Mets 2024 Positional Outlook: The Outfield

If there is one thing about the New York Mets set in 2024, it is their outfield. It isn’t disputed who their starting three are and that they will be in the lineup every day. What did happen was that one of their starting outfielders will play a new position. Brandon Nimmo, one of the team’s cornerstones, will now move to left field. The reason? The signing of Harrison Bader. Despite that, the Mets know who their starting three will be, but the question remains in the depths of the outfield. We are currently seeing that in Spring Training. So, let’s look at the Mets outfield for the 2024 season.

Big League Starters

Brandon Nimmo

Age: 30

Contract: Eight years, $162 million (free agent after 2030

Roster Status: 40-man roster

2024 preview: Nimmo is one the best players on the team and is coming off two extortionary years. He excelled at the plate, especially on defense in center field. You’d think it was Ken Griffey Jr. or Mike Trout out in centerfield making incredible catches and plays. He’s come a long way from being considered “just a 4th outfielder”. He’s molded himself into one of the finest players in the game, both in center and at the leadoff spot. So, why change what’s working?

Just one offseason removed from signing his big contract to stay in New York, the Mets will move Nimmo to left field this season. Nimmo has played 150 games in left field since coming to the big leagues in 2016. He played ten games in left field last season after not playing the position in 2022. His experience is key, but again, he’s been such a good center fielder, so the move is curious. The Mets feel that the move will preserve Nimmo over the years.

The move to left field might not be Nimmo’s only move. The Mets have expressed that Nimmo could move around the lineup as they try to protect guys like Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor, and Francisco Álvarez. The reason is Nimmo’s bat and the surprising power that he had last year when he had 24 home runs. Nimmo’s succeeded in everything the Mets have asked him to do over the years, but Nimmo’s role will be interesting to watch this season.

Starling Marte

Age: 35

Contract: Four years, $78 million (free agent after 2025)

Roster Status: 40-man roster

2024 preview: When he’s on the field, Starling Marte is an electrifying player. He can hit all around the field and hit for power. He can steal bases. In right field, he can play some good defense with a cannon for an arm. Of course, health is the caveat. In an entire 162-game season, Marte has played over 150 games once in his career. That was in 2015, when he played 153 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Marte is coming off his latest slate of injuries when he had double groin surgery last offseason. The surgery hurt him last year and severely limited him at the plate and in the field. Marte missed a lot of time due to injury last year and only played 86 games.

This season, Marte looks to get back into form and be what the Mets saw for most of 2022. So far, Marte has played in the Winter League, and in Spring Training, he’s played six games, recording two hits. The most important thing for him is to come out of this healthy and be healthy all season. A healthy Marte can go a long way in helping the Mets, and especially the lineup. With one season left on his contract after 2024 and at 35 years old, it’s a very big year for Marte.

Harrison Bader

Age: 29

Contract: one-year, $10 million (free agent 2024)

Roster Status: 40-man roster

2024 preview: The new player managing center field at Citi Field for the Mets this season. Well, for now. Bader isn’t known for his bat. He’s a career .243 hitter, and last season with the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds, he slashed .232/.274/.348. Not encouraging numbers at the plate. His defense is what keeps him in the starting lineup and a reason why Nimmo is being moved to left field.

However, Bader is a bridge to what the Mets hope is their starting star outfielder, Drew Gilbert. The Mets acquired Gilbert, along with Ryan Clifford, for Justin Verlander. Eventually, Gilbert will take over, but the question is when that will happen. If Bader’s struggles at the plate continue and Gilbert is playing well in the minors as he works his way up, will the Mets think Bader’s good defense has more worth than his unproductive bat? We’ll see as the season progresses.

Big League Depth

DJ Stewart

Age: 30

Contract: Arbitration (free agent after 2027)

Roster status: 40-man roster

2024 Preview: In a season full of disappointments and frustrations the way 2023 was for the Mets, DJ Stewart ended up being one of the more fun stories for the Mets. Stewart signed a minor-league contract with the Mets in February 2023. He had played under former Mets manager Buck Showalter during his time with the Baltimore Orioles when they made Stewart their first-round selection in the 2015 MLB draft. Stewart played 51 games in Triple-A Syracuse and hit 16 home runs. He was called up in July and got hot around the middle of August.

From August 15th-October 1st, Stewart batted .261 and slugged .563. He recorded 31 hits, hit 10 home runs, and drove in 23 RBI. In the absence of Marte, Stewart stepped in at right field for 44 games and did a solid job defensively. Aside from Kodai Senga and Álvarez’s rookie performances and Francisco Lindor’s 30/30/30 season, Stewart gave the Mets faithful something to cheer about at the end of a lost season. As a result, the Mets brought him back for another season, and if he performs the way he did at the end of 2023, he can provide a good left-handed bat off the bench or start at designated hitter and right field when needed.

Tyrone Taylor

Age: 30

Contract: Arbitration (free agent after 2026_

Roster Status: 40-man roster

2024 Preview: Acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers that brought Adrian Houser to Queens, Tyrone Taylor looks to make a name for himself with the Mets organization. The Brewers selected him in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft, and it wouldn’t be until 2019 when he made his major league debut. His best season in Milwaukee came in 2022 when he hit 17 home runs. Last year, he was forced to miss the first month of the season with an elbow injury.

What the Mets liked in Taylor, and why they acquired him, was his speed and defense fitting of your prototypical fourth outfielder. He’s a plus defender with plus speed and a plus arm that can play all across the outfield when called upon. He was +2 outs above average (OOA) just last season. His versatility, speed, and good arm should be able to help the Mets in the late innings of games.

Coming Soon

Drew Gilbert

Age: 23

Contract: Minor League

Roster status: Not on the 40-man

The prized acquisition the Mets made at last year’s deadline for one of the two CY Young winners. The Houston Astros drafted Gilbert in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He got called up from Single-A to Double-A while in the Astros system just before getting traded. New York sent him to Double-A Binghamton, where in 35 games, he slashed .325/.423/.561 while notching 6 home runs and 21 RBI.

Gilbert will start 2024 in the minors at Double-A. His progress will be interesting to monitor. As mentioned, if someone like Bader is struggling at the plate and Gilbert is hitting in the minors (add in if he’s already called up to Triple-A by that point), the Mets could call him up if they feel he’s ready. The Mets like Gilbert a lot and there is a spot in the outfield waiting for him when the time comes. Whether it’s later this year or next year is the question.