This unique situation makes constructing the 2024 roster a bit complicated. On the one hand, you want to provide your young players with every opportunity, and on the other hand, developmental trajectories are never linear, and ensuring you have ample support already on the roster is tantamount. Not only is it crucial for staying competitive through bouts of struggles or swathes of injury, but it is also important from a team-building perspective, to have a competitive roster and that “next man up” mentality.

For the first time during Steve Cohen’s tenure, the Mets may not be a playoff contender next season. With a few large decisions looming, the long-term direction of the franchise seems very clear, yet the 2024 season is likely to be one of transition. The Mets have a handful of young position players already on the roster and a few more who will be ready at some point during the season. They are probably hoping that while they might look worse on paper to start the season, by midseason or later, they will look more like the Orioles or Reds rather than the Pirates or Nationals.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The other elephant in the room is Shohei Ohtani. And the Mets’ whole offseason strategy may hinge on his decision. Whether Ohtani decides to play for the Mets may play into their decision to push harder in free agency. Yet, as things stand now, it doesn’t look like the Mets will make any large splashes in free agency this offseason. They may instead decide to go bargain shopping, looking for potential turnarounds and proven players who can provide above-replacement-level production until more of their young players are major league-ready.

I, therefore, wanted to break down what their 26-man roster looks like going into the offseason to see where they could potentially look to add in free agency, as well as into which prospects can impact their 2024 season at different points:

C: Francisco Álvarez, Omar Narváez

IF: Pete Alonso, Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Zack Short

OF: Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, DJ Stewart

SP: Kodai Senga, José Quintana, Tylor Megill, José Butto, Joey Lucchesi, David Peterson (IL)

RP: Edwin Díaz, Brooks Raley, Phil Bickford, Drew Smith, Josh Walker, Grant Hartwig, Reed Garrett, Sean Reid-Foley

As things stand immediately following the non-tender deadline, the Mets have 28 players on their 40-man roster. With the low possibility of Luisangel Acuña or Alex Ramirez breaking camp with the team, they are currently looking at a long and difficult offseason. To say the least, trimming a whole third of a roster within a single month or so is more akin to fantasy sports than professional sports. Yet, as we have seen, Steve Cohen is willing to do things a little differently.

This team is not very good, regardless of the amount of young talent. Overall, this roster should probably win somewhere between 70 and 75 games. The outfield, bullpen, and starters are all close to the bottom of the MLB, and the team could use some added versatility. With David Stearns in tow, he has been 100% empowered to strip down and build back up as only he sees fit. Luckily, David Stearns is one of the best in the business, especially when it comes to quick turnarounds and acquiring undervalued assets.

Luisangel Acuña, Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

The Minors

Prospect-wise, the expectation is that Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña will be playing up the middle and leading off games in Syracuse to begin the season. It is hard to know exactly when they will be Queens-bound as they are both still developing and fine-tuning their skills. It is reasonably safe to say that at some point this season, they will be in Queens, whether that happens in May or September is hard to predict.

The Syracuse rotation will feature Mike Vasil and Dominic Hamel, with Vasil having an outside chance of cracking the Mets rotation in Spring Training, albeit unlikely. The question is whether Christian Scott, the Mets’ newly ranked number-one pitching prospect by BA, will be a part of the Syracuse rotation as well. Following a downright dominant season, which saw Scott cement himself as a borderline top-100 prospect, Scott may start the season in Binghamton as he’s barely amassed 100 innings above low-A ball. That being said, the 62 innings in which he did pitch in Binghamton were elite. He pitched to a 2.47/2.47/2.96 (ERA/FIP/xFIP) trip-slash line.

Christian Scott. Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

The Syracuse bullpen will also be one to watch with the likes of Bryce Montes de Oca, Eric Orze and left-hander Nate Lavender repeating the level. A slew of newcomers will join them as they start the season in Triple-A. Headlined by Paul Gervase, who took the Mets system by storm and dominated both A+ and AA to the tune of a 2.05 ERA. Gervase has nasty stuff, and my bet is we will see him in Citi Field sooner than expected. The other future bullpen arms in AAA are Trey McLoughlin, who was outstanding in AA and posted a swinging strike rate of 17%, Dylan Tebrake and Brendan Hardy.

In Binghamton, the Mets will have another handful of future bullpen pieces that can all potentially move fast and make the majors by April 2025 at the latest. Those names include Raimon Gómez, Eli Ankeney, Jeffrey Colón and Saul García. This is the largest crop of upper-level bullpen arms the Mets have compiled possibly ever, and it is an exciting and underrated part of a burgeoning farm system.

The Mets will have a few more known names on their AAA roster worth mentioning, barring losing them in the Rule 5 Draft. These include the recently acquired Jeremiah Jackson and Justin Jarvis, as well as Matt Rudick, Brandon McIlwain and Luke Ritter. These players are most likely depth major league pieces at best, and some may never even make it that far.

Their AA team will also have some noteworthy names like top prospect Jett Williams, who will continue refining his game while playing second, shortstop and center field. If he can continue his top-flight performance in all aspects of the game, he could be in the big leagues before too long. Kevin Parada, Ryan Clifford, Blade Tidwell, Tyler Stuart and Coleman Crow all litter the Mets’ top 20 prospect list and will all be integral parts of the Rumble Ponies team to start the season.

Final Thoughts

With an immense crop of young talent knocking on the doors, it is hard to imagine the Mets acquiring any of the headline players available this offseason. Guys like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Juan Soto will all be available to differing extents. Premium players command a premium, and the Mets are still in the midst of a farm restock. When the Mets are on the precipice of perennial contention and can be flexible with their roster is the time to make these moves. 

What the Mets do need to do is to fill out their roster with a blend of high-upside players who will require coaching and development yet will only need a short-term commitment. The kind of commitment that, if it doesn’t work out, will not prevent players like Acuña, Gilbert and Jett Williams from receiving at-bats at the Major League level.

Additionally, the Mets need a few reliable players. The kind of players who can play every day, who are assets in the clubhouse and make the manager’s job easier. The kind of guy who if pressed into full-time duty can be an average big leaguer yet willingly to secede their starting spot if a younger, more talented player does arrive.

In the following parts of this series, I will break down the kind of players the Mets, under Stearns, will look to add to their roster.

The post New York Mets Offseason Outlook: Part I appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

As we look ahead at 2024, left field is maybe the position that’s the most up in the air. There are three outfielders on the 40-man roster, and none of them are natural left-fielders. Let’s check out the options.

Big League Starter

Brandon Nimmo is the starting center fielder, and Starling Marte will likely be the starting right fielder provided he’s healthy. That leaves Stewart, the only remaining outfielder on the 40-man roster, the presumptive starting left fielder. A pleasant surprise for the Mets after being thrown into an everyday role over the final third of the season, Stewart played well. His .238/.328/.494 slash line with 11 home runs over 58 games was well above any expectations for him. He had just three plate appearances for the Orioles in 2022 and a .698 OPS over 100 games in 2021, so his .822 OPS for the Mets was a noticeable step up. Stewart was a first-round draft pick by the Orioles in 2015 and he could be coming into his potential now.

Stewart is a prototypical power-hitting lefty. Almost all of his hits last year were pulled, including all of his home runs. He hits the ball hard, but he also swings and misses a lot. He was far from a qualifier, but if he were, his 30.3% strikeout rate would have been the seventh-worst in baseball, sandwiched between Eugenio Suárez and Kyle Schwarber. Players with this profile can absolutely be starting-caliber players in today’s league, but the margin for error is slimmer. Stewart only walks an average amount and is a below-average fielder and runner, so if he’s not hitting for power, he’s not bringing much else to the table. He doesn’t have a track record of success, and while he was good in 2023, it was only in a little under 200 plate appearances. He certainly earned a spot on the 2024 roster, but ideally, it’s as a fourth outfielder. As it stands right now though, he’s got the starting job.

Big League Depth

The largest source of big league depth in left field for the Mets comes from two players who are already starters at other positions — Jeff McNeil and Nimmo. McNeil will probably be the Opening Day starter at second base, but the Mets have more depth there. Ronny Mauricio probably hasn’t earned the starting job, but he’ll also probably get at least some playing time there to open up the season. McNeil’s versatility helps, as he can easily move to left field or right field when needed. He made 32 starts in left in 2023, and it’ll probably be around the same if not more in 2024.

Nimmo is another option there, having made 10 starts in left in 2023, but it’ll happen less than McNeil. The Mets don’t have a backup center fielder on their roster yet, but they’ll need one. Whoever the backup center fielder is could get a couple of starts while sliding Nimmo over to left. Aside from those two though, there aren’t many other options. There are some ideas of trying Mauricio and Brett Baty in left, and both played there a bit in the minors, but counting on them as true depth might be a bit of a stretch. 

Upper Levels Depth

There aren’t many minor league outfielders at Triple-A who could be ready soon to contribute at the major league level. One name to keep an eye on is Brandon McIlwain. He was solid in 2023, putting up a .736 OPS in 85 games in Double-A and .773 OPS in 43 games in Triple-A. The power isn’t great but there’s some there, with 12 homers between the two levels. He also hit 30 doubles, tied with Mauricio for the most among Mets minor leaguers. Lorenzo Cedrola is another option, but he spent a lot of 2023 on the injured list. He played 59 games in Triple-A and, like McIlwain, was solid but not extraordinary, putting up a .783 OPS. The most impressive part of his season? He walked 27 times with just 30 strikeouts, and his strikeout rate was one of the lowest in the organization.

The more interesting minor league depth comes in Double-A. Drew Gilbert, acquired by the Mets in the Justin Verlander trade, has a very real chance to make his MLB debut in 2024. He spent most of 2023 in Double-A and was excellent, especially after the trade. In 35 games with the Rumble Ponies, Gilbert hit .325 with a .984 OPS and a 3-4-5 slash line. He will probably start 2024 in Triple-A, and if he plays well, that could mean an opportunity in the big leagues before the season is over.

Rowdey Jordan spent all of 2023 in Double-A and could be a possible depth option. Matt Rudick did the same and posted a .849 OPS, but also spent a good amount of time on the injured list. There’s also Rhylan Thomas, who moved from Low-A to Double-A in one year and impressed along each stop, but will probably start 2024 still in Binghamton. Luisangel Acuña played 4 games in center last season when in the Rangers organization, so who knows, maybe he could be an option. The same goes for Jett Williams, who saw a lot more time in center, and Jeremiah Jackson, who is looking like a potential true utility player.

Alex Ramírez is another name fans might think of with how long he’s been in the organization and on the top prospect lists, but he’s not close to being a major league contributor. He spent all of 2023 in High-A after spending half of 2022 there as well and struggled. He has a long way to go before he gets a shot on an MLB roster.

Potential Acquisitions

There is maybe a scenario where Gilbert is the starting left fielder for the Mets on Opening Day, but it’s highly, highly unlikely. Stewart is an option, and currently the penciled-in starter, but it’s far from set in stone. It’s unknown what direction the Mets are leaning, but there’s at least a decent chance the primary left fielder in 2024 isn’t currently on the roster. When looking at options, there are three clear tiers: League-altering trade, mid-tier free agent, or short-term placeholder. 

The league-altering trade would be Juan Soto. There has been chatter all offseason about the Padres potentially moving on from Soto this offseason, and if that’s the case, the Mets should make every effort to get him. It’s almost pointless to list his numbers because at this point it doesn’t need to be said. Soto is a superstar. His plate discipline is legendary, especially in today’s offensive environment, and he set a career-high in home runs last year with 35. He also only just turned 25. It’s a rare, rare, rare opportunity to acquire a player of Soto’s caliber at his age. The Mets (and 28 other teams) have an opportunity to trade for Soto, extend him for life, and create a franchise legend. It’s not often you can go out and get someone who you know has a legitimate chance to be a Hall-of-Famer with your logo on his cap. The Mets should be all hands on deck. No one is off-limits.

While that is the best option, it’s also the most unrealistic of the three. There’s no guarantee Soto is even traded at all this offseason, and if he is, plenty of other teams will be in the mix. So, that gets us to the mid-tier free agents. In this group, it’s a trio: Teoscar Hernández, Jorge Soler, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 

Soler had the best 2023 out of the three, hitting .250 with a .853 OPS and 36 home runs for the Marlins. He simply crushed the ball, looking a lot like the version of himself that hit 48 home runs in 2019 with the Royals to lead the American League. However, aside from those two seasons, 2019 and 2023, he hasn’t had a lot of success. He’s only hit more than 20 home runs in a season once, 2021, and even then he had a .749 OPS and 99 OPS+. He did much better after a trade to the Braves at the deadline, go figure, but still wasn’t enough to boost his OPS+ above the league-average mark. He’s also more of a DH and right fielder but has over 800 innings in his career in left. He’ll get at least three years, and probably at least four years in free agency at over $20 million per year. It would likely be a deal a lot like Starling Marte’s, for a player with much less of a track record.

Hernández is the player who probably has the best track record, but he also had the worst 2023. He wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t that good, hitting .258 with a .741 OPS and 26 home runs for the Mariners. He had a lot of success with the Blue Jays, hitting .283 with a .852 OPS in over 300 games from 2020-22 before being shipped to Seattle last offseason. The most concerning thing with Hernández is he has been on a downward trajectory for the last couple of seasons. While he was still good in 2022, his OPS dropped almost 70 points from 2021. It then dropped about another 70 points from 2022 to 2023. At 31 years old, there’s no guarantee he ever hit his Toronto level of success again. Also of note — he walked 38 times and struck out 211 times in 2023. Like Soler, also more of a right fielder, but has over 1,500 innings in left. His potential contract is really up in the air. How much did his 2023 season hurt his value? Will teams be willing to bet on him getting back to the All-Star caliber player he was with the Blue Jays? Who knows, but he’s certainly a risky buy.

Another former Blue Jay who was traded away this past offseason is Gurriel Jr., and he’s on the market too. He was better than Hernández in 2023, but still wasn’t anything special, hitting .261 with a .772 OPS and 26 home runs. He doesn’t walk, but he also doesn’t strike out an overwhelming amount. His 35 doubles are also noticeably more than what Soler and Hernández posted in 2023. He’s also about a year younger than the other two and is the only one who is a true left fielder. He doesn’t have a single inning in right-field in his career but does have over 600 innings in the infield. While he hasn’t played the two middle infield spots in many years, he could still serve as the emergency first baseman, similar to what Canha did when he was with the Mets. Gurriel Jr. was good enough that he’s probably going to get at least a three-year deal, maybe more, and probably for at least $15 million per year. For the right price, he could be an interesting addition. 

There is a wildcard and potential fourth name in this group, and that’s Jung Hoo Lee. A superstar in Korea, he’s expected to come to MLB for the 2024 season. In seven years in the KBO, starting at age 18, Lee has hit .340/.407/.491, which is a .898 OPS. He doesn’t have a ton of pop, but it’s coming along, hitting a career-high 23 home runs in 2022. His 2023 was cut short due to injury, but he still hit six home runs and 23 doubles in 86 games. He also walks more than he strikes out, with 383 walks and 304 strikeouts in 884 career games. He’s played mainly centerfield and not a ton of left field, but he has experience at all three outfield spots. Lee is also still just 25 years old, so he could be in line for a decent-sized contract.

Onto the third tier, there are a handful of guys who can still be productive players but probably won’t require a huge financial or time commitment. Whit Merrifield is still a good player, and while most known as a second baseman, did have almost 600 innings in left field last season. He did just decline his side of the $18 million mutual option though, so that could give some idea of the type of money he is seeking. Joc Pederson was decent for the Giants last year but mostly was a DH, and he might be redundant with what the Mets already have in Stewart. Eddie Rosario just had his option declined by the Braves, and he was about a league-average bat with below-average defense for Atlanta in 2023. Of course, there’s also Pham, who the Mets could look at bringing back. However, after the year he had, he will probably get more than the 1-year, $6 million deal the Mets gave him last offseason.

Maybe take a look at Michael Brantley and Adam Duvall, two solid veterans who would likely be available for relatively affordable 1-year deals. Even Jesse Winker, Mets’ fan-favorite, might be worth a look, but he’s coming off back-to-back rough seasons and has trouble staying healthy.

TL;DR

There are a lot of options, at a lot of different price points. Juan Soto, Teoscar Hernández, Jorge Soler, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jung Hoo Lee, Whit Merrifield, Joc Pederson, Eddie Rosario, Tommy Pham, Michael Brantley, Adam Duvall and Jesse Winker all could be in the mix.

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Big League Starter

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Nimmo had an outstanding 2023 campaign. He played in 152 games, which is a career-high, and the second year in a row he played over 150. After securing an eight-year, 162 million dollar contract, Nimmo posted a strong .274/.363/.466 line, with a career-high 24 home runs and 68 RBIs batting out of the leadoff spot. Nimmo kept the same solid eye at the plate but struck out 30 more times in nine more plate appearances. In the field, Nimmo had another solid season, but the biggest plus was in a season marred by injuries; Nimmo was in the lineup almost every day, either in the outfield or at DH. Having stability in center field is something that allows the Mets to focus their attention elsewhere.

Big League Depth

The Mets only have Starling Marte signed in the outfield, with DJ Stewart arbitration eligible. Marte is coming off an injury-riddled campaign; it seems like a long shot the Mets will play him in center, even in an emergency.

Upper Levels Depth

At Triple-A, the Mets have Brandon McIlwain and Lorenzo Cedrola. McIlwain spent the majority of the year at Double-A but finished off the last third of the season at Triple-A. Overall, he slashed .247/.356/.393 with 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases while playing the majority of his games in center field. While not the highest upside profile, he hits for some power, steals some bases and has a good batting eye. Cedrola was injured for most of the year, but when he played, he managed to slash .250/.368/.399 with six home runs and 15 stolen bases. Cedrola has much less power to offer, but in his small sample size, he ran a 27/30 BB/K ratio, a vast improvement from his 13/84 ratio in the 2022 season.

At Double-A, the Mets have top prospect Drew Gilbert waiting in the wings. After he arrived from Houston as part of the Justin Verlander trade, all Gilbert did was hit. He slashed .325/.423/.561 with Binghamton, with six home runs and two stolen bases. Overall, between the Astros and the Mets, Gilbert slashed .289/.381/.487 with 18 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Gilbert isn’t the most imposing figure at 5’9″ and 195 lbs, but when he gets a hold of a ball, his left-handed swing sends them a long way. Gilbert could wind up starting the year in Triple-A if the Mets see fit, putting him one step away from Flushing.

Drew Gilbert. Photo by Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso of NorthJersey/USA TODAY NETWORK

In addition to Gilbert, the Mets have Rowdey Jordan and Rhylan Thomas to consider in center. Jordan profiles more as a super utility player, playing every position but first base, shortstop and catcher, but having too much versatility isn’t something to be afraid of. Jordan hit .230/.344/.733 with 13 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He has a propensity for striking out but also has shown the ability to take walks. Rhylan Thomas was a fast riser in the Mets system, starting his season in Low-A St. Lucie and finishing up in Double-A. Across three levels, Thomas slashed .328/.407/.425 with three home runs and seven steals.

However, these aren’t the only prospects who may be center field options. Luisangel Acuña, acquired from the Texas Rangers in the Max Scherzer trade, played four games in center for the Rangers Double-A team and has been mentioned as getting some playing time in center field to get his bat into the lineup. Between the Rangers and Mets, Acuña slashed .294/.359/.410 with nine home runs and 57 stolen bases. He primarily played shortstop but took reps at second base as well. While the power vanished when he came to the Mets, he continued to steal bases. It would not be surprising to see him start the season in Triple-A.

Jett Williams, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Lastly, Jett Williams finished his first full season in professional baseball in Double-A after tearing through both A-ball levels. Over the entire season, Williams slashed .263/.425/.451 with 13 home runs, 45 stolen bases and 104 walks. Williams, primarily a shortstop, also played 21 games in center field. Since Williams only got 26 plate appearances in Double-A, he will likely return to Double-A to continue his ascension up the ladder with an off-chance of seeing Citi Field in the 2024 season.

Potential Acquisitions

The Mets will be in the same position they were last season – looking for a potential fourth outfielder who can spell all three outfield spots. Despite his comments saying the Mets had more talent but may not have tried as much – Tommy Pham would make sense, especially after the season he put up for both the Mets and the World Series runner-up Arizona Diamondbacks. Harrison Bader makes some sense, offering good defense with some offensive value – but has struggled to stay on the field and would probably require more than a one-year contract due to his age. Adam Duvall also could make sense in a vacuum, offering a lot of power and the ability to play all three outfield positions.

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Brandon McIlwain, Photo by Herm Card

The Syracuse Mets staged a late rally and Brandon McIlwain drew a bases-loaded walk to win the game. The Binghamton Rumble Ponies are still on break after defeating the Somerset Patriots in the Eastern League semi-finals.

Triple A

Syracuse Mets 4, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders 3/10 Innings Box Score

• RF Brandon McIlwain 0-for-2, 2 SB, 4 BB, K, .816 OPS
• LF Jaylen Palmer 2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI, 2 K, .969 OPS
• 1B Joe Suozzi 0-for-4, BB, K, .792 OPS
• CF Lorenzo Cedrola 2-for-3 RBI, .781 OPS
• 3B Jose Peroza 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 1.144 OPS

Syracuse hitters walked seven times on the day, led by McIlwain and his four walks. Wyatt Young went 3-for-5 and has slashed .241/.339/.370/.709 in September. Jaylen Palmer may not have homered, but he did record a double and raise his OPS to .969.

Our 14th walkoff victory of the season was LITERALLY a walk-off as Brandon McIlwain walks with the bases loaded to take this one from the @swbrailriders! pic.twitter.com/i25Q6mneRe

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) September 23, 2023

• RHP Vinny Nittoli 2 IP, 4 K, 4.64 ERA
• LHP Tyler Thomas 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 6.75 ERA
• RHP Nolan Clenney 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 1 HR allowed, 6.08 ERA
• RHP Dedniel Nunez 1 IP, 1 H, 6.92 ERA
• RHP Eric Orze 2 IP, 1 BB, 3 K, 5.31 ERA

Today was a bullpen day, and overall the pitching held up. Vinny Nittoli had a great open and remains unscored upon in the month of September.

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies don’t play until Sunday, September 24 against the Erie Seawolves (Tigers) for the Eastern League Championship. The Ponies recently beat the Somerset Patriots (Yankees) in the semi-finals to advance to the championship round.

The post Mets Minors Recap: McIlwain’s Walk-Off Walk Defeats Railriders appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets 8, Worcester Red Sox 5 Box Score

• LF Brandon McIlwain 3-for-5, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, .880 OPS
• DH Carlos Cortes 0-for-5, 4 K, .798 OPS
• 3B Jaylen Palmer 1-for-2, 2 R, HR (3) , RBI, 2 BB, .829 OPS
• 2B Jose Peroza 2-for-4, 2 R, HR (1), 2 RBI, BB, K, .737 OPS

Syracuse had an all-hands-on-deck approach today, with six different batters getting an RBI. Jose Peroza, in his first Triple-A game, had a great debut with a home run and two RBI.

Mike Vasil. Photo by Rick Nelson

• RHP Mike Vasil 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, 5.48 ERA
• LHP Tyler Thomas 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K, 4.15 ERA
• RHP Dedniel Nunez 2.1 IP 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 6.39 ERA

Mike Vasil, after a rough start to September, had an outstanding outing before appearing to lose steam in the seventh inning. Thomas inherited both of the runs on the ledger against Vasil, and he let them come around to score.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 2, Reading Fighting Phils 1 Box Score

• 2B Luisangel Acuna 0-for-4, 2 K, .778 OPS
• SS Jett Williams 0-for-3, R, BB, K, .887 OPS
• DH Drew Gilbert 2-for-3, 2 2B, BB, 1.006 OPS
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson 0-for-4, 3 K, .796 OPS
• CF Rhylan Thomas 1-for-3, R, .740 OPS
• LF Rowdey Jordan 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, .730 OPS

The offense was quiet until the ninth inning, with only two Drew Gilbert doubles and a Mateo Gil single accounting for hits until that point. The Rumble Ponies had a single and two walks before Rowdey Jordan hit his game-ending two-RBI double.

• RHP Joander Suarez 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 9 K 0.00 ERA
• RHP Brendan Hardy 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 K, 1 HR allowed, 3.18 ERA
• RHP Paul Gervase 2 IP, 1 BB, 6 K, 3.60 ERA

Joander Suarez continues his outstanding performance in Double-A and has still yet to give up a run. Suarez has not allowed a run in his last four starts, spanning 24 innings and has given up only four hits in that span.

Brendan Hardy had a strong outing, but allowed a solo home run that gave Reading the lead. Paul Gervase notched his fifth straight scoreless outing in Double-A. Gervase has now faced 40 batters in Double-A and has struck out 20 of them. The 23-year-old has 96 strikeouts in 57 innings this season.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Mike Vasil, Joander Suarez Toss Gems appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Lehigh Valley IronPigs 9, Syracuse Mets 8, 10 Innings Box Score

• DH Carlos Cortes 2-for-5, R, 2 K, .857 OPS
• CF Brandon McIlwain 0-for-3, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 K, .787 OPS
• 3B Chase Estep 1-for-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB, K, .900 OPS
• LF Jaylen Palmer 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K, .750 OPS
• RF Joe Suozzi 1-for-5, R, 2 RBI, K, .833 OPS

Chase Estep, in his first game for the Syracuse Mets, got his first hit and RBIs today. Estep was promoted from Brooklyn because Syracuse needed infielders, and Palmer was brought up from Binghamton despite being in the midst of a poor season. The Syracuse lineup looked much different than it usually does due to the call-ups of Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty, but they brought the game into extras.

• RHP Jose Chacin 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K, 6.50 ERA
• RHP Hunter Parsons .1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, K, 1 HR allowed, 6.00 ERA
• LHP Nate Lavender 1.2 IP, 2 K, 3.19 ERA
• RHP William Woods .1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, K, 9.43 ERA
• RHP Eric Orze 1.2 IP, 3 K, 6.27 ERA
• LHP Tyler Jay, 0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER)

Jose Chacin had a solid outing, but two different relievers were responsible for giving up three runs each, and Tyler Jay failed to record an out in his first professional pitching appearance since 2019 by blowing the save in the tenth inning. Nate Lavender continued building on his strong season and is putting himself in contention for a look in the 2024 Mets bullpen.

Drew Gilbert. Photo by Photo by Anne-Marie Caruso of NorthJersey/USA TODAY NETWORK

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 1, Harrisburg Senators 0 Box Score

• SS Luisangel Acuna 0 for 3, R, BB, .786 OPS
• LF Drew Gilbert 1 for 2, 2 BB, K, .845 OPS
• DH Kevin Parada 0 for 4, RBI, 2 K, .751 OPS
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson 2 for 4, SB (25), 2 K, .767 OPS
• CF Rhylan Thomas 0 for 3, .838 OPS

The Rumble Ponies only managed three hits on the day, but the five walks and an RBI groundout by Kevin Parada for his first RBI in Double-A proved to be all the offense needed today. The offense was 0-for-11 with RISP.

• RHP Joander Suarez 6 IP, BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA
• RHP Trey McLoughlin 3 IP, H, 4 K, 3.69 ERA

Joander Suarez pitched an absolute gem in his first start for the Rumble Ponies, giving up no hits while walking one and striking out six. Suarez generated 19 swing-and-misses on the day, 2nd in all of the Eastern League. Trey McLoughlin carried the no-hitter into the eighth inning when he gave up a triple to Nationals prospect Brady House. Both pitchers stifled a lineup with three top-100 prospects (two top 10 in James Wood and Dylan Crews) in it.

The Rumble Ponies have now opened up a four-game lead over the Portland Sea Dogs for a playoff spot.

High-A

Greenville Drive 1, Brooklyn Cyclones 0, Game 1 Box Score

• SS Jett Williams 0-for-3

It was a rare game that Williams didn’t reach base, but Brooklyn only had two hits in the game.

• LHP Felipe De La Cruz 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

De La Cruz was credited with a complete game in the Brooklyn loss. He needed only 74 pitches (53 strikes) to finish six innings. The 22-year-old has 127 strikeouts in 102 1/3 innings this season between St. Lucie and Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Cyclones 7, Greenville Drive 4, Game 2 Box Score

• RF Stanley Consuegra 3 for 4, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K, E (9) .787 OPS
• SS Jett Williams 0 for 2, 2 BB, R, SB (42), .877 OPS
• 1B Ryan Clifford 0 for 3, R, RBI, BB, 2 K, .860 OPS
• DH Carlos Dominguez 2 for 4, R, 2 K, .747 OPS
• 3B William Lugo 0 for 2, 2 RBI, BB, SF, .693 OPS

Stanley Consuegra continued his hot streak and finished a home run short of the cycle. Jett Williams continued to do Jett Williams things and walked twice and stole a base.

• RHP Jawilme Ramirez .2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, BB, K, 6.56 ERA
• LHP Eli Ankeney 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2.61 ERA

Jawilme Ramirez struggled today, failing to make it out of the first inning. The bullpen held it together for the rest of the game, only allowing three runs against a Greenville team with two solid prospects in Kyle Teel and Roman Anthony.

The Cyclones are tied with Jersey Shore right now for a playoff spot.

Low-A

Tampa Tarpons, 15, St. Lucie Mets, 3 Box Score

• SS Marco Vargas 2 for 4, R, 2 RBI, E (1, 2) .708 OPS
• DH Ronald Hernandez 0 for 4, BB, 4 K, .718 OPS
• CF Nick Morabito 1 for 4, RBI, BB, K, 2 outfield assists, .710 OPS
• LF Kellum Clark 1 for 3, 2B, R, RBI, BB, K, .546 OPS
• RF Wilfredo Lara 1 for 3, RBI, BB, .824 OPS

The St. Lucie offense lost the lead in the bottom of the first, and the Tarpons just kept piling on the runs. Vargas is heating up after his recent promotion to St. Lucie, and Nick Morabito had a good game defensively, throwing out two runners from the outfield.

• RHP Jonah Tong 2.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR allowed, 6.75 ERA
• RHP Omar Victorino .1 IP, 2 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 99 ERA
• RHP Wilson Lopez 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Every pitcher that St. Lucie sent out got tagged for at least a run, and they walked nine on the day. Wilson Lopez threw the hardest pitch in Low-A on the day at 99.1 MPH.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Joander Suarez, Drew Gilbert Shine in Binghamton Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Triple-A

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (67-59) 5, Syracuse Mets (52-73) 3

BOX SCORE

• CF Brandon McIlwain: 2-for-4, R, HR (5), RBI (16) (1.004 OPS)
• DH Brett Baty: 2-for-5, R, 3 K (1.013 OPS)
• 1B Daniel Palka: 1-for-4, R, HR (13), 2 RBIs (50), BB, K (.743 OPS)
• LF Carlos Cortes: 1-for-3, BB, K (.858 OPS)
• 2B Ronny Mauricio: 0-for-5, K (.852 OPS)

The Mets were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Wednesday night’s loss. McIlwain kept his great hitting at Triple-A going with a solo home run in the top of the second. He has hit three home runs in the last five games and the 25-year-old has a multi-hit game in four of the last five days.

Brandon McIlwain. Again.

His third homer and SEVENTH extra-base hit in the last five games! pic.twitter.com/9yNTX8gc6H

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) August 30, 2023

Palka added a home run of his own with a two-run shot in the third that tied the game at three, his first since joining the Mets organization.

#PalkSmash #PalkSmash #PalkSmash

A 458-foot BOMB for Daniel Palka 😳 pic.twitter.com/0RAV4i8qr7

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) August 30, 2023

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (6-5, 4.64 ERA): 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 WP (52 of 88 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Nolan Clenney (4.76): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K
• RHP Reed Garrett (2.48): 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, BB, K

Lucchesi gave up all four runs in the first three innings, and it was the fourth time this year that he had walked four batters in a game (ties a season-high). Things were a little scary for Lucchesi as he took a hard line drive off the neck, but he stayed in the game to get the next batter out.

Clenney bounced back after allowing six runs in less than an inning on August 25 by throwing two hitless innings and striking out at least three batters for the third time this month (eight appearances).

Kevin Parada, Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (63-57) 4, Harrisburg Senators (55-66) 2

BOX SCORE

• 1B JT Schwartz: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs (42) (.818 OPS)
• LF Rhylan Thomas: 1-for-1, R, RBI (1), 3 BB (1.167 OPS)
• 3B Jeremiah Jackson: 1-for-4 (.753 OPS)
• SS Luisangel Acuña: 0-for-3, R, RBI (6), BB (.619 OPS)
• CF Drew Gilbert: 0-for-5, 3 K (.920 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada: 1-for-4, BB, 2 K (.357 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies did not have a single extra-base hit, but they broke a 2-2 tie with two runs in the bottom of the eighth on one of Thomas’s walks and a sacrifice fly by Acuna. Thomas has four walks in the last two days since being promoted to Double-A.

Schwartz got the scoring started for Binghamton in the fifth with a two-run single. The 23-year-old is on a five-game hit streak and has driven in ten runs over that stretch. Jackson picked up another hit to give him a hit in 12 of the last 13 games.

• RHP Luis Moreno (5.07): 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 9 K (65 of 100 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Paul Gervase (6.75): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 4 K
• RHP Daison Acosta (4-3, 5.18): 2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 K

Moreno threw the ball well on Wednesday, as he had his third outing this year of nine or more strikeouts. Gervase came in after him and struck out all four batters that he faced, including a big strikeout to keep the game tied in the sixth. The 23-year-old right-hander has seven strikeouts in his last two relief appearances.

The Rumble Ponies have a three-game lead over the Portland Sea Dogs for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones (60-60) had their game against the Greenville Drive (60-61) postponed due to wet grounds. They will make-up the game on Thursday as part of a doubleheader with Game 1 beginning at 5 PM ET.

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets (40-79) game was canceled against the Tampa Tarpons (57-63) due to inclement weather from Hurricane Idalia.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Kevin Parada Picks Up First Double-A Hit appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Brandon McIlwain, Photo by Herm Card

Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons (61-63) 5, Syracuse Mets (52-71) 2

Box Score

• Brandon McIlwain CF: 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, BB, .282/.440/.549
• Ronny Mauricio 2B: 0-for-3, 2 BB, 2 K, .292/.347/.504
• Brett Baty 3B: 0-for-3, 2 BB, .309/.405/.670

The Mets had just seven hits in Sunday’s game, but they did walk 10 times and so had numerous opportunities to score. Unfortunately, they went just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and could only push across the two runs. Despite the poor performance with runners in scoring position, the Mets did jump out in front right away, scoring the first run of the game on a  McIlwain double in the bottom of the first. McIlwain has been ridiculously hot recently; he has had three straight multi-hit games and every hit in that stretch has gone for extra bases. Mauricio’s hitless game snapped an eight-game hitting streak, but he did extend his on-base streak to 20 games with the two walks.

• RHP José Butto (L, 3-7, 5.93 ERA) 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
• RHP Hunter Parsons (5-4, 4.94 ERA) 2.2 IP, H, BB, K
• RHP Vinny Nittoli (0-1, 4.99 ERA) 1.1 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, K

Butto struggled in this start, allowing eleven baserunners and four runs in five innings of work. Butto has had a very disappointing season following the best season of his career (by ERA) in 2022. In particular, he has struggled with walks, as his 4.85 BB/9 is by far the highest of his career.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (61-57) vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (54-62)

The Rumble Ponies’ game against the Fisher Cats on Sunday was cancelled due to rain. The game will not be made up.

High-A

Asheville Tourists (47-68) 8, Brooklyn Cyclones (60-59) 1

Box Score

• Jett Williams SS: 0-for-3, BB, .326/.468/.593
• Kevin Parada C: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K, .265/.340/.447
• Chase Estep 3B: 1-for-2, R, HR, RBI, BB, .222/.295/.323

The Cyclones had almost no offense on Sunday afternoon; they were held to just two hits in the game and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. The lone run scored on Estep’s eighth-inning home run. Williams went hitless for his second straight game, but his walk extended his on-base streak to 14 games.

• RHP Robert Colina (L, 3-5, 4.25 ERA) 0.2 IP, 3 H, 6 R, 4 ER, BB
• RHP Sammy Tavarez (0-0, 17.28 ERA) 2.0 IP, H, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Kolby Kubichek (0-1, 6.00 ERA) 1.0 IP, K

Even without the lifeless offensive performance, this game was over almost as soon as it started, as the Cyclones gave up seven runs in the first inning and then one more run in the second. Tavarez had his longest outing since May 24, although the three walks were tied for his most since the end of April.

Low-A

Dunedin Blue Jays (58-62) 13, St. Lucie Mets (40-79) 8

Box Score

• Marco Vargas SS: 2-for-5, 2 R, RBI, K, .273/.273/.273
• Nick Morabito CF: 3-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI, .267/.353/.360
• Nick Lorusso 3B: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, .145/.229/.226

The Mets were held without a run until the sixth inning and had just two extra-base hits in the game, but were able to get hits at clutch moments in the late innings of the game, going 5-for-10 to push across eight runs. Morabito and Lorusso both hit balls right around 103 mph off the bat. Vargas was making his second appearance with St. Lucie and collected two more hits after a 1-for-6 performance the game prior.

• RHP Ernesto Mercedes (L, 0-1, 6.00 ERA) 3.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
• RHP Jose Gomez (0-1, 12.00 ERA) 2.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 2 K
• RHP Brawny Reyes (1-0, 10.50 ERA) 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB

The Mets’ pitching staff was a disaster across the board in this game, as all five pitchers who appeared in the game gave up at least one run. Mercedes came just short of a 3000 RPM spin rate on both his slider and curveball.

The post Mets Minors Recap: McIlwain Continues Hot Stretch With Two Doubles appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

After switching positions to a combination of running back and wide receiver during that 2018 season, he decided to direct all of his efforts to the diamond entering the 2019 baseball season. After starting the first 20 games and then breaking his foot near the end of the season, he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 26th round of that year’s draft. Despite the injury and not signing with the Mariners, he was still clearly a prospect heading into the 2020 season due to his high ceiling and past pedigree on the field (Perfect Game All-American and Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in high school).

Brandon McIlwain, Photo by Herm Card

The 2020 season resulted in a tough break for McIlwain along with many other collegiate athletes, but luckily he got a chance from the Mets who offered him the undrafted free agent deal. While he put up pedestrian numbers in his 16 games that spring before the shut down, he was a point of intrigue for the Mets.

His Mets Track Record

McIlwain spend all of 2021 in St. Lucie, split 2022 between Brooklyn and Binghamton, and split this season between Binghamton and Syracuse. His only below-average run so far was in Double-A in 2022, which he quickly amended with a solid tenure back there this year—his first time repeating a level in anyway. He’s been on a tear in Syracuse thus far, and at this point in the season, if anybody has a particularly hot 2-3 weeks, they could be knocking on the door to Queens if someone gets hurt.

He has to be feeling good about his momentum of steadily moving up the system, staying on the field all season for three straight years, and not hitting any roadblocks as he advances upwards.

The Nitty Gritty

The 25-year-old has steadily improved in each of his three seasons in the Mets minors despite advancing at least one level per season. He has been cutting down on his strikeout rate at the dish, which was a big concern at first, going from over 30% in 2021 to the mid 20s in both High-A and Double-A last year. He had a 20% K-rate in Double-A this year and so far is at just 19% in Syracuse. He has also cut down on ground ball, which is good considering his ability to hit the ball hard and the subsequent power potential.

He has elite exit velocities (110+ mph), and improved contact quality will directly lead to better results going forwards which is another reason why elevating balls and cutting down on strikeouts is so important. In essence, he still needs to improve on hitting the long ball but his engine has the horsepower to start leaving the yard more often.

His overall production has been steady in terms of OPS, but that is good considering his fairly rapid ascension from Low-A to AAA in these three seasons. He’s also had above-average seasons in terms of offense production in each year so far and is one home run away from his first double digit season.

2023 Improvements

As mentioned, he has a new career high in home runs along with walks, OPS, HBP, doubles, and hits. He also has a career low in strikeouts (with a career high in at-bats) and has been better than league average in Double-A and Triple-A.

His Triple-A OPS is sitting at a pretty .914 right now, and his Binghamton OPS, while just .735, was still slightly above league average. Even though his sample size is just 63 plate appearances in Syracuse, his walk rate has skyrocketed, and he has as many walks as strikeouts at the minors’ highest level.

The Future

While there’s an outside chance for anybody on the Syracuse roster to make it up to Queens this season, McIlwain more than likely will have a better chance of debuting next season. He will likely be invited to MLB spring training next year and can hopefully show continued improvements and power numbers to go along with his strong exit velocities and plate discipline.

Interestingly, he has been better against right-handed pitchers (.780 OPS) than left-handed pitchers (.660 OPS) despite having a slightly lower home run rate. At this rate, he could be an unusual platoon hitter for the Mets if this trend continues as lefty bats are harder to find and would typically platoon in this manner. His glove has been stellar in the outfield, so that will be another selling point going forwards. A quarterback’s arm won’t hurt, either. McIlwain has polished his game significantly and is an intriguing depth option in the outfield who still has potential to keep improving.

The post In the Red Zone for a Call-Up: Brandon McIlwain is Close to Queens appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets will attempt to take a series win over the Marlins this afternoon as the Mets and Marlins continue their four-game series. The projected pitching matchup is Sandy Alcántara versus Chris Bassitt. The Mets will look to build off their 3-2 win yesterday evening.

Latest Mets News

Per Michael Mayer of Metsmerized, Mets outfield prospect Brandon McIlwain has been promoted to Double-A Binghamton. He is currently hitting .298/.389/.472 with seven doubles, six triples, three home runs and 12 stolen bases so far in 2022.

Latest MLB News

The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Saturday that they have designated outfielder Lorenzo Cain for assignment. They also selected outfielder Jonathan Davis from Triple-A Nashville.

Jim Callis of MLB.com released his list of 10 players who stood out at the MLB Draft Combine on Friday.

Latest on MMO 

Sam Klein recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Friday, June 17th. It included a three-hit night for Francisco Álvarez.

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki recapped Pete Alonso’s milestone night in which he hit a grand slam against the Miami Marlins.

Alex Horowitz talked with Ron Pope about music, the Mets, and his TV dreams.

Andrew Steele-Davis recapped Francisco Lindor’s explosive night on Friday with his Mother in attendance.

Nick Rucco recapped the Mets’ 3-2 win over the Marlins on Saturday.

On This Date in Mets History

Birthdays:

• Logan Verrett (32)
• Devin Mesoraco (34)
• Collin McHugh (35)
• Claudio Vargas (44)
• Doug Mientkiewicz (48)
• Bob Gibson (65)
• Bob Aspromonte (84)
• Larry Miller (85)

Let’s go Mets!

The post Morning Briefing: Brewers DFA Lorenzo Cain appeared first on Metsmerized Online.