Mets lack of outfield prospects near MLB-ready is quite alarming

The New York Mets farm system has an alarming lack of highly rated outfielders expected to have an impact in the big leagues one day.

Over the last few years, we have seen a number of New York Mets prospects graduate to the big leagues and find their way into the core of this franchise. In 2015 alone, we witnessed the debuts of Noah Syndergaard, Michael Conforto, and Steven Matz.

In the years since, the pipeline has added more key pieces. Up and down the order, there are Mets who have made their way up the minor league rankings and onto the roster in Flushing.

The team doesn’t boast nearly the same fantastic farm system it did prior to the 2015 season when the organization was in a rebuild. With some still promising youngsters hopeful they can have an impact on future Mets clubs, it’s nothing to panic about except in one area: the outfield.

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According to MLB.com’s prospect rankings, the Mets only have three outfielders in the organization’s top 30. Alexander Ramirez and Freddy Valdez are the two listed solely as outfielders. Endy Rodriguez is a catcher we can possibly expect to shift to a spot much kinder to his knees.

These prospects rank 16, 17, and 18th for the organization. All are entering 2020 as teenagers with none projected to make the big leagues until at least 2023.

By 2023, the Mets outfield could look very different. Conforto is a free agent after 2021. Nimmo reaches it one year earlier.

The only good news related to this is that outfielders are plentiful and the team can always look to add some via trade or free agency as needed. Still, it’s always important to have younger players at a variety of positions knocking on the door.

While reviewing the farm system’s top 30, we see an abundance of pitchers. This isn’t uncommon. At least half will probably flame out before reaching the big leagues. Another half that actually makes it there will find themselves pitching minimally in a relief role.

An area where the Mets look pretty secure at on the farm is on the left side of the infield. At both shortstop and third base, they have options.

In the top 10 alone, they have shortstops Ronny Mauricio (1) and Andres Gimenez (3). It will also be an interesting battle between third base prospects Bretty Baty (4) and Mark Vientos (6) for the next few seasons. Vientos has a head start on Baty, however, each is projected for MLB in 2022.

Although it’s a little lopsided right not defensively, there’s always an opportunity for at least one player to convert from an infielder to an outfielder.

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The Mets may not even have a choice about doing this—instead having to decide who it is they teach a new position to and not if it happens.