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Mets won’t rush Rosario, Smith to the majors

By Emmanuel Pepis
Mar 10, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; New York Mets shortstop Amed Rosario (61) throws to first for the out in the fifth inning of a baseball game during spring training at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2017; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; New York Mets shortstop Amed Rosario (61) throws to first for the out in the fifth inning of a baseball game during spring training at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /
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Despite an 8-11 start, the Mets are holding true to protecting and developing their two star prospects as more fans clamor for call-ups.

While the New York Mets have been scuffling over the past week, their two prized prospects are feasting in Las Vegas. Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith are both in the top ten in the Pacific Coast League in hits. Rosario sports a healthy .403 batting average while Smith is hitting at a .338 clip entering the week.

There are currently no plans to call up either to the majors though even with all the injuries permeating. Lucas Duda and Wilmer Flores are already out of action for the moment. Asdrubal Cabrera is playing on a sore hamstring that gave him trouble during the first inning of the Mets’ 6-3 loss to Washington on Sunday night.

It’s nice to think that Rosario and Smith are ready for the call now, but it’s probably not a wise decision. A lot of emphasis has been put on protecting players in this organization. It rang true for the starting pitchers who came off surgery last year and it’s ringing true for their top prospects. While it’s tempting to look at the numbers, you don’t want to run the risk of calling up one or both too soon.

Realistically, if either has the better chance of getting called up it may be Smith. The Mets are very thin at first base and right now have two options who are not natural first basemen — Jay Bruce and the recently recalled T.J. Rivera.

By contrast, the Mets have more options on the left side of the infield. Another call-up option would be Matt Reynolds who just returned to the Las Vegas lineup. Reynolds played 47 games for the Mets last season. This all hinges on if Cabrera’s hamstring issue worsens over the next few days.

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The season isn’t 20 games old yet for the Mets, but there’s a sense of urgency after having just been swept by the Nationals and dropping to fourth in the NL East. However, it shouldn’t run counter to the bright future the Mets could have in Rosario and Smith.

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