Tom Brennan -The Case for JT Schwartz

JT Schwartz, back in his UCLA days.

I’m like Mack (or at least I was) on JT Schwartz:

“Lacks power…next?”

Except, I looked closer and liked what I saw.

First of all, he is both a 1B AND OF, so his being a fine-fielding first baseman on a team with Pete is not an issue, as he is also is an errorless outfielder.

JT’s gross #s are low this year…in large part due to injury causing him to miss 51% of Binghamton’s games. But he is hitting .298 with a .385 OBP on a team where, through July, he was surrounded with anemic hitters.

Another But…he is healthy now, and has posted an eye-catching .347/.449/.520 slash for August.

He also, with 2 outs this year and RISP, when it COUNTS, is hitting .356 this year.

If he played all of Binghamton’s games, at his current RBI rate, he’d have 85 RBIs. On a team that until lately has been lousy at getting guys on base.

Last 2 seasons?  

605 at bats, 40 doubles, 6 triples, 9 HRs, and 91 RBIs. 

He also played last year for Brooklyn, which was poor at getting runners on base to knock in.

He actually adjusted his approach in difficult Brooklyn last year and while hitting an admirable .292 there, launched just one of his 6 HRs there in 2022. Smart adjustment. Long fly outs into stiff incoming winds are simply outs.

Strikeouts? 

A plague for so many, but just 41 in 234 plate appearances this year, a quality rate. 

Speed? 

8 of 11 steals and 6 triples over the course of his career, in 789 PAs, tells me his speed is at least near-average.

Power potential? 

Well, he is 6’4”, a size that would permit power to be added, and I highly suspect you will see the 23 year old lefty hitter’s HR rate jump in 2024. I can imagine him saying, “I’ve proven I can hit for average, like McNeil and TJ Rivera did early in their minors careers - now watch me hit 20 HRs in 2024.”

I know Mack likely will disagree, but the Mets may decide to let Pete roll into 2024 without extension, if for no other reason than to have more time to see if flying-under-radar JT Schwartz can turn into a John Olerud.

I realize this is all speculation, since JTS is not now in the Mets Top 30. 

Usually that tells you something.

Except for one thing…IMO, he should be in the top 15. 

Send him to the Arizona Fall League this year, and let him boost his 2023 at bats as a precursor to 2024. Then, off to the gym to add muscle and power, like McNeil and Rivera successfully did.

My guess is, if the Mets don’t keep him, he could be a dandy 1B for the Yankees with that short porch.

METS WIN

David Peterson is pitching more, of late, as we would have expected him to all season. That is, with quality.  Can he keep it up?

SYNDERGAARD RELEASED:

6.50 ERA this year. Turns 31 this week. Sign him for Mets pen?

Or leave him in the discard bin?