. What happens if Travis d'Arnaud struggles or gets hurt?
There really wasn't a good answer to the question last year. Anthony Recker can step in and give you some at-bats, but he likely isn't a long-term option. If d'Arnaud does not take that next step, the answer for the Mets' catching woes is likely at Triple-A Las Vegas. Kevin Plawecki, taken in the supplemental first round of the 2012 draft out of Purdue, has hit at every level, sporting a .295/.372/.439 slash line in two-plus seasons in the minor leagues. He had 11 home runs and 24 doubles in 419 plate appearances between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas in 2014, so there's a chance that he could offer 15-homer pop in the big leagues. Plawecki will open 2015 back in Vegas and has been mentioned as a possible trade chip for a shortstop, but if he continues to hit, the Mets will find room for him, especially if d'Arnaud struggles.
Strengths:
Lefty-righty balance throughout the lineup. Power from 3-6 in the order with some pop at 7-8. An above-average rotation with prospects knocking at the door. Heat from the bullpen, with decent depth and ability to use young arms there.
Weaknesses:
Suspect top of the rotation. Young question marks at catcher and short with no real back ups at parent level. No real team speed. Ace is coming off TJS. A 42-year old starting pitcher which the main lefty injury prone. Bouts of wildness from bullpen and a closer with a high WHIP. Bench may once again be a weakness.
On the rise: Matt Harvey - After missing last season coming off Tommy John surgery, the Bureau Chief of New York is chomping at the bit to re-establish his presence on the Gotham scene. The Mets will need to rein Harvey in, but when he is on, he lights up Citi Field. Look for him to once again be a top starter in baseball.
Decline: Michael Cuddyer - His numbers won't be horrific, they just won't be Coors-esque. The fanbase and management can say all the way that they aren't expecting that kind of production, but if Cuddyer doesn't provide some pop from the six-hole and in right field, the lineup could get out of whack.
Sleeper: Dilson Herrera - If things go sour in NY, Daniel Murphy could get moved. Murphy is making $8 million this year and the Mets seem reluctant to offer him a long-term deal. Part of that may be due to the presence of Herrera, who came over with Vic Black for Marlon Byrd and john Buck in August 2013. Herrera burst in the scene last year, going from High-A St. Lucie to Double-A Binghamton to the Mets. He is expected to be a double-double candidate in the future with upside for more.
Super-sleeper: Matt Reynolds -Reynolds was selected by the Mets with the 71st overall pick in the 2011 draft out of the University of Arkansas and hit .333/.385/.479 with five homers and 40 RBI in 68 games for Las Vegas. That production came after his promotion from Binghamton, where he posted a .335/.430/.422 line with one home run and 21 RBI over 211 at-bats. He profiles more as a utility infielder, but could get a shot at filling the shortstop position if Wilmer Flores proves incapable.
Top Prospects:
Noah Syndergaard - The big right-hander enters 2015 as the top pitching prospect in the minor leagues, and a borderline top-5 overall prospect. A lot was made of Syndergaard's "struggles" at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2014, but a 4.60 ERA pitching in some of the most hitter-friendly conditions in the minor leagues is not nearly as bad as it looks. He fell victim to a .378 BABIP and still posted a quality 145:43 K:BB ratio in 133 innings. His second-half numbers (3.54 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 53.1 innings) were particularly impressive for a 21-year-old in the Pacific Coast League. At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, he is equipped to handle 200-plus inning seasons, and the Mets have said he will have a generous 185-190 innings cap on his age-22 season. The biggest question is where he will fit in the rotation. With Jacob deGrom's emergence and Matt Harvey's return, the Mets easily go five deep, so Syndergaard may begin 2015 back in Las Vegas awaiting a June callup.
Steven Matz - Tommy John surgery prevented Matz, a 2009 second-rounder, from debuting as a pro until 2012. He wouldn't make his full season debut until a year later, and while the numbers were impressive, he was as a 22-year-old in A-ball. Matz took a big step forward in 2014, not only with another injury-free season during which he managed a career-high innings total (141), but he dominated yet again, splitting time between High-A and Double-A with a low-2.00s ERA in both. He works at 92-94 mph from the left side with solid command. His slow curve can be a plus pitch and should also miss bats regularly. The growth of his changeup will determine his future. When right, it looks great, but it is inconsistent. He has made up for the missed time and now sits on the doorstep of the big leagues, but the Mets may not have a need anytime soon. Consider Matz a worthwhile pick in leagues with minor league focus, otherwise wait until he is in the majors to act on him.
Brandon Nimmo - The former 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft out of high school in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is finally starting to show flashes of that pedigree. His .322/.448/.458 slash line in 279 plate appearances at High-A St. Lucie turned heads, primarily because of an approach that yielded a 51:50 K:BB ratio. However, he met his match after advancing to Double-A Binghamton, where his BABIP regressed from .401 to .283, and as a result, he posted much more pedestrian numbers. Nimmo profiles as a Daniel Nava-type of big leaguer (the 2013 version), offering more value in OBP leagues and in real life, as the power and speed production will probably always be below average. The Mets will likely send him back to Double-A to start 2015, and if he can redeem himself, he should finish the season at Triple-A, with a chance to make a big-league impact in 2016.
Dilson Herrera and Kevin Plawecki - profiled above.
Amed Rosario - Rosario was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, and has emerged as the organization's token toolsy shortstop that is a long way from the big leagues. He only has seven games in a full season league on his resume. In 290 plate appearances at short-season Brooklyn last season, he slashed .289/.337/.380 with one home run and seven steals. At 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, he has some filling out to do, but there is little doubt that he will be able to stick at shortstop. Owning Rosario in a dynasty league requires extreme patience, but the payoff could be huge down the line. He has the most upside of any hitter in the Mets' system, but the risk is equally high. If everything clicks, he will be a top-10 shortstop with offensive contributions across the board, but he may not reach the majors until 2018.
Michael Conforto - Conforto was drafted as a bat-first outfielder with the 10th overall pick in 2014 out of Oregon State. He won't be ranked highly on national prospect lists as he profiles as a left fielder, but the impact potential on offense is real. He slashed .331/.403/.448 with three home runs in 186 plate appearances at short season Brooklyn, and figures to start 2015 at Low-A. Entering his age-22 season, Conforto has a chance to move fast. Considering defense won't be a primary focus and given his hit and power tools, which both project as plus, he could get to Double-A by the end of the season, with a chance to debut with the Mets in the summer of 2016. At his peak, Conforto could provide a .285 average with 25 home runs, so he should be targeted in the early rounds of dynasty leagues this year.
Gavin Cecchini - Cecchini spent most of 2014 at Low-A Savannah (57 games) and High-A St. Lucie (68 games), and was largely underwhelming offensively. He hit eight home runs with 10 steals and slashed .247/.328/.378 in 534 plate appearances across both levels. He figures to start his age-21 season at Double-A Binghamton, but there are questions about his future position as he moves up the ladder. He lacks the defensive chops to cut it as a big league shortstop and he doesn't have the stick to profile at the keystone. Cecchini may be able to hack it as a utility infielder at the highest level, but even that outcome is likely two years away, meaning fantasy owners should bypass him when sifting through middle infielders in the Mets' system.
Others include Dominic Smith, Gabriel Ynoa, Marcos Molina and LJ Mazzilli.
