As you know, the New York Mets released infielder Ruben Tejada last week, and with his departure it opened up an important bench spot that will go to either Matt Reynolds or Eric Campbell.
Campbell, who was part of the Mets bench on and off last season, has the best chance of getting that spot according to some reports, but middle infield prospect Matt Reynolds could also mount a significant challenge.
These last few days of spring training will be huge in determining who gets that last roster spot and Campbell knows this is his time to make some noise.
“All I want is an opportunity,” Campbell told NJ Advanced Media. “I come here to compete every day, try to play to win. If they decide that I’m the best guy for that bench spot, then that’s great.”
Campbell, 28, batted only .197 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 71 games with the Mets last season. But many in the organization feel he was the victim of bad luch, pointing to his hard hit ball rate and BABIP.
His versatility provides insurance at both corner infield spots and also in the outfield. Campbell has also proven to be a solid pinch hitter with a career .293 batting average over 41 at-bats in that role.
He’s had a pretty good spring training overall, yielding a .290 average with a .476 on-base percentage that ranks 4th best in the NL. Campbell is tied for first place in walks with 10 and runs scored with nine. While spring training numbers won’t mean much overall, it could be big for someone like Campbell, who’s trying to win a roster spot.
“I’m not really worried so much about the stats in spring,” Campbell said. “It’s more about having good at-bats and really getting locked in for the season.”
“You’ve kind of got to do two things. You’ve got to get yourself ready for the season, but you also have to play well to try to win a spot. It really comes down to how you hit and how you defend. If the next two weeks go well, then I should have a pretty good shot.”
There’s also a chance that both Campbell and Reynolds head north with the team if the Mets decide to go with 11 pitchers rather than 12 being they have three days off in the first week of the season.
