Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Mets are looking to address the center field position this offseason and George Springer remains the most interesting name on the market. Springer would give the Mets the type of All-Star presence they have lacked in center field since Carlos Beltran was traded in 2011.
While Springer is certainly their top priority, the Mets should not rule out the return of his former teammate, Jake Marisnick.
Marisnick was traded to New York prior to the 2020 season, as Brodie Van Wagenen sent prospects Blake Taylor and Kenedy Corona back to Houston in the deal.
This trade quickly turned into another flop for the former GM, as the left-handed Taylor pitched to a 2.18 ERA across 20 2/3 innings out of the Astros bullpen. Meanwhile injuries limited Marisnick to just 16 games played in 2020, and he is now a free agent.
When he was on the field though, Marisnick actually performed well in limited action, hitting .333/.353/.606 across his 34 plate appearances. Had he remained healthy, there was certainly a role for the 29-year-old as a platoon partner and late-inning defensive replacement for Brandon Nimmo.
Marisnick has always been an elite defensive centerfielder, having recorded 39 OAA dating back to 2016. Across his entire career, Marisnick has been worth 71 defensive runs saved, having played all three outfield positions.
When looking at the free agent market right now, there may not be a better fourth outfielder available than Marisnick. Considering his age as compared to players like Kevin Pillar (32) and Jarrod Dyson (36), and his ability to hit for some power, Marisnick offers more to the Mets than some of the other lower-tier outfielders on the market.
Last year, Marisnick was slated to make just over $3.3 million through his final year of arbitration. Despite his free agency, it would be surprising to see Marisnick make much more than that on the open market.
In fact, there is even a chance that he will instead have to settle for an incentive-laden minor league deal, as the free agent market has moved at a glacial pace this year.
By signing Marisnick, the Mets could deploy a starting outfield of Dominic Smith, Nimmo and Michael Conforto, while using the former Astro as a late-inning defensive replacement and spot starter against left-handed pitching.
Right now, the Mets fourth outfielder is either going to be Guillermo Heredia, or Mallex Smith. Whether they sign Springer or not, Marisnick would represent an upgrade over either of those players, making him an intriguing free agent for the Mets to pursue.
