WHIT MERRIFIELD, 2B/OF

Position: 2B/OF

B/T: R/R

Age: 35 (01/24/1989)

2023 Traditional Stats: 145 G, 592 PA, .272/.318/.382/.700, 11 HR, 67 RBI, 27 2B, 26 SB, 36 BB

2023 Advanced Stats: 0.7 bWAR, 93 WRC+, 17.1% SO%, 6.1% BB%, .313 BABIP, .274 xwOBA, 1.5 fWAR

RUNDOWN 

Whit Merrifield made his big league debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2016, playing in 81 games that year. He would spend six and a half seasons with the team, making the All-Star team on two different occasions. But as the Royals continued to embark on a rebuild in the summer of 2022, Merrifield was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays for two prospects. For a number of years, his name would pop up in trade talks near the deadline, and while his value was not at an all-time high, the team decided to move on from the veteran.

The utility man had a good start to his Toronto career, slashing .281/.323/.446/.769 over the final 44 games of the 2022 season, helping a talented group return to the postseason as a Wild Card team. Merrifield, entering the final year of his deal, was expected to have a big part to play for the Blue Jays in 2023. That certainly proved to be true throughout the first half of the season. Merrifield earned a spot on the All-Star team, hitting .286 with a .734 OPS in his first 330 plate appearances. His ability to play second base and either corner in the outfield also gave Toronto flexibility with their roster that led to overall success.

But like so many of his teammates, Merrifield’s bat was hit or miss over the final two and half months of the season. After the All-Star break, he slashed .256/.286/.370/.656 with just 16 extra-base hits in his last 262 plate appearances. Merrifield picked a bad time to go through a slump, hitting .181 with a .472 OPS over the final 20 games of the season, as the Blue Jays missed the playoffs by one game.

CONTRACT

At the beginning of the off-season, the Blue Jays and Merrifield declined a $18 million mutual option for the 2024 season. Given his age and the way he performed over the second half of the 2023 campaign, it is difficult to see him receiving that kind of AAV this late in free agency.

Merrifield turned 35 on Jan. 24, and it’s fair to speculate that his age has played a factor in why he has yet to sign with a new team. Spotrac.com currently projects Merrifield to sign a two-year, $12.93 million contract, with an AAV that sits at $6.4 million.

RECOMMENDATION 

I think Merrifield still has a lot left in the tank, and while he isn’t the same player he was in Kansas City, he can contribute to a winning team. However, if the Mets decided to sign the former Royal, it would have to be on a one-year deal.

The team has two infield prospects who expect to be on the big league roster to begin the 2025 season, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña, whom Merrifield would take at-bats from if the deal prolonged one year. Prioritizing their development over signing a veteran to a multi-year deal would be smart, especially with the plan that David Stearns has put in place.

Jeff McNeil is going to get the majority of the opportunities at second base, so if Merrifield were to sign in New York, it would be more for his ability to play left and right field. Availability has been a major question mark for Starling Marte and Harrison Bader in recent years, so the Mets could use someone will has played 140 games or more five times in his career. The fit is there, but Merrifield is good enough to be in a big-league lineup five times a week.

Merrifield could slide into a role with the Mets that he previously held with Toronto. A utility player who can get on base via the hit and potentially swipe 20-30 bases. A one-year deal would help the team, but is unlikely to get done since the Mets are focusing on adding more power to their lineup.