Who are Mets’ Untouchable Prospects?

It’s offseason time and the hot stove is heating up. The Mets have been connected to a trade for Starling Marte, and Brodie Van Wagenen has said he’s looking to improve the team through every avenue. That means the Mets are likely to look at trades to try and improve this team. With that in mind, there are a few prospects that the Mets should not deal under any circumstance this winter.

1. LHP, David Peterson

David Peterson is a nice prospect, but not one who usually ends up on these kinds of lists. However desperate times call for desperate measures. The Mets have little to no starting pitching depth at all right now. With that in mind, David Peterson is the Mets’ pitching prospect closest to the major leagues. He is almost certainly going to make his debut at some point in 2020.

He should ideally fit in as a back of the rotation starter for the Mets. Again this isn’t usually the type of prospect who is untouchable, but he has to be for the Mets. they need to protect their only near major league ready pitching prospect. The only way that the Mets should consider trading Peterson is if they’re getting a major league starter with at least four years of control back in the deal. Otherwise, it’s a waste of an asset that should help the team long term.

2. SS, Ronny Mauricio

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Mauricio is the Mets’ top prospect and a top 100 prospect in baseball. He has the potential to be one of the elite prospects in baseball, and a star at the MLB level. That should be enough for the Mets to turn away any requests for Mauricio.

If it’s not then, they need to remember that by the time Mauricio is likely to be major league ready, Amed Rosario will likely be headed to free agency. That should create an opening in the lineup for Mauricio, and a smooth transition at SS without having to overpay at the position.

There are certain trades where Mauricio could be moved, but they involve all-star level players who are under contract for multiple years. The kind of moves that don’t get made very often. If they aren’t getting that return in a deal headlined by Mauricio they’re selling low and wasting their most valuable trade piece.

3. 3B, Brett Baty

The Mets just drafted Brett Baty in 2019. He showed up to the minors ready to hit. He absolutely crushed the ball during the short season and made his way to Brooklyn. While his numbers dipped while playing for the Cyclones he did still hit for some outrageous power.

Baty like Jarred Kelenic before him looks to have a bright future ahead of him. Baty has the hit tool and power to be one of the elite hitters in all of baseball if he hits his ceiling. His defense is an issue, but he’s working hard on it and should be playable at 3B for the foreseeable future.

Baty shouldn’t be traded in any package this offseason. Doing so would be selling as low as possible on one of their top prospects. Baty hasn’t established his real value yet, so trading him in any scenario should be a no-go.

4. RHP, Matt Allan

Matt Allan is another prospect who was drafted just this past year. He was one of the elite pitching prospects in his class and fell due to his high contract demands. The Mets stole him in the third round and the baseball world knows it. He showed off his electric stuff and was brilliant in his few short outings during the short season. He even managed to pitch for the Cyclones during the playoffs.

Like Baty, Allan hasn’t yet set his true value due to his lack of game experience in the minor leagues. Trading him now would be selling before Allan showed off his front of the rotation stuff, which should make him a more valuable prospect.

Allan should not be made available in any deal. The Mets would be wise to let Allan build up his value showing off his stuff versus the lower minors and then deciding what to do.

Ideally, they would hold on to potentially one of the elite pitching prospects in baseball, but even if they didn’t at that point Allan’s value would be through the roof making him a much better trade chip. Whatever the Mets decide to do with him Allan should under no circumstances be traded this winter.

5. C, Francisco Alvarez

Alvarez was the best hitter in the Mets farms system in 2019. He made his stateside debut this year and demolished his competition. He slashed an insane .312/.407/.510 at just 17 years old. He did so while showing at least average defensive work behind the plate, which was getting better as the year went on.

Elite catching prospects are the hardest thing to cultivate in all of baseball. There are very few elite catchers in baseball today. Some would argue that JT Realmuto and Yasmani Grandal are the only ones in the whole league. So, when you get you’re hands on a prospect like Alvarez you hold on for dear life.

There is no scenario where the Mets should trade Alvarez. Not because he hasn’t established value, but because he’s simply too valuable. There is nothing more valuable in today’s baseball than an elite catcher. If Alvarez has a chance to be that you can’t let him go under any circumstance. That is unless you’re getting an MVP level talent with multiple years of control.

Those who were left out

There are two names that are missing here that will drive some fans crazy Mark Vientos and Andres Gimenez. Neither of them are untouchable for a few reasons.

Gimenez just isn’t as good as the hype has made him out to be. He is a slap hitting glove-first SS, and that’s a fine player. He profiles to be similar to a player like Jose Iglesias, and that’s a good player, but not an untouchable one. That’s especially true when he’s blocked at the major league level by Amed Rosario and Robinson Cano.

There’s nowhere for Gimenez to play and his value currently exceeds his talent considering he’s a top-100 prospect. That’s exactly the kind of player you trade to get maximum value out of.

Mark Vientos is a powerful hitter, but that’s all there is to really like about him. He’s not valuable on the base baths, nor with his defense, and his hit tool is bad. He strikes out a ton and doesn’t walk often. He’ll likely end up having to move to first base in the future due to his poor defense and large size.

His power is his one saving grace and it’s a plus tool, but it’s not good enough to make up for everything else. If the Mets have the chance to get a good MLB player having Vientos headline the deal has to be considered.

This isn’t to say that these two have to be traded or don’t have a future on this team. They aren’t pieces the Mets need to or should hug. If the right deal comes along Vientos and Gimenez make a lot of sense to deal this winter, while the above players don’t.