Thursday, June 12

Welcome back to the Mets Beat newsletter! Anthony DiComo has covered the Mets for MLB.com since 2007, including the past 16 seasons full-time on the beat. This is the final installment of a five-part Around the Horn series detailing the Mets’ roster heading into 2025. Next up: Outfielders. 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The Mets, you may have heard, did some work on their outfield this winter. The addition of a 26-year-old, four-time All-Star and -- if all goes well for the next decade and a half -- future Hall of Famer in Juan Soto has transformed this group. It’s now one of the more enviable units in the National League.

That’s not to say this outfield is without questions, particularly on the defensive side of things. But if the Mets play up to their capabilities, they have the offensive firepower to make up for a lot of sins.

On the 40-man roster: José Azocar, Alexander Canario, Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo, Jose Siri, Juan Soto, Tyrone Taylor, Jesse Winker

Notable departures: Harrison Bader

Top 30 prospects: Jett Williams (No. 2), Carson Benge (No. 3), Ryan Clifford (No. 4), Drew Gilbert (No. 11), Nick Morabito (No. 18), Jacob Reimer (No. 21), Eli Serrano III (No. 23), Edward Lantigua (No. 25), A.J. Ewing (No. 28)

Non-roster invitees: None remaining in camp

The starters: If everyone is healthy, the Mets’ strongest alignment is with Nimmo in left field, Soto in right and the combination of Taylor and Siri splitting time in center. But Nimmo has battled right knee soreness for much of camp, which could limit him in the early going. Marte is on even shakier ground physically, potentially resulting in either Taylor or Winker playing left field on occasion. While Taylor is the better and more experienced defender, Winker has been working regularly in left and could start there as well.

Of course, the headliner here is Soto, who has enjoyed one of the loudest springs of any player in baseball. The Mets are banking on him having a Hall of Fame-caliber season.

The backups: The big question here is how much Marte and Winker will play defensively. Assuming everyone is healthy, those two are slated for something approximating a DH platoon. But Marte has been dealing with balky knees since last summer, while Winker has increasingly morphed into a full-time DH. Neither player grades well defensively at this point in their career, though the Mets remain hopeful both can contribute. There will also be nights when Taylor and Siri, the team’s two best outfield defenders, both play.

Finally, Jeff McNeil remains an option, but he’ll miss Opening day -- and a chunk of the regular season -- rehabbing a right oblique strain. Once healthy, McNeil is likely to see more reps at second base, anyway.

Any competition?

If Nimmo is at full strength, not really. While Taylor and Siri will jockey for playing time all season, the Mets are likely to give both of them regular reps regardless of the hot hand. Marte could also cut into Winker’s playing time if he proves reliable. And if anyone goes down, Canario will be ready for an opportunity … assuming the Mets aren’t forced to designate him for assignment at the end of spring. He doesn’t have any Minor League options remaining.

What about the future?

The corners appear set for a long time to come, with Soto under contract for 15 more seasons and Nimmo for six. Even Taylor has another year of team control after this one.

By the time the Mets have an outfield need, many of their premium prospects should be ready to contribute. Right now, Williams is splitting time between center field and shortstop. He could end up as the Mets’ long-term second baseman, but his versatility is precisely the sort of thing the organization values. It’s possible he plays multiple positions at the highest level.

Clifford and Reimer are excellent offensive prospects with defensive shortcomings who could eventually shift full-time to corner infield spots. Benge was the Mets’ first-round Draft pick last year, while Gilbert was one of their prized acquisitions at the 2023 Trade Deadline. While it’s not yet clear who might emerge from this promising young group of outfielders, team officials are hopeful they’ll find future stars within it.

Twenty-eight players have appeared in at least 300 games in the outfield for the Mets. Which of them has the highest career batting average with the team?

A. Carlos Beltrán

B. Endy Chávez

C. Lenny Dykstra

D. Steve Henderson

The Mets will break camp on Monday after their final Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. They have four home games remaining at Clover Park, all in a row:

• Friday vs. Cardinals

• Saturday vs. Nationals

• Sunday vs. Marlins

• Monday vs. Yankees

Tickets for all four, including the spring Subway Series preview, are available here.

• One of my favorite stories of spring is this one on Hayden Senger, a longtime organizational catcher who has spent the past two offseasons working at Whole Foods to make ends meet. Now, he stands a realistic chance to win a job on the Mets’ Opening Day roster.

• Didn’t see this one coming. The Mets’ Opening Day starter is … (drumroll) … Clay Holmes, a converted reliever who will be making his first start in seven years.

• The Mets’ Spring Breakout game -- Major League Baseball’s annual prospect showcase -- took place on Sunday evening. Among the participants was Ryan Lambert, a 2024 Draft pick who throws in the triple digits and could arrive in the big leagues as soon as this season. Read more about him and other prospects who played in Spring Breakout.

B. Endy Chávez

In three seasons as a Mets outfielder, Chávez hit .288 to best Henderson by a percentage point. Of course, Chávez is slightly better known for a different accomplishment.

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