Happy New Year, Mets fans!

With the 2023 year and season officially behind us, it’s time to look forward to better and brighter things. The Mets entered the offseason in a precarious spot. In need of help in all aspects of the roster, they set their sights high on Yoshinobu Yamamoto. We all know how that saga ended, with the right-hander joining fellow Team Japan member Shohei Ohtani on the Dodgers. On a brighter note, the Mets named David Stearns their president of baseball operations and hired Carlos Mendoza as manager.

The Mets haven’t made many splashy signings, the biggest one of note being Luis Severino. They added a slew of pitchers, infielders and outfielders for depth via minor-league deals and made trades with the Brewers to land Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor. However, all the players they’ve acquired leave much to the imagination of fans, pundits and the baseball world.

Not to mention the uncertain future of Pete Alonso after this season and the injury to Ronny Mauricio, the Mets find themselves in a stickier spot than when they left the 2023 season. While the offseason hasn’t gone as expected, there’s still plenty to be optimistic about as a Mets fan heading into the 2024 season. Below are just a few reasons why:

Luisangel Acuña, Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

The Future is Near

First and foremost, it’s hard not to say one of the most exciting notions heading into the 2024 season is the plethora of prospects. The Mets revamped their farm system at the trade deadline in August, trading away Max Scherzer for Luisangel Acuña and Justin Verlander for Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford. 

Jett Williams is one of the Mets’ best prospects and has quickly ascended the minor league ranks, and we might even see a glimpse of one or both of Mike Vasil and Christian Scott this season.

Not to forget, fresh off their 2023 campaign, the “Baby Mets” return, albeit one member down. Ronny Mauricio, the last of the Baby Mets to make his debut, was to get a good look at third base in 2024, but an ACL injury in Dominican Winter League play will have him out for most if not all year. The Mets have holes to fill at third, DH and one or two corner outfield spots. Expect Brett Baty and Mark Vientos to see plenty of playing time this season.

Lastly, and most certainly not least, there’s Francisco Álvarez. The power-hitting catcher clubbed 25 home runs in his rookie campaign, shattering the franchise record for home runs by a rookie record. Travis d’Arnaud previously held the record at 14. While Álvarez had an up-and-down year, he will get most of the playing time behind the plate and improve in his second year in the majors.

Fresh Faces

Steve Cohen brought in David Stearns to revamp the baseball operations department. Stearns then hired former Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza to take over as manager from Buck Showalter.

It’s no secret Stearns has been one of the best baseball minds in baseball over the past decade. He was instrumental in the Brewers’ postseason streak and, more importantly, built a sustainable, successful team. He even did so on a small market budget. With Cohen’s budget, it’s not hard to imagine what’s possible.

People may argue Stearns hasn’t done enough so far. On the contrary, it’s the “under-the-radar” depth signings that made the Brewers successful. There’s no reason the same plan can’t translate in New York when paired with the high-caliber, top-tier contract players.

The Mets plan to be competitive, and while they haven’t signed the top free agents, they’ve made moves to support a roster through 162 games. There’s still work to do, and Stearns knows this. He’s not finished.

Don’t Sleep on the Staples

When it comes to the Mets, people tend to want to focus on the negative rather than the positive. When something good happens, it tends to go overlooked. Take Francisco Lindor‘s 2023 season. Lindor produced his first 30-30 season, hitting 31 home runs and swiping 31 bags. He finished ninth in MVP voting for the second consecutive year, and earned his first Silver Slugger as a Met and his third overall.

While Lindor was a Gold Glove finalist, not much was said about him during the season compared to other shortstops like Dansby Swanson or Corey Seager. Jeff McNeil had somewhat of a down year after earning a contract extension and NL batting champion honors. However, he played in a career-high 156 games and is the most versatile player on the team.

Kodai Senga finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and seventh in Cy Young voting. He also earned an All-Star appearance in his first year in the MLB and became the second Mets rookie behind Dwight Gooden to surpass 200 strikeouts.

There are plenty of positives with the core set of players the Mets are building around. It was one of the silver linings in a rough 2023 campaign.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Trumpets Galore

Why not close it out with the return of one of the best closers in the league? Edwin Díaz will return after he suffered a devastating knee injury playing for Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC. The flame thrower signed a five-year, $102 million contract in the 2022 offseason, the richest contract ever for a reliever. He was also named NL Reliever of the Year in 2022.

David Robertson stepped in to fill the role in 2023, but it was soon a revolving door after he was dealt to Miami. The return of Díaz brings stability to an otherwise unstable Mets bullpen and is the key piece to build around. Drew Smith and Brooks Raley return to support Díaz with the newly signed Jorge Lopez, Austin Adams, Michael Tonkin and Yohan Ramirez all looking to compete for spots in the pen.

Final Thoughts

With over a month to go until pitchers and catchers report, the Mets have their work cut out. However, just because the team hasn’t made lavish signings this offseason like in previous offseasons doesn’t mean it’s a failure. It also doesn’t mean the 2024 team is a bust. Cohen and company have pivoted and are taking a new approach. The 2024 Mets will look different than the 2022 and 2023 teams. That’s a good thing and something to look forward to.