Five Most Intriguing Non-Tendered Players Mets May Consider

With the dust having now settled following events on Friday, there are plenty of intriguing players who were non-tendered by their teams and are now free agents. With that being said, what are some of the newest options on the market?

Cody Bellinger – OF

Perhaps the most flashy name on this list is Cody Bellinger. The outfielder was without doubt the biggest and most notable player to have been non-tendered on Friday, and he adds yet another wrinkle to what is already a really interesting off-season.

Bellinger has high pedigree given that he was crowned the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and then the National League MVP in 2019. He he has been a key part of a Dodgers team that has done a lot of winning over a large sample size now. If that wasn’t enough, the lefty bat is a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner, a Silver Slugger winner, a NLCS MVP and, oh, a World Series champion too. That’s one heck of a resume and most teams in the majors would jump at the chance to add a player of that ilk to their roster.

However, since 2021, Bellinger has struggled and has been a shadow of his former self due to a spate of injuries and a change in approach at the plate that has stifled all of his best attributes. After hitting .278/.369/.559 with 111 home runs over his first three seasons in the bigs, he has slashed just .193/.256/.355 with a 0.7 fWAR over the past two seasons. He also struck out 150 times in 2022.

But, on the flip side, the 27-year-old is still young enough to tweak his mechanics and right his approach at the plate. Plus, he is a premier defender and recorded seven Outs Above Average in 2022 to become a Gold Glove nominee for the third time in his career, while he displayed his excellent ability on the basepaths with 14 stolen bases last year.

There’s still a lot to like about Bellinger’s game and, if Brandon Nimmo signs elsewhere in free agency, then Bellinger could be a cost-effective option to challenge for a spot in the outfield. Certainly would be a move that would bring a lot of question marks with it.

Luke Voit – 1B/DH

It is no secret that the Mets got little to no production from their designated hitters in 2022, and that is a big area of concern for next year despite the fact that Daniel Vogelbach will be back. There are plenty of options out there for the front office to consider and another one emerged on Friday in Luke Voit.

Non-tendered by the Washington Nationals, Voit is a big, powerful masher who can absolutely destroy baseballs. He hit 22 home runs with 69 RBI in 2022. In total, the slugger slashed .226/.308/.402/.710 for the San Diego Padres and the Nationals last year. He also knows how to perform in New York having crushed 68 homers with 182 RBI in 1,133 plate appearances for the Yankees. Voit could be a cost effective option at the designated-hitter spot, while he could also spell Pete Alonso at first if needed throughout the regular season.

Alex Reyes – RHP

The Mets entered the off-season with a laundry list of needs and one of the biggest areas that needed addressing was the bullpen. New York must completely rebuild that aspect of the team due to the several internal free agents there.  As a result, Alex Reyes could be an intriguing pickup by a team that needs relief pitching.

Reyes enjoyed a true breakout year in 2021. He posted a sparkling 1.52 ERA over 41 1/3 innings to earn his first-ever All-Star Game nod. However, the righty slumped in the second-half of the season and he finished with a 3.24 ERA and 0.2 fWAR along with 29 saves. The biggest question mark over Reyes has been his inability to stay healthy and that has really prevented him from fulfilling his lofty potential.

There’s a lot to like about Reyes’ game, though. He has some of the best stuff in the majors and his slider is a lethal weapon that can wreak a lot of damage, as proved by the pitch’s 55.8% whiff rate in 2021. Reyes struck out 11.82 batters per nine in 2021 and, while his walk rate currently sits at 15.5% for his career, he could be a low risk-high reward type player with plenty of upside for a Mets team that needs plenty of bullpen help.

Garrett Hampson – CF/2B/SS

One of the biggest takeaways to emerge from the deep autopsy of the 2022 season for the Mets was that, for as good a season as this team had, they still owned a flawed roster. Notably, the lack of dynamic options on the offensive side of things really hurt them both down the stretch and in the postseason. One of the potential remedies when looking ahead to 2023 is more speed. That’s why Garrett Hampson is an intriguing name to moniter after he was non-tendered by the Colorado Rockies on Friday.

It may not seem that way at first given that Hampson endured an incredibly tough 2022 season, suffering career lows both at the plate and in the field. Hampered by a lack of playing opportunities and time on the injured list and COVID-19 injured list, the utility player hit just .211/.287/.307 with two home runs, 15 RBI and just 21 walks. All were career lows, as were his .594 OPS, 60 OPS+, and 55 wRC+. On the defensive side of the ball, Hampson put up a -9 total DRS which ranked as the second worst on the Rockies, and he also posted a negative Ultimate Zone Rating at every position he played in 2022.

However, looking at the positives, the 28-year-old is an absolute speed demon on the basepaths. He would add a different dynamic to this Mets’ lineup with his blistering pace and ability to steal bases and make things happen at a high level. Furthermore, Hampson cranked up his walk rate to 9.3% in 2022.

He can make highlight-reel plays in the field and his versatility in being able to play a multitude of different positions at a good level would give manager Buck Showalter plenty of lineup flexibility on a daily basis. And, last but not least, Hampson could likely be signed at a bargain price. He’s another low risk but very high reward player if he can figure it out and have a bounce back season.

Brian Anderson – 3B/OF

The last player on the list is a guy Mets’ fans are all too familiar with: Brian Anderson. He has been a consistent producer for the Miami Marlins since making his major league debut in 2017. He finished in the top five in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 and he hit a career-high 20 homers and 66 RBI in 2019. However, the righty bat has struggled with injuries and he failed to appear in 100 games in both 2021 and 2022. Anderson hit just .222/.311/.346 (.657 OPS) with eight home runs 28 RBI with 101 strikeouts in 2022.

Offensive struggles aside, the 29-year-old did impress with his arm last year as he ranked in the 99th percentile in arm strength, and he can always be relied upon to produce highlight after highlight in the field. When it comes to a potential fit with the Mets, Anderson has very good instincts at the hot corner and could forge a good platoon option with Eduardo Escobar at third base.