DJ STEWART, OF

Player Data: Age: 29 (11/30/1993), B/T: L/R

Primary Stats: 58 G, 185 PA, 160 AB, .238/.328/.494/.822, 38 H, 11 HR, 26 RBI, 15 BB, 8 2B, 1 SB

Advanced Stats: 125 wRC+, 30.3% K%, 8.1% BB%, .287 BABIP, .340 xwOBA, 0.6 fWAR, 0.3 bWAR

2023 Salary: $720,000

Grade: B

2023 Review

The New York Mets signed DJ Stewart to a minor league contract in February of 2023, just weeks before the beginning of Spring Training. He spent the first three months of the season in Triple-A, but on July 4, the outfielder received a call up to the big leagues. Stewart showed plenty of power in Syracuse, slashing .229/.362/.516/.878 with 16 home runs, 41 runs batted in and 35 walks in just 51 games. The question was, would his ability to hit for home runs translate against much better pitching?

Stewart’s opportunities in July were few and far between in the big leagues, as he started in just six games (12 appearances). The former Baltimore Oriole struggled to make an impact, particularly with his bat. He hit his first big league home run of the season in an 11-10 victory over the Chicago White Sox on July 18, his only long ball of the month. Stewart hit .200 with a .720 OPS in his first 25 at bats, but as he got more comfortable and made adjustments, his fortunes began to change.

More and more opportunities opened for Stewart as soon as the front office chose to be sellers ahead of the trade deadline. Within days, he had become an everyday starter out in right field. Stewart still had his fair share of struggles in a substantial role, but that changed on August 15 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had two hits in a 7-4 loss, including a home run and two RBIs. That night helped Stewart find some form of comfortability, as he had seven multi-hit games over the final 13 games in August. His slash line was .303/.378/.727/1.106 with eight home runs, 16 runs batted in and six walks in 76 plate appearances for the month.

He failed to continue that level of individual play in September, finishing the year slashing .189/.286/.311/.597 with two home runs and eight runs batted in over the final 22 games of the season. Opposing pitchers began to attack Stewart differently, and as a result, the batting average with the rest of his numbers took a significant dip. He also had a 32.14% strikeout rate in September, which was certainly alarming. Stewart struggled down the stretch, but there were stretches where he looked dangerous every time he stepped into the batter’s box.

2024 Overview

DJ Stewart could be a part of the Mets organization for the foreseeable future, as the 2024 season will be his first arbitration-eligible campaign. His individual play in September could be the deciding factor that determines if he’s on the Opening Day roster come late March, especially if Starling Marte continues to struggle with injuries. Stewart won’t be an everyday starter, but his ability to play right field and fill in as the team’s designated hitter provides important value at the big-league level.

He had 185 plate appearances in 58 big league games for the Mets last year. Stewart has never had more than 318 plate appearances in one season, which came in 2021 when he was still with the Orioles. His role with the Mets in 2024 is unclear at this point, but what he did at the end of the 2023 campaign should keep him in the mix. Once the organization decides on their new manager, their plans for each big leaguer, including Stewart, will become clearer.