If Mets were trade deadline buyers they could acquire the relievers they need

Even with an average at best farm system, the New York Mets have enough to acquire what they need at this year’s trade deadline: quality relief pitchers. Recent team history shows how they can afford the price.

I figured with the lack of elite-level talent in the New York Mets farm system they might have a tough time acquiring any decent talent at this year’s trade deadline. With few exceptions, they don’t have any prospects I think teams would greatly desire in a trade.

To see if it was at all possible to get good major leaguers this July, I decided to dig a little deeper into the recent past. And before we begin, I acknowledge the current state of the team and the possibility they are selling instead of buying. Things can always swing in the opposite direction in the next few weeks. Let’s have fun.

My digging brought me to Minor League Ball where I found a list of the top 20 Mets prospects for 2015, published in late 2014. On it are some familiar names. Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are at number one and two respectively. At number three, the predictions begin to fail with Dilson Herrera slotted in as the top position player.

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Throughout the top ten, there are hits and misses of players who at one point or another suited up for the big league Mets. Kevin Plawecki and Rafael Montero are there, but so are Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo.

Prospects guarantee nothing and no list is perfect. What this does give is a little insight into whether the Mets do have a talented enough minor league system to bring back some help to assist them in making a run in 2019.

Back in 2015, the Mets made several big summer moves to acquire talent. Nobody from the top 10 on this list was dealt. Amazingly enough, the two players the Mets traded to the Detroit Tigers for Yoenis Cespedes, Luis Cessa and Michael Fulmer, didn’t even crack this list other than the latter receiving a brief mention as a Grade C performer.

The Mets would need more than one trade to improve the current roster. With improving the bullpen as a priority, I see a real shot at them actually being able to pull this off successfully—at least based on their own history.

Tyler Clippard and Addison Reed were a pair of veteran relievers brought to Flushing back in 2015. It didn’t take top minor league prospects to land them either. Clippard’s price tag, as a pending free agent, cost them their number 20 prospect, Casey Meisner. To land Reed, the Mets gave up Matt Koch and Miller Diaz. Neither of them made it on Minor League Ball’s Top 20.

In the seasons since 2015, relief pitching has been a major part of the trade deadline. We saw it with the Mets in the selling years of 2017 and 2018. Reed was traded to the Boston Red Sox for three prospects. Last year, the Mets received two prospects and international bonus slot money for Jeurys Familia ahead of his walk-year.

None of the minor league players involved in these deals were notable chips. It’s not going to take Anthony Kay or Andres Gimenez to get what the 2019 Mets need. A package centering on a 15-20th rated prospect should be plenty.

The biggest hurdle is outbidding other teams for this relief help. The second Wild Card, while keeping more teams alive for longer, also eliminates many teams from selling at the trade deadline. Fortunately, the American League is top-heavy with only a small number of ball clubs with serious playoff aspirations.

I understand this only accounts for the moves made by the Mets and doesn’t look at the price of other relievers team by other organizations. For instance, the New York Yankees managed to land Clint Frazier in the 2016 trade for Andrew Miller. Maybe more impressive, they received Gleyber Torres when they sent Aroldis Chapman to the Chicago Cubs. Those two overpayments for elite-level relievers are rare although I’m sure a few more will look similar as the prospects develop.

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The Clippards and Reeds of 2019 are the ones the Mets must add this summer. As they did before, they will need to pay the price. Luckily, it seems they have the prospect cash to pay for it. It’s just a matter of finding the right aisle to shop in and get to it before everyone else. If they’re going to make a move, I recommend lining up outside right now.