The Morning Report
Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Tyrone Taylor,
and MJ
Melendez are all options for right field for the Mets, with Juan Soto shifting
to left field.
MACK – I can’t help but feel
that this could speed up the arrival of Benge. Why not. There are veterans at
all the other positions so you can easily slip in a rook and bat him ninth.
Will it happen? Probably
not. The same bet would be the glove of Taylor.
Still, it seems every day
comes and goes and there is a national story or interview about this guy. Is
this orchestrated this way? Who knows? Right now, I’d say it’s about even odds
that he breaks camp with the other 25. Being a starter could be a whole
different animal.
David Stearns mentioned that Vidal Bruján, Jackson Cluff, Grae Kessinger, Ronny Mauricio and
Christian
Arroyo are shortstop
options for the Mets now that Francisco Lindor misses time to start the
season.
MACK – OK… we need to spend some
time with Brujan and Cluff before we go forward.
GROK –
Vidal Bruján is a Dominican
professional baseball player, born February 9, 1998 (age 28 as of now), in San
Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic.
He's a versatile utility
infielder/outfielder known for his switch-hitting (bats both sides) and
right-handed throwing.
Current Status (as of
February 2026): He's currently with the New York Mets in Major League Baseball
(MLB). The Mets acquired him from the Minnesota Twins on January 22, 2026, in
exchange for cash considerations after he was designated for assignment by the
Twins (who had claimed him off waivers from the Atlanta Braves shortly before).
He's listed with positions
including third baseman (3B), second baseman (2B), shortstop (SS), and outfield
spots like right field (RF).
Career Overview
Debut: July 7, 2021, with
the Tampa Bay Rays.
Previous Teams: Tampa Bay
Rays (2021–2023), Miami Marlins (2024), Chicago Cubs (2025), Baltimore Orioles
(2025), Atlanta Braves (2025), brief stint with Minnesota Twins (claimed
January 2026, then traded).
He's a journeyman utility
player with solid speed and contact skills but limited power (career MLB slash
line around .199/.267/.276 through prior seasons, with better recent marks like
.253 in limited 2025 action and .222 in 2024).
Physical: 5'9", 180
lbs.
Contract: Signed through
2026 (1 year/$850k noted in some sources), arbitration-eligible 2027, free
agent 2029.
He's valued for his
positional flexibility in the infield and outfield, making him a useful
bench/depth piece.
Jackson Cluff is a professional
baseball player, currently a minor league infielder in the New York Mets
organization.
He's a 29-year-old (born
December 3, 1996, in Littleton, Colorado) utility infielder who primarily plays
shortstop (SS), second base (2B), and occasionally third base. He bats
left-handed and throws right-handed, standing at 5'11" and weighing 181 lbs.
Background and Career
College:
Played baseball at Brigham
Young University (BYU Cougars), where he had a strong 2019 season
(.325/.458/.515 with 27 extra-base hits and 12 steals).
Drafted: Selected by the
Washington Nationals in the 6th round (183rd overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Pro Career: Spent several
years in the Nationals' system, reaching Triple-A (e.g., Rochester Red Wings).
He has a career minor league batting line of around .219/.324/.363 with 42 HR,
86 SB, but high strikeouts (527 in 498 games). Known for solid defense up the
middle, speed, and plate discipline, though contact has been inconsistent.
Recent Moves: Became a free
agent and signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets in November
2025, with an invite to spring training. He's assigned to the Triple-A Syracuse
Mets and listed as depth, especially at shortstop.
MACK – Frankly, neither of these
two are going to the HOF.
And lastly...
I have been observing "pitchers/catchers" and a few initial things come to mind...
1. There are a lot of non pitchers already in this camp, and I don't mean catchers.
2. Most of the new guys are veterans and, thus, don't need a refresher with "the drill". No one is going to overswing in the batting cage or throw out a rib cage with a fastball.
Not this week.
This is "loosing up" with an occasional intro to a new teammate.
3. I am immediately struck with seemingly a lack of previously produced depth. Almost fragility.
4. Doing past numbers, the hits are there and you could walk off leading in team steals, but the power has left the building. Especially homers.
5. To me, early on, the starters look deep, talented, healthy, and frankly, exciting.
6. The pen is a work in progress and could easily be bailed out by excess starters.
I'm not dancing in the halls yet, but I'm not burying myself in the sand either
7 comments:
Could Mauricio get a brief window at SS? If he doesn’t….
I really don’t want a .180 hitter playing SS if Lindor is not ready. So, try Ronny.
Two things are a guaranty each spring:
1. Someone comes to camp in the best shape in their life - who is also usually in their walk year.
2. The team plays up the scrubs and their prospects.
Benge could break camp, but I don’t want to see Brujan or Cluff even in the roster. Someone will release a better option on March 26th or they will trade a bit player that can stand at SS. But, I could live with Mauricio if he deserves a chance via his spring performance.
While Rengifo is a free agent and can stand at SS, he will want some guaranteed playing time after Lindor comes back.
For now, I predict the Mets best answer comes the last week of March.
Please try a little harder than usual Ronny…. I wonder if Semien is an option. Not that Stearns ever tells the press his real thoughts anyway.
I believe he will
Try.to remember the time it took Alvarez to heal from the same injury
He won't be ready OD
The competitive environment should bring out the best in these players you mentioned. That is good for the team. May the best man win.
The answer is Semien. He was a SS for most of his career. There is no reason he can't man the position for 2-4 weeks.
This would give Baty the playing time he needs at 2B. Once Lindor returns Baty goes into super utility role.
I hope they don't try to rush him back.
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