IN FOCUS: Baro, Christofer, Aracena, Metoyer, McLean, Garcia, Vientos

 

Ernest Dove      @ernestdove

Mets have another top prospect heating up

 

The talk on Mets IF prospect Boston Baro for a few weeks now has been that the metrics were looking solid despite the results not looking good.

                                     Mack Deep Dive

20/year old      6-0      180     LHH      RHT

8^th round pick in 2023 by Mets, out of Capistrano HS (CA)

$700,000 bonus   (slot: $192,900)

Known for his versatility, contact-hitting ability, defensive skills

2023/FCL Mets:   7-G, .316/.458/.421, 2-Ds, 1-SB, 19-AB, 5-BB

                               Played short, second, and third

2024:  missed start of season – hamate fracture – debut late April

         St. Lucie:   84-G, .288/.368/.399/.767, 4-HR, 42-RBI, 8-SB

                             41-BB, 66-K, 370-PA – led team in BA

                             Ranked 2^nd in league for BA, and OBP

        Brooklyn:   11-G, .205/.286/.318, .604, 0-HT, 5-RBI, 1-SB,

                             FINAL GAME OF SEASON:  3-3, 2-Ds, 1-Tr, 2-RBI

Scouting:

    Hitting – contact-orientated with advanced approach for age

        Excellent strike zone discipline, again, for age

        2024: low 18.1% K-rate – 6^th lowest in Mets system

       2023/24  -  95-G, 46-BB,  95-G

       Hits line drives to all fields… projects as gap hitter

       Comp:  Jeff McNeil

Defense – highly versatile

      2024:   34-G at third, 24-G at short, 18-G at second

     Smooth glovework

     Projects long term to third due to arm strength and reaction time

      Also capable at both short and second

Speed  -  average to above-average

ETA  -  2027

 

Yesterday Mets 22 yr old RHP prospect Cristofer Gomez was promoted from St. Lucie to Brooklyn.

Today in his High A debut final line in relief

3 inn

1 H

0 ER

2 BB

6 K

30 of 47 for strikes

                                        Mack Deep Dive

22/years old     

As of 5-28-2025 – 64-apps, no losses

Showcased consistency and effectiveness

2025  -  14.6 K/9 ratio  6^th in organization

    5-27-25 – promoted to Brooklyn – debut: 3-IP, O-ER, 6-K, 30/47

 

Codify                        @CodifyBaseball

Wins, Last 162 Regular Season Games:

101 NYM

99 LAD

97 SD

94 DET

93 HOU

 

Playoff Chances RIght Now

(rounded, via FanGraphs):

98% LAD NYY

94% DET

93% PHI

83% NYM

82% CHC

 

Minor League Baseball                    @MiLB

"For it's 1, 2, .... 8 strikeouts in a row for Wellington Aracena!"

The Mets RHP prospect has it all working enroute to a career-high 10 punchouts for the St Lucie Mets

                                        Mack Deep Dive

20/year old      6-3      180       RHP      IFA      Dominican

2025/St. Lucie:   9-APPS, 3-ST, 28.2-IP

                  Notable improvement in ERA and WHIP

                 12.2 K/9 – strong indicator of ability to miss bats

                  4.7 BB/9 – needs improvement

Considered a developing power arm

 

Brooklyn Cyclones                          @BKCyclones

Brian Metoyer since April 25th:

 0.00 ERA

 9.1 IP

0.54 WHIP

 .036 opponent’s batting avg

                                        Mack Deep Dive

28/years old      RHRP     

40^th round 2018 by Mets, out of LSU - $40,000 bonus

2025/Brooklyn:  10-1-IP, 0.87-ERA, 2-SV

       Suggesting strong potential as a reliever

       .095-BABIP – suggests some luck or excellent field defense

      81.8%-LOB% - strands runner effectively

      57.1% GB% - tendency to induce grounders

     0.0% HR/FB – can’t do better than this

Fastball – low-to-mid 90s, T-87

Curve – best pitch… good depth

Change - developing

Ernest Dove               @ernestdove

Final line for Mets P prospect Nolan Mclean today in AAA
Season ERA at the level now 2.31

 

One of my favorite/most frustrating Mets prospects in the system is current High A Brooklyn Cyclones RP Saul Garcia.  This season

13 app

13 inn

3 H

2 ER

15 BB

25 K

                                       Mack Deep Dive

RHRP    6-11-2003    6-0    180    IFA-2021 at 18

As of 5-28 –

    2025/Brooklyn – 25-K (17-K/9 ratio), 5-SV (2^nd in SAL)

    Needs to lower walks by increasing control to zone

Considered a late bloomer

1^st cousin of Wilmer Flores

Fastball – considered major league average

Low-80s slider, also considered league average

Changeup developing

Mets plan to stretch him out into a starter

Entire future, be it as a starter or in the pen, is determined by his future command

 

Mets Prospect Group        @bkfan09

Vientos hits a HR in one AB and looks like he doesn’t belong in a major league uniform in the next

                 Mack –

                 If you swing hard on every pitch, and your body has the strength needed to send the ball over Tom’s fences, once in awhile you will actually square up on the ball. Works even if you close your eyes. Right now, Vientos is in his close your eyes stage.

Tom Brennan - More Minors Spotlights: Watson, Wenninger, Metoyer, Cota….and a Dumb Rule Robs Soto

JACK WENNINGER LOOKS NICE A NICE KID HERE…

…BUT HE IS FLAT-OUT NASTY ON THE MOUND

Before my topics, yesterday’s recap, and….:

Colorado is up next for 3 games. Rockies road record? 

3-24. Oh, my.

The Mets BETTER win all three of those games.

White Sox series? Mets bats are sputtering. Soto and Lindor are in need of a day off. Nimmo nicely was on 4 times yesterday, while Vientos did his best Kingman imitation (1-5, 3 run HR, 3Ks), but the other hitters napped, and Canning and Waddell got whipped by the White Sox for 8 runs…

…it was a matinee game, so naturally, ex-struggling-now-thriving-ex-Mets prospect Mike Vasil (2.10 ERA) totally had the Mets for lunch (3 scoreless and 5 Ks), so to assuage the “the Mets can’t hit for spit” pain in my heart, I quickly moved on to a place of solace…and yes…JOY!

THE METS MINORS!

Brooklyn wins AGAIN. Six runs again (yawn). 

Cristofer Gomez, in his last 8.1 IP? 

One hit, SIXTEEN STRIKEOUTS!  WHAT?? 

And Saul Garcia fanned the side (1.38, 25 Ks in 13 IP). I’m a Saul Man! 

And Flamin’ Raimon Gomez tossed 2 hitless innings. 

Friggin’ Clones team is 32-15.

Meanwhile…Colin Houck hit TWO HRs and has 26 RBI’s! St Lucie WON!

And Syracuse won TWO! Blackburn and McLean were STRONG!  

Mauricio? 12 for 21. Hitting just .571. Meaning his batting failure average is .429. Call him up, send Soto down?  Nah, just kidding.  Soto is about to go 12 for 21 in this 3 game Rockies series.

WOW! The Mets Minors are ROCKIN’.

NOW, ON TO MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED TOPICS….

Lots more Mets guys doing well in the minors than in 2024. LOTS!!

Here are a few more to add to my recent spate of player spotlights:

SPOTLIGHT ON...JACK WENNINGER

He should legally change his name to Winninger since he is winninger more than most minor league pitchers.  

On Sunday, he nailed it again.  Dude is IMPRESSIVE!

Already in AA, he is 5-2, 2.70 this year in AA, 53 Ks in 47 innings, .195 BAA, 0.94 WHIP. 

I'm sure if he was still alive, my father, also named Jack, would be rooting hard for this Jack.

It appears that Wenninger throws in the mid 90s with a great change up that drops off the table.  Fantastic control, too, with 11 walks in 47 IP this year.  The 6'4" 23 year old righty has quickly racked up 162 minor league innings in 2024 and 2025, after a 2 inning debut in 2023.  Another impressive arm who could be impactful in Queens in 2026. 

SPOTLIGHT ON...WILL WATSON

Will Watson was a 7th round pick in 2024,  The righty is having a special year so far, as are so many of his fellow Mets organization pitchers.

On Sunday, he started out with 4 perfect innings, fanning 6, before allowing a lead off HR in the 5th.

This year, in St Lucie, Will is showing signs that he will be a good Mets pitcher someday.

Mack recently noted this good stuff about Watson:

Fastball – low-to-mid 90s, T-97.  Flat vertical break. Highly effective. Average 2,300 RPM with up to 22” induced vertical break. 

 - Considered elite.

Slider – mid-80s with sweepy break. Best secondary pitch. Complements fastball.

Saw some video of Will - he looks impressive.  

He played some shortstop in college, too, reminiscent of a former Met who started out at SS and changed to pitching - Jacob deGrom, who went from college shortstop to emergency starting pitcher for Stetson to a 9th round MLB Draft pick to injured and unheralded prospect to NL Rookie of the Year and 2-time Cy Young Award winner, all in about eight years.  

May he also someday pitch like deGrom.

Hurry up, Will - we need to get Watson to join Holmes in the Mets rotation.  

If so we can change the name of Citi Field to Scotland Yard. And then solve the mystery of the missing runs.

SPOTLIGHT!  MONSIEUR METOYER RISES AGAIN

Post-TJS injury, former 40th rounder Brian Metoyer (0.87 ERA) has thrown 10.1 IP, allowing just 2 hits and one earned run this year for Brooklyn. 

I wonder….how far and fast will this man with a great name for a hockey player rise? 

(I can almost hear it…Guy Lafleur fires the puck to Metoyer, racing up the left side. He shoots….HE SCORES! HE SCORES!) (I know, I’m nuts).

IRVING COTA DESERVES A SPOTLIGHT TOO!

34 IP, 4-0, 1.34?  

“SPOTLIGHT, PLEASE!”

SOTO CANNOT CATCH A BREAK

Smacking the ball everywhere with little to show for it.  Then he drills a hit…which wasn’t. 

On Tuesday, a 110 MPH screamer into right center, with Nimmo on 1B. Nimmo rounds second, heading for third.  Soto is going for a double.  

Except the runners were confused. Seems the umps were, too. It appeared Michael Taylor may have caught the ball, but not so…he in fact short-hopped it. Nimmo circled back past Soto to retreat towards first base, thinking the ball was caught. 

A stupid rule evaporated Soto’s hit. Per an article on the Mets’ website:

“Under rule 9.05 (b)(1), the scorer is not allowed to credit the batter with a hit unless every runner that is forced to advance actually advances to the next base. The force on Nimmo was reinstated as soon as he retreated back around second base (because he thought he needed to tag up), and he ended up back on first base. It's as if Nimmo never successfully reached second base on the play, and that means Soto, the batter, can't be given a hit, even though he reached first base safely before he was called out.”

My thoughts? 

Technically, it makes sense. However, in substance, it is a stupid rule. 

Soto reached first, and he flat out deserves to be credited with a hit, regardless of what followed . Change the stupid rule. And Nimmo advanced a base, only to be confused and, in that confusion, “un-advance”.

Let’s take this to its most absurd….let’s say a guy is throwing a no hitter. 

Ninth inning. Man on first with a walk. Soto rips that ball, rounds first, but is not credited with a hit because of the confusion that happened. 

Rules?  Pitcher gets his no hitter.  Totally tainted.  Absurd.

Speaking of no hitters, I fondly watched a clip of 44 year old Nolan Ryan that popped up on Facebook. 25 years beyond his Mets debut, he was absolutely bringing the heat.  Searing.  Untouchable. 16 strikeouts, 7th no hitter. There will NEVER be another Nolan Ryan. The Mets dumped him.

How different would this Mets franchise have been if they:

1) drafted future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who was consensus #1, but the Mets inexplicably passed on; 

2) didn’t trade excellent Amos Otis for old Joe Foy; 

3) didn’t trade future Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan for a washed up Fregosi; 

4) didn’t trade the excellent Ken Singleton for orange Rusty Staub, and 

5) didn’t trade the great HOF Tom Seaver for a bunch of serviceable parts.

Sorry, Big Red Machine, the Mets would have owned the 1970s if they just did the obvious in these 5 situations back then.

Happy Thursday.

Paul Articulates - Six things to evaluate about the Mets

The season is more than one third complete.  The Mets have played well so far this season, but not well enough.  Does that sound like someone with high expectations?  There are millions of Mets fans expressing the same sentiment.  The signing of Juan Soto and the realization that the pitching lab investment is more valuable than imagined have brought us to expect the best.

So much went well to start the season with Lindor and Alonso on top of their games.  Baty's resurgence and Acuna's speed and glove contributions were a nice add and the performance of the pitching staff was an overachievement to say the least.  The Mets ran off to a comfortable lead in the NL East.

Eventually Francisco and Pete came back to earth, there were a few glitches on the mound, and the team hit a speed bump.  It was certainly not a surprise, but it did expose those things that were not doing well all along that were being masked.

So as we head into the middle third of the season, let's take a look at the aspects that are functioning and those that are not.

1) Pitching - the pitching is still great despite a few bobbles recently.  Megill and Canning each had a rough outing in the past week, but we have seen some gritty performances by Senga and Peterson on days that they didn't have their best stuff.  The Mets still have the best team ERA in the league by a long shot and for an entire team to be under 3.0 this far into the season is a real positive.  Edwin Diaz is eleven for eleven in save opportunities, and he seems to be getting sharper. 

Earlier in the season he was challenging fate by allowing baserunners on and then conceding stolen bases before shutting it down.  Now he seems to be dominating more of the hitters.  His performance against the Dodgers was special.  However, he still has not developed the ability to hold runners and that will be needed somewhere down the stretch.  

Another positive is that the staff is still holding together without Montas, Manaea, and Blackburn.  Although it is not a given that they would step in and make the pitching more dominant, they are certainly capable and depth gets very important in the dog days of summer.  Overall I am very impressed with the pitching.

2) Hitting - the bats are no where near where they should be this year.  Other than the initial surge by Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso and the hope building resurgence of Baty, the lineup has left a lot to be desired.  We are still impatiently waiting for Soto to erupt and we pine for the Vientos that was destroying baseballs last year.  Nimmo, McNeil, and Alvarez, where are these guys?  As a team, they hold the 16th best batting average at .245 and the ninth best OPS at .733.  

This is not what one would predict when looking at the lineup.  Of course the batting average with RISP gets all the highlights - so much so that even David Stearns is being asked what is going on.  His answer?  Don't sweat it - they are doing the right things, just not seeing results today.  

Should we buy that?  Maybe - baseball is a funny game, and you rarely see players perform to their average.  They surge and they slump.  We have too many in the latter category, but all it takes is a spark and it takes off.  We miss you Candelita!

3) Base Running - LuisAngel Acuna makes his case to remain on this roster with his feet.  He runs the bases freely and aggressively, but not recklessly.  He is a speedier version of Francisco Lindor who also has a lot of base running savvy.  These guys can turn one base into a serious offensive threat.  

Personally I would like to see a lot more of it.  Lately, Soto has shown us some skill in reading pitchers - he has swiped some bases where the play does not look close, yet he is not renown for his speed.  There is enough speed on this team to play a little small ball even though that strategy is out of vogue these days.  But when the bats aren't getting it done, let the feet start moving!

4) Fielding - I am not sure what to say here.  There have been games that look like the Keystone Mets and there are games where their defense has saved the day.  The catchers/pitchers have done very well limiting opponents' running games.  Baty has sparkled at third.  Pete continues to dig everything thrown at him.  But I am still left feeling like it should be better.  Too many lapses could cost critical games when we are playing those all-important NL East rivals.

5) Last year's heroes - Mark Vientos showed everyone that he belonged last year.  He had a power surge that cemented his place in the lineup.  He delivered in the clutch as well as having an overall great offensive season at .266/.322/.516 in 2024.  We are still waiting for that same Mark Vientos to step to the plate this year.  I think it is "when", not "if", so Mendoza should find a way to feed him at-bats even if Baty is the right guy on third.  

Juan Soto was a hero for another team last year and a different one the year before that.  But regardless of uniform, this is someone that you always expect to put up great numbers.  He has not done that to date, and for a while I was very concerned about his effort.  I am no longer worried about effort - I see him hustling and finding ways to contribute even as he still struggles to find the rhythm at the plate.  These two are due for a turnaround and I predict that it will come in this middle third of the season.

6) Manager - Carlos Mendoza and his staff have done a terrific job so far this year.  Mendoza has kept a deep bench of players active, finding roles for many to contribute in each game.  He has managed the pitching very well, finding the delicate balance between patience and urgency.  It does help to have almost all of the pitching staff throwing well, because a decision to bring in someone new with the bases loaded has not blown up in his face as much as it does for most managers.  He is blessed with great personnel and I think he is making them all better.

So as we turn this corner into the middle stretch of the season with a strong Phillies team to run down and an rejuvenated Braves team right behind us, it is going to come down to improving those weak points and keeping the foot on the gas.  Games like last night's loss to the woeful White Sox are going to hurt in a close pennant race at the end of the season.  Sweeping the Rockies is a must.  This is the time to pile up the wins.  Let's go Mets!

John From Albany: 10 Years Ago - Harvey Falls, 5/29/2015

 

Matt Harvey, 2014 Topps Heritage Card

2015, the last year the Mets made the World Series.  This daily post will detail the game by game journey to the Fall Classic.  Click here for More Mets History and Calendar Classics.

Year: 2015; Game #49; Friday;  May 29, NYM 3  Vs. MIA; 4; boxscore;  WP: Haren; LP: Harvey;  Save: Ramos; Time: 02:08; NIGHT; Attendance: 33,880; Record: 27-22; Standings: 2; Games up/behind: 1.5; L; 

Curtis Granderson RF  1 for 4; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 K; Rubén Tejada 3B  2 for 4; 1 run; Lucas Duda 1B  1 for 4; HR; 1 run; 1 RBI; 2 Ks; Daniel Murphy 2B  1 for 4; 2B,GDP; 1 RBI; Michael Cuddyer LF  1 for 4; 2B; 1 K; Wilmer Flores SS  0 for 4; Juan Lagares CF  0 for 2; 1 walk; Kevin Plawecki C  0 for 3; 1 K; Matt Harvey P  0 for 2; 1 K; Darrell Ceciliani PH  0 for 1; 1 K; Matt Harvey, L (5-3)  8 innings; 4 runs; 4 ERs; 6 hits; 1 HR; 1 walk; 11 Ks; Carlos Torres  1 inning; no runs; 1 K; 

NY Post: One bad inning, silent bats doom Mets, Harvey in loss to Marlins. "Harvey bounced back after the worst outing of his career, last weekend in Pittsburgh, to strike out 11 Marlins in eight innings, but he left a breaking ball over the middle of the plate that Justin Bour drilled for a three-run home run in the fourth inning, and the Mets’ offense failed to get much going against Marlins starter Dan Haren...The Mets managed just four hits against Marlins starter Dan Haren and scored off of him only on home runs from Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson. The Mets offense continued to betray Harvey scoring just nine total runs in his past five starts."

Washington also lost, 5-2 to Cincinnati, as the Mets stayed 1.5 games behind in 2nd Place.

NL East Standings 5/29/2015

Tm	W	L	W-L%	GB	RS	RA	pythW-L%
WSN	28	20	.583	--	221	196	.555
NYM	27	22	.551	1.5	183	174	.523
ATL	23	25	.479	5.0	187	210	.447
MIA	19	30	.388	9.5	182	206	.444
PHI	19	31	.380	10.0	154	221	.341

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/29/2015.

Steve Sica - It Feels a Little Like 2013

The "Five Aces" would only pitch together briefly in 2018

The early 2010s are widely regarded as one of the worst eras in Mets baseball. The team was coming off two straight collapses and a disastrous 2009 season. With an aging roster and minimal talent in the minor leagues, the Mets began the decade in baseball purgatory.

Then came the rebuilding process. The Mets traded stars like Carlos Beltran for Zack Wheeler and turned that miserable 2009 season into the seventh overall pick in the MLB Draft, which they used to select Matt Harvey. A couple of years later, they acquired Noah Syndergaard, and 2009 draftee Steven Matz was beginning to develop nicely in the minors. Meanwhile, a little-known prospect named Jacob deGrom was also starting to turn heads.

By 2013, while the Major League product was still non-competitive, there was reason for hope. Harvey had burst onto the scene the year before, and in 2013, he truly came into his own. “Harvey Day” was born, and for the first time in years, fans had a reason to pack Citi Field and get excited. Wheeler made his debut later that season, while Syndergaard and Matz continued to rocket up the prospect rankings. The Mets had a wealth of young pitching that seemed poised to carry them through the rest of the decade.

We don’t need to revisit what happened next or where those pitchers are today. This is about what’s happening in the Mets system now. Across all levels, the Mets are developing a new wave of pitchers who are putting up impressive numbers in the minors.

Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Jack Wenninger headline this new generation of Mets pitching. Sproat, while struggling at times in Triple-A, clearly possesses talent and potential. It's worth remembering that Triple-A wasn't kind to deGrom or Wheeler at first, either. McLean, a former two-way player turned full-time pitcher last season, has transitioned to Triple-A nicely after dominating Double-A early in the year with a sub-two ERA. In three starts with Syracuse, McLean has posted a 2.00 ERA with 17 strikeouts and a .219 opponent batting average.

In Binghamton, two more arms are making waves. Tong, who recently broke into MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, is arguably the best pitcher in the Mets system. On May 17th against Hartford, he came within one out of a perfect game before being pulled due to pitch count limitations. Tong ranks second in the Eastern League with a 2.37 ERA and leads the league with 65 strikeouts.

Right behind him in strikeouts is Wenninger, with 53. A sixth-round pick in 2023, Wenninger struggled last season with a 4.30 ERA across High-A and Double-A. This year, however, he has emerged as one of the most reliable arms in the system. Through 46 innings with Binghamton, he’s recorded a 2.70 ERA and demonstrated excellent control, issuing just 11 walks.

The Mets wealth of pitching doesn’t just stop with these four pitchers. Zach Thornton is opening eyes this season in Double-A as he threw six perfect innings for Binghamton in his last start. Nate Dohm, the Mets 3rd round pick in 2024, impressed enough in St. Lucie to earn a promotion to High-A Brooklyn earlier this month.

While these pitchers may not carry the same hype and fanfare as the "Five Aces" did over a decade ago, their potential could match—or even exceed—their predecessors. For a team that has struggled to develop homegrown pitching talent over the last ten years, it's refreshing to see so many young arms who could make their way to Queens in the near future. 

This resurgence underscores Steve Cohen’s mission when he bought the Mets: sign free agents to improve the Major League roster, but also invest in the farm system and develop talent from within.

While the future is never guaranteed, Mets fans can afford to get excited about what the team is developing in the Minors, and dare to dream about long-term success, something that has eluded the Mets for most of their existence.

MACK - MY Wednesday Observations - Mets Futures: 1B - Soto, Skenes, Lindor, Edwin

 

Morning.

We all write, either through content or comments, how thrilled we are with the current depth in the system.

I think it is time I take a deep dive into each position and deal up my opinion on where this position is going.

First up, is a position we are all concerned about because the team could be losing, at the end of this season, the All-Star that currently plays there...

First Base

Current player:  Really, only have one on the parent team right now and, thank God, it's a great one.

Pete Alonso is an all-star that stands a good chance of becoming, by the end of this season, the all-time Mets leader in homers. That's all-time, like in ALL TIME!

I really have no idea who would play there if he went down from an injury. Maybe Mark Vientos, or Brett Baty, or Ronny Mauricio (down the road), or Jesse Winker (when healed), or Jared Young. Whoever, it would be a big loss this season.

The other looming issue here is he, and his agent, could decide to opt out and not return in 2026.

Will he? Well, based on his top 5 free agent ranking come the off-season, and the kind if money being thrown around these days, my guess is Pete is a goner.

So, since this is me writing about what I think… there really is no high caliber first baseman on this team next season.

I mentioned five players earlier… could any of them become the starter here? Well, Winker is a free agent at the end of this season and can’t seem to hit consistently when he ain’t, so, other than that… . That leaves Vientos, Baty, Young, or Mauricio. None of them jump off the page for me as a future starting first baseman.

After that, I really have only one potential RED prospect… current Rumble Pony Ryan Clifford, but currently, he is hitting below previous HR/AB numbers and his BA isn’t above .230. At his best, he’s a year away.

There are a couple of interesting BLUE prospects I Brooklyn (Estarling Mercado) and St. Lucie (Trace Whillhoite), but they are way away. One more to consider… a 33/year old, with a lifetime MLB batting average of .274 (1,114-AB, 29-HR), and is currently hitting around the same range with a slugging percentage below .500. The name? Joey Meneses. Me? Nah.

That means I have to go outside the organization to wet my whistle. Enter, free agency.

Candidates would be:

Munetaka Murakami – Toyko Yakult Swallows

25/year old     also plays 3B/OF    LHH   

Known for “prodigious power”.    242-HR over 8-seasons

Has hit at least 30 home runs per season for five straight seasons

Career slash line of .273/.395/.544

    (projects to MLB:  .240-.260 BA, 30- home runs per)

Won the Japanese Triple Crown in 2022

 

Josh Naylor – Arizona Diamondbacks

27/years old      LHH

OPS+  127      6.0-WAR

2024:  31-HR, 108-RBI

Warning: Below average fielder

 

Paul Goldschmidt – New York Yankees

37 years old    I’m done here.

 

Rhys Hoskins – Milwaukee Brewers

1B/DH    32/years old    RHH    Career: 12.2-WAR

$18mil mutual option

Excellent slash line this season

8-season average – 34-HR, 99-RBI, 122-OPS+

 

Past that? Steak knives.

 

Me? Well, Murakami looks intriguing, but he still needs to decide if  he wants to go stateside. I’m not sure if any of the west coast teams need a first baseman, but I know the Yankees and Red Sox do. Both these teams would obviously be looking at Alonso, but the loser here could be the team that signs the Japanese slugger. I would go after this guy, but I would go all in with Naylor. I would also offer Pete a4 year deal, with a 5^th year option, but I just know some team (cough Yanks cough) is going to throw silly money at Scott Boras.

My choice:

Naylor for 7-years.

Juan Soto

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6380596/2025/05/25/mets-juan-soto-david-peterson/

Despite subpar overall numbers by his standards, Soto’s underlying data insists his season should look different. Per Baseball Savant, Soto owned the fifth-largest difference in MLB between his slugging percentage (.418) and his expected slugging percentage (.571). That’s largely because he ranks in the top 5 percent for his hard-hit rate and his average exit velocity. Routinely, he smokes balls without a reward.

“I just call it baseball,” Soto said. “It’s gonna happen. Sometimes, you’re going to hit it hard, and you’re going to hit it right in front of people. You’ve got to keep moving forward.”

On Saturday, Soto’s four batted balls ranked in the top 10 of the game’s highest exit velocity readings: 108.3 mph (double), 102.5 mph (fly out), 102.4 mph (fly out), 102.2 mph (single). His double snapped a streak of 11 games without an extra-base hit, which was the second-longest such streak of his career.

“This guy’s been very unlucky,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It was good to see him finally get the results.”

Good timing, too. Among the 92 players who logged at least 50 plate appearances with runners in scoring position heading into Saturday’s slate of games, Soto ranked last in batting average (.119) in that situation.

Juan Soto -  ‘I feel comfortable’

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6378834/2025/05/23/mets-juan-soto-batting-third/

A three-hour-plus flight from St. Louis to Phoenix two weeks ago provided New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza with an opportunity to discuss a batting order change with star Juan Soto.

The Mets had just lost both games of a doubleheader. Their lineup wasn’t looking deep; the bottom half of the batting order wasn’t contributing enough. So Mendoza wanted to float an idea by Soto.

Instead of batting second, what do you think of third?

Soto never asked Mendoza why. Never protested. Never raised an eyebrow or shot an incredulous look.

“Whenever you want to do it,” Soto told Mendoza, per the manager’s recollection, “let’s do it.”

Mendoza informed Soto he had no interest in making the switch in Arizona. At that point, Mendoza simply wanted Soto’s take on the matter.

“I don’t mind,” Soto said in an interview before Friday’s game. “I think I’m already used to it. I don’t mind hitting second or third. I feel comfortable in either spot.”

 

Would the Pirates trade Paul Skenes?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6376646/2025/05/23/pirates-paul-skenes-trade-mlb-notes/

Think about it: What would even be a fair return for Skenes?

In 2022, outfielder Juan Soto was under club control for three pennant races when he and first baseman Josh Bell brought the Washington Nationals a monstrous return from the San Diego Padres: outfielder James Wood, left-hander MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams; outfielder Robert Hassell III, pitcher Jarlin Susana and first baseman Luke Voit.

Skenes is under club control for five pennant races. To justify the move, the Pirates would need to beat the return for Soto, and not by a little. Even if contenders were willing to empty their farm systems for Skenes, as they almost certainly would be, how many would even have enough talent to make a deal happen?

Skenes’ affordability only adds to his value. His current salary is $875,000. He will be pre-arbitration again next season. And even in arbitration, no pitcher outside of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has earned more than $20 million in a single season. Skenes likely would need to win multiple Cy Young Awards to establish new precedents. His surplus value, then, is likely to remain high throughout the process.

Mack – So… what would be your package to the Pirates for Skenes?

Top Bat Speed Decliners (2024 to 2025)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6373938/2025/05/22/fantasy-baseball-2025-player-outlook-bat-speed/

As for his teammates, Francisco Lindor has also been making more contact with less power this year. Even with the bat speed drop, he’s still doing what you paid for, and I expect that to continue.

Top 50 potential MLB free agents for 2025-26 offseason:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6367630/2025/05/21/mlb-free-agents-2025-2026-offseason-kyle-tucker-alex-bregman/

Edwin Díaz, RHP, Mets (opt out)

Age: 31

SV: 10 IP: 18 SO: 26

ERA+: 131

Career WAR: 11.0

Díaz has converted all 10 of his save opportunities this season. He’s averaging 13.0 strikeouts per nine innings and 4.0 walks per nine. He has 235 saves and a 3.00 ERA over his nine-year career. Díaz holds $18.5 million player options for 2026 and 2027, and the Mets have a $20.4 million club option for 2028. If Díaz continues to pitch at a high level this season, I expect him to opt out in November to pursue a longer-term deal. The two-time All-Star remains one of the best closers in the game.

Jim Koenigsberger                         @Jimfrombaseball

"I was 'colored' until I was 14, a Negro until I was 21 and a black man ever since."

Reggie Jackson

"I go back to 1965 with Reggie, but I guess I don't go far enough back to remember when he was shy."

Rick Monday

In the late 1970s, ABC had a "Monday Night  Baseball" with Al Michaels, Howard Cosell and Bob Uecker. Michaels told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that they were doing a game in Houston when Uecker chided Cosell for saying something outrageous.

Cosell responded: "Ueck, you don't have to get so truculent. You do know what truculent means?"

Uecker, without missing a beat, said: "Of  course, Howard. If you had a truck and I borrowed it, it would be a truck you lent."