We're going to look into the Mets shortstop situation; however, we need to remember that the top two candidates that could become the next Mets starting shortstop were broken out a week ago under the second base category. Emilien Pitre and Mitch Voit are born and bred shortstops that have had to be switched to second base due to the presence of Francisco Lindor... and his contract.
All long-term contracts rear their ugly heads some day and Lindor's is rearing as we write. These two alone would give this category an A rating, but let's look deeper and see if we can add an '+' to this rating.
RED PROSPECTS -
MLB/Mets - Francisco Lindor - (32) - Lindor had a bad year in 2026, both with a bat in his hands (.224) and with a glove on his hand (11-E, .967). I still consider him one of the top players in this game. Lastly, he has started slow but always rallied. This year, probably due to injuries, the rally never happened. As for 2027, Lindor will remain the starting shortstop, but unless he turns this downward spiral around, a lock on that starting position in 2028 simply doesn't exist. There is a good change that Pitre and Voit could be your starting middle infielders in 2028, which would be fine by me.
A+/Brooklyn - Elian Pena - (18) - so much fanfare, so little regard for his age. Pena made quite a splash in 2025, hitting .292/.421/.528/.949 for the DSL Mets. It included 9-HR as a 17/year old. He fast-tracked in 2026, playing for both St. Lucie and Brooklyn. He had 516 at-bats in 2026, and hit 8-HR, 50-RBI, 70-BB, and only 118-K. Stat line: .255/.369/.370/.730. As an 18/year old. In my book, he is earning his $5mil signing bonus.
He may not have dominated but, at his age, he is carrying his weight. He will return to Brooklyn for opening day and has a good chance of finishing the year in Syracuse.
DSL - Wandy Asigen - only 61 professional (DSL) at-bats for the 16/year old. Still, an impressive start... seven of his 17 hits have been for extra-bases... .994-OPS... .279/.470/.525... 19-BB... 6-SB. Very small sample for someone that scouts have ranked as dripping of talent. I have him with much more potential than Pena.
DSL Futures - Euniel De La Cruz - (16) - also plays 3B - will sign with Mets on 1-15-2027 for a $3.3mil signing bonus - 5-11, 185 - named MVP for the Torneo Miracles in the youth Dominican squad. Far too early to evaluate but not too early to color code.
BLUE PROSPECTS -
AAA/Syracuse - Ronny Mauricio - (25) - plays 3B and 2B - perennial RED prospect that gets re-colored due to the Mets inability to utilize him in a starting role. Why, you ask? We will probably never know since there is a good chance he will be dealt before the strike ends. At best, a future platoon hitter vs. LHP. 19-K in 58 MLB AB. At worse, a Latin league coach.
ALMOST PROSPECTS -
A+/Brooklyn - Antonio Jiminez - (22) - also plays 3B & 2B - 3rd rd. 2025 (under slot signee) - 2026: 349-AB combined St. Lucie/Brooklyn: 10-HR, 32-RBI, 112-K, 48
6-BB, 23-SB, ONLY .201 (.150 at Coney). Viewed as a defensive minded shortstop with developing power. Barely hanging on almost.
A/St. Lucie - Boston Baro - (22) - also plays 3B & 2B - 8th rd. 2023 - only 34-AB in 2026 due to a right shoulder injury which took its sweet arse time to heal. Early on, scouts had his hitting tools in the 40-55 range, with an overall grade of 4, but he just hasn't panned out yet. Age leads to a needed giddy-up.
DSL - Sebastian Toro - (18) - also plays 3B & 2B - RHH - $300K bonus 1-15-2026 -
2026/DSL - 184-AB, 47-K(!), 1-HR, 29-RBI, 10-SB, 25-BB, ,250/,349/.337/.686. Just gettin' going.
MACK spin - You have a very talented major league starter, two of your top prospects waiting in the wings at second, and three lined up top international kiddies just sharpening their bats. Is there a grade above A+?
Rating - A++
21 comments:
Have to say...
I love what the Brewers did this month.
Proves you can build a great team if you know what the fig you are doing
Deep roster. If they keep Lindor after this year, which they most likely will, he might need a shift to DH or 1B or OF by 2028. It is entirely possible that Rojas, Pitre, and Voit could be better than him by then - and Pena should arrive by 2029.
Dodgers swept. Sweet. Don’t get too happy for the Beewers - they could be a dynasty.
3 top prospects graduating in 2027
Since Stearns arrival the team has focused on drafting and signing the best athletes they can, and this unsurprisingly shows up at people playing SS most of their baseball lives. Some will have bodies that fill out in ways that make them candidates for 3B; others naturally can move to 2B, and speaking of the Brewers some like Yount and Molitor can move to CF. It really is an excellent formula for drafting. Add drafting arms and the occasional power bat and catchers, which the Mets even before Stearns came on board, and you have the makings in a draft of the strategy that, for example, the Brewers have been following.
When you draft enough very good or better players at these positions, they sort themselves out and also provide you with assets you can use for trades when, e.g. you need a power bat, a key SP or corner outfielder. Given how young international signees are why ever sign anyone from there other than at SS , or CF. and low low cost potential arms.
My initial thought - as a Mets veteran - dont jinx the Cruz signing by mentioning him, LOL.
Yesterday the team Baro and Agbayani play for in AFL scored 17 runs in 10 hits. They are batting 8th and 9th, and scored five runs on zero hits between them, but with four walks. I’m afraid Baro may be becoming lapped by the kids.
As for the system, it’s a strong collection of talent and I must say Marco Vargas can also be a usable MLB player if he can stay healthy.
I was surprised to see Mauricio on here with some kind writing. Usually gets a different treatment, LOL!
Maybe so Gus, but he is hard to evaluate until he has a full healthy season under his belt.
Brewers' payroll is $146,206,320. Mets in 2026 was $346 million. We have players like Polanco at 20 million, Semien at 26 mill, Manaea at 25 mill and Bochette at 40 mill. Those 4 players, who ranged unplayable to mediocre in 2026, earned a total of $111 million. These 4 players earned 76% of the Brewers total payroll
Stearns was in charge when the Brewers put this whole plan into place. It is interesting that he has had less success in NY where there were less constraints on him.
Vargas has been impressive, especially when he saw the competition get stiffer after the trade deadline. That says something about his competitive spirit.
The other thing to note about the SS position is that the Mets are so deep in middle infield talent that they can shift others into the SS pipeline if these prospects don't pan out. Rojas, Pitre, and Smith can all play there.
I have felt lately like Stearns was out of his comfort zone with this new unlimited approach. I felt he wasted alot. However, if reports that Cohen has reeled him in are true, it may be to Stearns’ benefit.
off season surgery of a different kind: Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor’s wife, Katia, gave him a hilarious basket of treats for undergoing a vasectomy, she revealed in an Instagram post Wednesday. Three kids are enough. NY Post had an article on this. Why?
The bad road you head down when you mismanage a franchise. Bad contracts to the elderly.
Well, someone signed RF Juan Soto. That was a great intl signing.
Ronny Maurici-go.
Marco is still 21.
Turns 22 in mid-May. Too young to give up on.
When one looks at the current crop of Mets infield prospects, it invites the question of whether facing this level of competition either Baty or Vientos would have ever seen the majors on the Mets. It also makes you wonder where Acuna and Williams would rank among this group. They are almost all as fast as Williams and everyone can hit better than Acuna has.
While looking backwards just a bit, while the Mets are not blessed with a plethora of talented starting pitchers in the minors, it's hard to second guess Stearns giving up Sproat and Williams for Peralta and Meyers, Peralta has shown he can still pitch in the majors, if not with the Mets. Meyers is a versatile relief pitcher with some upside.
And of the following group, who would you have preferred the FO to give up for Peralta: McLean, Scott, Thornton, Tong (all four are reasonable projections for landing on the major league roster, if not in 27, then 28; and all have shown major league competence or better), Santucci.
In my mind, all were better bets than Sproat, other than Thornton at the time the trade was made. The only pitcher in the Mets top tier (loosely speaking) that I would have preferred trading is Wenninger. Says something.
The Mets are short of a new supply -- other than Santucci -- but I expect them to try to replenish that stock in a similar way to the way they filled the gap that existed last year in the infield, which is now very well stocked , thank you!
Jules C,
The Mets 2025 and 2026 drafts were heavy on pitchers. I think we may see some prospects develop from those selections. Wiggins looks good as a future starter.
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