Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Tommy La Stella, INF
Position: 2B/3B
Bats/Throws: L/R
Age: 31 (1/31/1989)
Traditional Stats: .281/.370/.449, 55 games, 14 doubles, 5 HR, 25 RBI
Advanced Stats: 0.8 bWAR, 1.2 fWAR, 127 OPS+, 129 wRC+
Defensive Stats: -7 DRS, -0.9 UZR, 0 OAA
Rundown
An 8th round pick out of Coastal Carolina University in the 2011 MLB Draft, Tommy La Stella wasn’t viewed as a big-time prospect, but has turned himself into a quality MLB infielder since debuting in 2014 with the Atlanta Braves. Since the start of 2017, La Stella has posted a .284/.358/.441 slash-line with a 113 OPS+ and shown the ability to play every infield position besides shortstop.
The New Jersey native had an exceptional first-half of the 2019 season with the Angels (312 PA, .300/.353/495) and was able to make the All-Star game for the first time in his career, receiving 30.5% of second base votes in the American League behind Jose Altuve (31.5%) and DJ LeMahieu (38.0%).
Unfortunately for La Stella, he was unable to participate in the festivities after hitting a foul ball off his right leg and fracturing his tibia bone against the Texas Rangers on July 2, missing everything but 2 games for the rest of the season.
La Stella came back in 2020 with the Angels and posted quality offensive numbers (.273/.371/.475), but the Angels got off to a horrendous 10-22 start in the pandemic shortened season and decided to move the 31-year-old to Oakland on August 28th in exchange for young infielder Franklin Barreto.
La Stella made it to the ALDS with the Athletics, and posted an extremely impressive .313/.389/.563 line in 18 plate appearances during that series against Houston, where they lost in 4 games.
Something La Stella has done really throughout his entire career is the ability to avoid striking out. Among players with a minimum of 1,000 PA since the start of 2014, La Stella has the 7th lowest K% (10.6%) in all of baseball. Some names ahead of him include Andrelton Simmons, Michael Brantley and David Fletcher. Mets infielder Jeff McNeil is 22nd on that list with a 12.0 K%. And in the last 2 seasons, La Stella has become a nightmare for right-handed pitchers, posting a a 141 wRC+ against them since the start of 2019.
Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
Contract
MLB Trade Rumors and Fangraphs both project La Stella receiving a 2 year/$14M deal this offseason, which seems reasonable for a player of his caliber at 31-years-old.
La Stella is represented by Beverly Hills Sports Council, who have clients such as Royals catcher Salvador Perez, Athletics reliever Jake Diekman and Orioles top prospect Adley Rutschman.
Recommendation
Even after acquiring a superstar two-way shortstop in Francisco Lindor, the Mets still need another infielder. Especially since they gave up Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez in the deal for Lindor. JD Davis is far from a quality defender at third base, and while Luis Guillorme is an exceptional defender who has displayed solid contact ability at the plate, no one knows how his offensive numbers would hold up over a full season.
Both of those guys should be bench/platoon players to start 2021, and adding someone like La Stella to split time at second and third base with McNeil would only benefit the team.
The Mets are also running low on New Jersey guys after the departures of Todd Frazier and Rick Porcello. Brad Brach is in need of a friend.
