Per multiple sources including James Wagner of the New York Times, the Mets have made the next round of cuts from camp. Pitchers Ben Rowen and Erik Goeddel, infielders Gavin Cecchini and Matt Reynolds, and outfielder Travis Taijeron have been sent to the Minor Leagues.
As the bullpen competition gets tighter, cutting Rowen surprised me. He was a strong candidate and after posting a 1.93 ERA and 0.64 WHIP in 9.1 spring innings I thought he had more of a shot. Though, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in a Major League uniform sooner rather than later.
While Erik Goeddel might have been a surprising cut last season, it makes a little more sense this year. In 6.1 spring innings, he pitched to a 9.95 ERA and 1.89 WHIP. He and his splitter have potential to make an impact at the Major League level, but he still has work to do before that can happen.
The rest of the cuts are not in the least bit surprising. While they are all very talented players, the Mets don’t have spots for them on the 25-man roster. With the uncertainty surrounding David Wright, it’s possible Reynolds or Ceccini get brief tastes of the Show this season. However, with T.J. Rivera probably next in line, that is unlikely. They all have bright futures, though, and 2018 spring training could end very differently for them.
