Photo by Ed Delany

Dominic Smith made his first professional appearance in the outfield last night for the Las Vegas 51s, despite having played the position a little in high school.

The team wants to try the natural first baseman in the outfield, as they lost Juan Lagares for the season and Yoenis Cespedes is currently on the DL.

Those two injuries have left the Mets with only Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Jay Bruce, and Phillip Evans as outfielders on the roster, which has made them even consider trotting Wilmer Flores and Jose Reyes out there.

However, the Mets believe this could really open up an opportunity to place Smith on the roster at some point as Mickey Callaway details to Zach Braziller of the New York Post.

“This only gives Dom another option to be able to make it back up here and contribute.”

“When Lagares got hurt, we had to start thinking outside the box. There aren’t outfielders just running around that are really good to be able to come and add depth in our organization. So this is one way to help that.”

Callaway believes the first baseman can make the transition soundly too.

“The way he’s been moving around, the way he’s been working, he’s a really good athlete. He does a great job of really catching the ball at first base, so we were all just talking about it the other day. With the injuries we’ve had, it makes some sense for him to go out in right field and get some reps.”

Another reason they could be doing this, which the Mets have not confirmed nor denied yet, is the ascension of Peter Alonso in Double-A Binghamton.

He has been smoking the ball all year with a .355/.486/.659 slash line to go along with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in only 138 at-bats. That stat line is padded by improved defense at the first base position for him as well.

If Smith were to stay at first base and Adrian Gonzalez was to remain on the MLB roster, the Mets would likely have to leave Alonso down in Binghamton. However, increasing Smith’s versatility would allow them to have both at Las Vegas at the same time if they so choose.

— Josh Finkelstein

Original Post- May 19

With their major-league outfield emaciated at the moment, the New York Mets have their 2013 first-round draft pick, Dominic Smith (a first-baseman by trade), getting some game reps in the outfield tonight in Tacoma.

As per Mike Curto, the Tacoma Rainiers radio broadcaster, Smith is starting in right field for the Las Vegas 51’s tonight. This is Smith’s first career start at any position other than first base.

Smith entered major league camp this spring down about 28 pounds to 222 and has slimmed down even more during the season to roughly 215 pounds.

In 127 at-bats with Las Vegas this season, the 22-year-old Los Angeles native is slashing .291/.396/.441 with two home runs, 17 runs batted in, 11 doubles and a triple. He struck out in his only (completed) at-bat after being called up last weekend to take Jay Bruce‘s spot on the Mets roster.

With Yoenis Cespedes on the 10-day disabled list and Juan Lagares expected to miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his big toe, the Mets clearly need another body in the mix. The team currently does not have any other outfielders on their 40-man roster.

The Mets also have one of the hottest prospects in all of baseball in Binghamton Rumble Ponies first baseman Peter Alonso. His 217 wRC+ is second in the minor leagues and he has little left to prove offensively at Double-A.