MLB Trade Rumors released their annual arbitration projections, and that list included the ten Mets who are eligible for arbitration.
As the 40-man roster stands, three spots will need to open for the players on the 60-Day injured list: Jorge Polanco, Tylor Megill and Reed Garrett. The Mets will likely look to add in free agency and through trade acquisitions, which will require opening up roster spots for the offseason.
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The Mets need to decide by November 20 who they are looking to tender contracts to. From there, they can either come to contract agreements with arbitration-eligible players they decide to tender contracts to, or go to arbitration hearings. So far the only player the Mets under David Stearns have gone to an arbitration hearing instead of settling ahead of time was Phil Bickford, who they later released during spring training.
In parentheses is the player’s service time, and the dollar amount is what MLBTR projected.
Francisco Alvarez (3.164): $4.1MM
Francisco Alvarez is as safe as possible to be tendered a contract. I would not expect it to happen, but he is more likely to receive an extension than be cut this offseason. In an inconsistent season where he was battling multiple injuries, Alvarez was roughly a league-average hitter, slashing .233/.311/.399/.710. He paced exactly a league-average 2.0 WAR per Fangraphs and a 23 home run pace. This is arguably his floor, and that makes him a very valuable organizational piece. He is only 24, has three more years of control, and still has two options.
Brett Baty (3.088): $2.5MM
Brett Baty is also still valuable. He just needs to be consistent. Barring a trade, David Stearns spoke about Baty’s usefulness in his postseason presser, and the Mets even gave him reps at shortstop to see if he could be an emergency option in 2027. He has been roughly a league-average hitter the last two seasons, and he can fill in across the infield with outfield flex. Baty should not expect him to be a starter barring injuries, but at this price you are not likely finding more valuable in free agency or on waivers, especially not with a 2027 option.
Mark Vientos (3.102): $2.4MM
Mark Vientos does have value. Against left-handed pitchers, he slashes .252/.296/.513/.809. He does not really have a defensive position, and he struggles against right-handed pitchers, which makes him a real struggle to fit on a roster. Tendering him a contract at this price will likely be a difficult decision for the Mets. If they do, it likely means they either believe they can trade him or he will have the opportunity to compete to be part of the righty half of a DH/1B platoon.
Tylor Megill (5.031): $2.5MM
The Mets paid Tylor Megill throughout his Tommy John rehabilitation, and in his postseason press conference, David Stearns discussed their goal for Megill to be ready for spring training, which seems to hint he will be tendered a contract. His career has been up and down with injuries but after making adjustments in the summer of 2024, Megill threw 107.1 innings to a 3.61 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with a 28.1% strikeout rate. Megill has flashed plus stuff with mid-rotation upside and if he returns looking as he did before his injury, he could be great starter depth or potentially an upside reliever.
Christopher Morel (4.080): $2.1MM
Christopher Morel dominated in Syracuse across 123 PA with a .321/.382/.716/1.098 slash and has shown true upside in his career. He has also struggled heavily at many stops in the majors and struggled in his part-time role in the majors with the Mets in 2026. If the Mets were to tender him a contract, it means they are showing significant faith in their development as well as trust in any changes he made in Triple-A with them.
Reed Garrett (3.143): $1.3MM
Reed Garrett was a great find for the Mets in 2023 where he made real in-season changes. He was viewed as a clear non-tender candidate heading into 2024 but he stayed on the 40-man roster all offseason, and it paid off. Garrett’s development worked and he developed into a legitimate leverage reliever, pitching 112.2 innings to a 3.83 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 34 holds and seven saves before going down with injury. When I say the organization can surprise you and show faith in players you would not expect to last the offseason, this is why.
Austin Warren (3.137): $1.2MM
Austin Warren was in the middle of a big breakout season at the end of June when he has a 2.45 ERA and 1.27 WHIP before he gave up nine runs in two outings in July and went on the injured list with an elbow injury. He returned strong in August and threw to a 2.93 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across his last 15.1 innings. If you remove the two outings in July where he did not look healthy, Warren pitched 48.1 innings to a 2.61 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with two holds. If Warren had an option left, he would be a clear candidate to be tendered. As he is out of options, this decision will largely be determined by how the Mets view his projection post-injury.
Dedniel Núñez (3.074): $900K
Dedniel Núñez looked incredible in the majors this year. He threw 19 innings to a 3.32 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with a 27.8% strikeout rate. His spin rate continued to climb as his season went on, and the further removed from Tommy John surgery he was, the closer his stuff looked to what it did in 2024. He ran an incredible 36.6% whiff rate and did not walk a single batter. Núñez looked like a legitimate leverage arm, and he still has an option available for 2027.
Cionel Pérez (5.139): $1.2MM
Cionel Pérez was a lot better than his 4.76 ERA and 1.46 WHIP looked but the emergence of Nate Lavender could impact a roster decision. I would think you want a stronger lefty in the bullpen instead of going with both Pérez and Nate Lavender and while Lavender has his options, I would argue his 2026 performance should force him onto the 2027 opening day roster. Pérez has no options, and Warren had his own injury issues. He has plus stuff and looked better with the Mets than the Nationals, pitching to a 3.99 ERA and 1.33 WHIP across 29.1 innings. His slurve is incredible, and he hit 99.4 miles per hour from the left side with the Mets. It is possible they want to take the offseason to see if he can develop this plus stuff further but that is not a cheap price tag for that project.
Cristian Pache (3.086): $800K
When Cristian Pache was on the roster, he did not play, getting into only 15 games with only eight plate appearances. Sometimes teams show you how they view a player by how they utilize them. He also struggled offensively in Triple-A and defense-only outfielders tend to be easy to find on waivers or minor league deals. Pache could even be brought back on one.
