Reese Kaplan -- Most Wannabe Fringe Hitters Not Getting It Done

About this time of the year people seemed to get all hyped about someone having a hot week or two in the Port St. Lucie and greater Florida baseball environs.  For the Mets fans it could be a relief pitcher retiring the side easily, a starting pitcher we hadn't thought about as a prospect to come north or a position player who wasn't really on our radar when the preseason began.

On the offensive side of the ledger there are a few faces who have been attracting some attention but the probability of them becoming a part of the orange and blue in New York are still rather slim.  Still, it's worth taking a look to see whether or not their performance is indicative of potential or merely the 7th through 20th pitchers the oppositions choose to put on the mound. 

Ji-Man Choi

The big man from South Korea isn't thus far showing that he'll be anything more than veteran filler in AAA if he sticks around.  In 2023 he his .163 and as of Thursday this week he was up to a sub-Mendoza .182 for his preseason output.  Given he's a non-roster player he is not making a case for himself to be a part of the big club.  He's a .234 career hitter, so it's an uphill battle in any case.

Ben Gamel

By contrast, the veteran outfielder is a career .252 hitter and thus far in Florida is hitting .250.  So he is giving you what was expected.  Over the age of 30 already he's pretty much relegated to a 4th or 5th outfielder spot.  His best season was back in 2017 for the Mariners when he batted .275 and hit 11 home runs.  While those numbers won't get him into Cooperstown, he's not shown that he'd be too much of a liability for a backup player.

Jose Iglesias

The man with the magic glove has made a few head turning plays already in Spring Training.  The now 34 year old has been playing since breaking in at age 21 with the Red Sox back in 2011.  As a hitter he hasn't shown much power but he owns a fairly impressive .279 career average.  For the Mets with Francisco Lindor ahead of him and newcomers (if healthy) Zack Short and Joey Wendle ahead of him he's not likely going to venture to Queens.  Given his better resume than many others, he may opt out rather than head to Syracuse.  

Taylor Kohlwey

At age 29 without having really had much chance to play in the majors he has become the very definition of a AAAA player.  His minor league batting numbers are not bad at all (though PCL-inflated last year in the thin air of El Paso).  However, his MLB career average is a limited .154 and his Spring Training output has not been much better at .182.  He is depth at best and is highly unlikely going to Citifield.

Trayce Thompson

Finally we come to the man who is making the most of his opportunities in February and March.  Thompson has power.  No one doubts that.  He also is not a bad defensive player unlike one guy whose short hot interval in 2023 is likely not sustainable.  Right now Thompson is hitting .500 with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs (one, of course, being a Grand Slam).  Unfortunately he's had ample opportunities in the past during his MLB career with the White Sox, Dodgers, A's, Cubs and Padres has not been all that impressive.  

He's closing in on 1000 MLB at-bats with an average of just .212 with a lot of strikeouts.  Still, the aforementioned competitor, D.J. Stewart is hitting just .220 for his MLB career and doesn't offer up much in the way of defensive skills, so a change could be happening.

Luke Voit

Then there's the return of the all-or-nothing slugger with the giant arms and not much else to suggest he's a major league asset.  Voit has done the job in the majors with the long ball and even led the league with 22 HRs in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.  He's a .253 career hitter which isn't awful.  

The problem is that he's at best a modest first baseman or a DH.  He is a right handed hitter which is the same side from which Mark Vientos hits.  It appears he's a just-in-case option for the Mets, but not on their bench.