ANGRY MIKE
Mets 2026 roster is certainly going to look very different from the 2025 roster, which should be expected based on the number of players they had on expiring contracts. Changes need to be made to the lineup, the starting rotation, and a bullpen that has the least number of pitchers expected to return. These changes shouldn’t be seen as an overreaction to the Mets 2025 season, but more of a re-branding that anoints a new nucleus of young stars to lead the team going forward. As tough as the 2025 season was, there were plenty of positives to build upon and several key personnel who showed they are capable of being the linchpins for our beloved franchise.
The new nucleus of players deserving of leadership roles is an exciting mix of established veterans and homegrown youngsters that flashed the ability to lead this team at various points throughout the season. Mets’ brass have some tough decisions to make, but if they are committed to building a sustainable winner, they need to embrace the rare opportunity of being able to do so without having to drastically increase the payroll. Nobody is talking about undertaking a massive rebuild, but if the Mets are serious of turning things around, a restructuring of organizational strategy needs to be the focal point of the off-season.
Let’s take a look at some of the players who I believe represent the new faces of the organization beginning with the 2026 season.
JUAN SOTO & FRANCISCO LINDOR
Soto and Lindor are a dynamic 1-2 punch atop the Mets lineup and are under contract for the foreseeable future. They are both coming off career years and have shown they are more than capable of being the cornerstone players you build your lineup around. They are legit 5-tool talents who can impact the game in just about every way possible, but they possess the rare “6th Tool”, which highlights how both of these of guys help to create opportunities for players hitting around them in the batting order. Their rare ability to make players around them better is a tremendous advantage when pairing them with young, talented players with upside that are still establishing themselves. The Mets have the luxury of having plenty of young affordable options at their disposal, which young players they decide gives them the best chance to compete at a high level is the challenge.
NOLAN MCLEAN
Despite only making little more than handful of starts, no pitcher exhibited the ability to be a cornerstone of a starting rotation better than McLean. His pitching arsenal is one of the most electric mix of pitches I have ever seen, and there’s an impressive list of established hitters who can attest to that distinction. McLean is without question a bonafide “ACE” and any mock trades including him for any pitcher are absolutely ridiculous. Teams don’t trade players with his current abilities and they certainly don’t trade players with the work ethic and raw natural talent to exponentially raise their future ceiling.
FRANCISCO ALVAREZ
Alvarez might only be 25 years old, but make no mistake, he is the “heart and soul” of the Mets clubhouse. Veterans trust him to provide stability for our pitching staff and younger players who played alongside him throughout their minor league careers, depend on him to help take the pressure off. After having a rough start to the 2025 season, a quick stint in Syracuse helped Alvarez to unlock his prodigious talent, which was on full display during his strong finish to the season. Despite suffering multiple injuries to his hands and wrists, Alvarez not only played through pain, he continued to hit for both average and power, as well as delivering the type of clutch hits fans grew accustomed to seeing during his rookie season. His power to all fields is rare for a catcher and last year he improved his plate discipline and looked like a complete hitter capable of hitting for both average and 25+ homers. Combined with his improving defense and ability to bring the best out of his pitchers, places him in the “Top 1%” of catchers in baseball.
MARK VIENTOS & BRETT BATY
A pair of young talented hitters who invoke the greatest disparity in support from Mets fans, literally exhibiting complete opposite ends of the spectrum, despite both players ending with comparable numbers for the 2025 season. Despite having an incredible breakout 2024 season, Vientos became the most hated player on social media, a few short weeks into the season. Ironically, prior to Vientos, Baty was the most hated player, which quickly changed after he started producing at the plate and on defense. Regardless of the public sentiment might be, both players finished 2025 in a manner that promotes the idea 2026 could be even better. Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil are two veterans the Mets could potentially move on from for entirely different reasons. If the Mets are looking to replace the 50 Homers and 199 RBI Alonso and McNeil produced in 2025, Vientos and Baty provide our best chance to do so. Can either of them replicate Alonso’s 2025 numbers? Who knows. Can both players average 25 homers and 80 RBI if provided with 550+ at-bats? Absolutely.
There are several other notable players such as Jonah Tong, Jett Williams, and Carson Benge who will be relied on heavily to provide a big impact for the 2026 season. If the Mets aspirations include winning the division and making a deep postseason run, it’s going to depend on our nucleus of stars, young and older, to set the tone early, that the Mets are here to win.
Two franchise pillars, continuing their reign of excellence and a quartet of young, high-upside youngsters ready to make the leap from “potential upside” to “established stars”.
There isn’t a quartet of young “up-and-coming” players on another team who offer the same upside as the one we have, and we should feel fortunate that they all look primed to help make 2026 a truly magical season.
20 comments:
I largely agree with your article and love your web site but I thought Wow Francisco has definitely aged. He's actually only 23 turning 24 this week.
The future is bright indeed. The big question is how close Vientos/Baty/Alvarez are to consistently producing. Their developmental streakiness has led to brutal stretches when the established guys hit cold streaks.
The influx of young starting pitching is so exciting. Even moving Peterson into a swing role should significantly improve the BP. Scott will also likely act in that role. As long as the players mentally accept & adjust more flexible roles for the Sal if the team, there is significant upside within the current roster.
That said, Stearns has indicated they will be very active this offseason so it will be fascinating to watch it play out.
Gotta think the Dodgers very well could add Tucker & another Japanese pitcher plus BP help so the bar keeps rising. The Mets slope has to rise faster by next Fall.
Alvarez needs maturity with age. He loses focus too quickly and reverts back to older tendencies to swing too hard and stab at balls behind the plate. He needs to take a disciplined approach to both offense and defense to become the player that was projected.
Soto's fielding tool needs a bit of sharpening. Hope that becomes his priority this year. That would be a perfect way for him to lead by example.
And use his lower body more to control his swing & harvest his power
Great article (as usual)
Who drafted you, Angry?
Vientos
He just wouldn't be part of my future past platooned DH until Nimmo takes over that position full time
Mike, I have to say you were a little soft on the analysis of some of our players. I agree with Paul and RV on their comments.
I'll take the kid gloves off:
Soto is a below average fielder at best. What you see is what you get from him in the field.
Alverez, presently is a poor defensive catcher. Thank God they are taking away the framing aspect. How many times did you see him actually miss pitches trying to frame a pitch.
He can't block balls in the dirt; he led league in passed balls.
As for his hitting, he had to be demoted for him to listen to his coaches. He had 1-2 good months of hitting. By the end of the year he was back to swinging at balls out of the strike zone, he was swing like a madman trying to hit everything out of the park.
He comes across very immature with all that chest banging...what the hell has he accomplished.
Hopefully Baty will continue his growth. As for Vientos...I have no idea. As a Met fan I can only hope he reverts back to the 2024 version.
Vientos is gone for me. Cant play him at 3rd. Only chance is putting him at 1st but that means pete or bellinger isn't here. Not a fan of that scenario. I mean. You could DH him. But i think we’ll need that spot for Nimmo / Soto / pete if he’s back to keep one of them off the field defensively.
Really hoping Baty can take the next step. I can see him hitting in the 250-270 range with 50-60 extra base hits and i think his defense will continue to improve (not a gold glover but a high floor very reliable type with the glove. The kids a worker. Always trying to improve himself)
We are going to sign Angry Mike and bat him clean up. Light tower power.
Dan
I can live with Vientos as a platoon DH until Nimmo plays it full time
You need to talk to his agent... ME
Im feeling like Francisco Alvarez is going to be a big important factor on this team. Him and young pitching.
I'm hearing Bichette 10years for 300m would you do it? he's 27.
No
awfully optimistic article. As both RVH and I pointed out, Alvarez has terrible kinematic sequencing, swings super hard yet produces lower bat speed than Vientos. His upper body dominance and place in his sequence opens him up early in swing and eliminates his capacity to cover the plate. This calls for a revamp. It can be done, but takes time. I know that from teaching golfers who are strong as all get out but have a similar sequencing. Changing sequencing takes time since it involves completing changing an ingrained pattern of movement with another. Vientos has pitch recognition problems but has a very efficient swing. He's definitely salvageable as a hitter, but most of the work has to go on between the ears and in developing a more optimal approach to hitting. He also needs to learn how to shallow his swing path. He can't field. He is a potential DH only but not if Alonso is signed and likely to take 70% of his at bats as a DH. Baty has good fundamentals but a swing that is a bit too long,
The core of youth in the rotation is very sound with Mclean leading the way and real promise in the upper minors, both left and right handers. What they need to compete is a veteran pitcher at the top of rotation alongside Mclean -- I prefer Perralta, Alcantra, Ryan, or the newly posted Japanese pitcher whose name i have forgotten. I would stay away from Skubal as the opportunity costs are way too high. King coming off an injury shortened season would command a shorter contract at less money with opt outs as a mid rotation pitcher.
Benge is your CF of the future. The one position player I would sign is Bellinger. He blocks no one and provides versatility even beyond what McNeil has. He is your LF, moving Nimmo to first and LH DH. I prefer Bellinger in left rather than first because he covers more ground than Nimmo and will be helpful if Benge leaves ST as your CF. Nimmo has good hand skills, a weaker arm and better mobility than Pete. If McNeil is traded you need a second baseman and a true utility infielder, or a third baseman if you move Baty to 2nd.
Actually, I think the easiest fix with the most internal options is the bullpen if you sign Diaz. One more high leverage guy, to go with Minter. The inhouse candidate there as he progresses may well be Sproat until he can move into the starting rotation and is replaced by high minor talent moving up; Peterson is spot starter/long reliever, Raley as your second reliable lefty, and lots of potential others to fill out the bullpen and provide depth in the minors. None of the core currently in the minors is blocked long term: e.g. Williams, Morabito,Tong, Ewing, Reimer, etc. other than one of those and perhaps Clifford, if you have to use them in a trade for Peralta, Ryan or Alcantra.
I wouldn’t -> I love Bichette too. I’ll take my chances with Jett and Ewing for 2 years until Pena is ready, and re-allocate that money towards signing Skubal after 2026 and McClanahan after 2027.
Lmao - I was a 2-hole hitter. I think I batted cleanup once - struck out every AB swinging out my shoes. And my coach said, we’re never doing that again lol
“FFS kiddo, what were you aiming for exactly Canada?”
(Which was about 2 hours away…🤷🏾♂️)
What we saw in August is the Alvarez we will see in 2026. Book it. 🦾🦾
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