Photos From PSL: Spring Training in Full Swing

With just ten days until Opening Day, the final days of spring training are nearing. However, that doesn’t mean that some players are slowing down. Instead, certain members of the Mets are heating up at just the right time.

Take a look at a few great photographs by MMO photographer Ed Delaney taken this past week in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to get a glimpse at more photos from spring and what’s to come!

Edwin Díaz

Edwin Díaz made his long-awaited return to the mound on March 11, almost a year after suffering a complete patellar tendon tear in the World Baseball Clinic. He struck out the side on 14 pitches, nine of them for strikes. 

The 2023 bullpen sorely missed Díaz, who will return to the closer role in 2024. Fully healthy and looking like his 2022 self already through two innings of work, the Mets are already in a better spot than they were last year without him.

Francisco Álvarez

Francisco Álvarez will start the season with the big league club for the first time after cementing himself as the everyday catcher in 2023 when he slugged 25 homers. Four of his six hits this spring have been for extra bases, with three of them leaving the park.

Looking to improve his defensive abilities, Álvarez has thrown out six batters attempting to steal bases. He landed in the 95th percentile in pitch framing in 2023 and sought to improve his pop time and ability to throw out runners. He made a slight adjustment to his catching position, which has led to positive results thus far.

Calvin Ziegler

Calvin Ziegler pitched a scoreless inning of relief in the first-ever Spring Breakout game, striking out two batters. Ziegler’s Mets tenure hasn’t gotten off on the best foot yet, as he’s been riddled with injuries early in his career. After posting a respectable 4.44 ERA in St. Lucie in 2022, he only pitched one inning in 2023 due to bone spurs and a season-ending quad injury. 

The Canadian product and former second-round pick looked sharp in the Breakout game and hopes to get back on track in 2024.

Mark Vientos 

If there’s one player who needed to have a big spring, it’s Mark Vientos. It’s been a bit of a mixed bag for the 24-year-old, who struck out four times in one game but then followed that performance up with a three-RBI game, which included a three-run homer and double. 

With so much scrutiny on the DH role, Steve Cohen reaffirmed they would give the youngsters at-bats. All to say, at this point, it’s Vientos’ role to lose.