Best Mets center fielder candidates: Ranking five of the most enticing options

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 06: Brandon Nimmo #9 of the New York Mets fields his position against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 06, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

The New York Mets will have no shortage of options to consider this offseason for the starting center field role in 2021.

One of the New York Mets big question marks this offseason is who will be patrolling center field come Opening Day next season. The Mets have not had a true game-changing player in center field since Carlos Beltran departed via trade back in 2011. That also is no disrespect to former center fielder Juan Lagares who more than held his own defensively for the Mets over the better part of five seasons.

When you have sat in front of your television while watching this year’s World Series you may have noticed each team has a true game-changing option patrolling center field. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the reigning National League MVP in Cody Bellinger roaming center, while their opposition in the Tampa Bay Rays has a three-time Gold Glove Award winner Kevin Kiermaier in center field.

If the Mets plan to take that next step into playoff contention next season they have to find a more permanent solution to their center field situation. Championship built teams are constructed up the middle along with great pitching, which are both areas that the Mets will be looking to improve on this offseason. Luckily the Mets will have a plethora of candidates both internally and externally to determine who will be the best fit for the job in 2021.

With that being said, I wanted to look into five of the top candidates that the Mets could explore for their center field void this offseason. These following options are not only internal options that the Mets could consider but also options from outside the organization as well, ranked in descending order of preference for next season.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Amed Rosario #1 of the New York Mets at bat against the Baltimore Orioles at Citi Field on September 08, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

5) Amed Rosario

Amed Rosario is a total wild card option for the Mets in center field if they choose to move in this direction this offseason. There have been rumblings over the past couple of seasons that the Mets front office has wanted to move the 24-year old shortstop to center field at some point. Whether this idea has any merit with a new owner coming into town as well as presumably a new front office, it remains to be seen.

But for argument’s sake, if the Mets’ front office still believes in Rosario’s abilities and potential, this move could become a reality with Andres Gimenez now being considered the Mets shortstop of the future amid his breakout season in 2020. With Gimenez established presence at shortstop, Rosario would probably be considered the Mets’ second-best internal option to patrol center field in 2021.

While there is an inherent risk with putting Rosario in center field with no previous experience, this may be a move that the Mets would consider to save Rosario’s future in New York. Yet it also doesn’t go without saying that the Mets have been one of the worst overall defensive teams in baseball for several seasons now, and playing another member of the organization out of position may be more detrimental defensively than finding another solution for Rosario’s future with the organization.

For what it’s worth Rosario could take this whole offseason to develop the skills needed to play center field and come into Spring Training as a legitimate option for the Mets in the outfield. But for a team that is currently in the win-now mode, this move largely looks like an unnecessary risk worth taking and should be one of the last options to consider this offseason.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 27: Brandon Nimmo #9 of the New York Mets prepares for a pitch during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

4) Brandon Nimmo

Brandon Nimmo mainly patrolled center field for the Mets during the 2020 abbreviated season, with his 43 appearances in center. The 27-year old’s offensive production was never the issue as he hit .280 with eight home runs, 18 RBI’s, and 33 runs scored. Nimmo also had a ridiculous .404 on-base percentage this season, with most of his offensive success coming from the leadoff position this past season.

What leaves more to be desired with Nimmo’s game is his defense in center field. The former first-round pick is a natural corner outfielder and it showed defensively for most of the season. Nimmo’s defensive metrics in center field were rated well below average in 2020 as he was rated as the second-worst defensive center fielder by Statcast.

What isn’t measured by Statcast is the energy that Nimmo brings to the ballpark day in and day out. If the Mets truly believe that Nimmo’s offensive production and energy greatly outweigh his defensive shortcomings, Nimmo could be considered a heavy favorite for center field duties for the Mets in 2021.

However, that doesn’t go without saying that Nimmo would need to benefit from a full offseason of working on his defense in center field as well as receiving as many Spring Training reps as possible in center. If the Mets fully believe in Nimmo as their future center fielder he has to improve defensively to the point where he is at least league average in that aspect, because we all know that his bat and on-base skills are not in question.

While we await the offseason to fully shake out, Nimmo is currently penciled in as the Mets best internal option to roam center field next season.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 29: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins looks on during game one of the Wild Card Series between the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros on September 29, 2020 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /

3) Byron Buxton

Should the Mets not explore any of the previous four options mentioned there is one game-changing player in Minnesota who could be looking for a change of scenery this offseason. He goes by the name of Byron Buxton.

The former second overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft has failed to meet the enormous expectations that have preceded him before making an official Major League at-bat for the Minnesota Twins. For the most part, those expectations have not been met due to Buxton’s injury history, but when he has been on the field he has proven he can be a truly elite option in center field for the Twins.

There also have been some clashes between Buxton and the organization which may have reached a boil after Buxton was inexplicably benched but brought in late as a pinch-runner in game two of the Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros. The Twins also have a glut of outfielders in which they can afford to make Buxton expendable this offseason.

Buxton is a previous Gold Glove Award winner back in 2017 and while he is a career .238 hitter, that doesn’t even begin to explain the amount of untapped potential that Buxton possesses. This past season the 26-year old center fielder hit .254 with 13 home runs with 27 RBI’s in 39 games played. This is the type of change of scenery move that could benefit the Mets in the long run and could give the Mets a young and talented center fielder, as long as he stays healthy, can become one of the top players at his position for years to come.

ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 27: Jackie Bradley Jr. #19 of the Boston Red Sox in action during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 27, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

2) Jackie Bradley Jr.

If the Mets are looking to find an elite defender in center field this offseason they have to look no further than Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. who will be hitting the open market this winter. The 30-year old outfielder is long considered the best defensive center fielder in Red Sox history which is high praise considering the players who have patrolled center field at Fenway Park throughout the history of the historic franchise.

Bradley’s defensive statistics are ridiculous. Since entering the league in 2013, Bradley has only committed 17 errors in 781 career games played in center field. Bradley also ranks third among all active leaders in center field assists with 54. To add a cherry on top of those numbers, among all centerfielders in the history of baseball, JBJ holds the 31st best career fielding percentage at .991.

While Bradley has never been known much for his bat, he did hit .283 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 55 games played for the last-place Red Sox in 2020. While the numbers this season were great, Bradley is a .239 career hitter than contains some pop, as since 2016 Bradley has averaged 17 home runs a season.

This signing could be viewed as sacrificing a bit of offense for defense should the Mets make this move. It can be argued with how stacked the Mets starting lineup and potential bench is, this is a move that the Mets can afford to make to shore up their team’s defense, which is an area they should no longer ignore moving into 2021.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 16: George Springer #4 of the Houston Astros reacts to scoring on a Jose Altuve #27 RBI double during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game Six of the American League Championship Series at PETCO Park on October 16, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

1) George Springer

One of the crown jewels to be had this upcoming offseason is Houston Astros outfielder George Springer who will be hitting the open market in the middle of his prime. There is no question that the Mets should be interested in signing the three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner this offseason as a solution to their center field woes.

All of the Astros sign-stealing controversy aside, Springer is one of the best outfielders in the game and has also been one of the best postseason performers in recent memory during his time in Houston. This past season Springer slashed .265/.359/.540 with 14 home runs and 32 RBI’s in 51 games which is setting him up for a big payday this offseason.

It would be in the Mets’ best interests to make a bid for the 31-year old outfielder this winter as he would not only provide a boost defensively but adding Springer’s offensive production to an already deep Mets starting lineup is tantalizing.

Surely the Mets aren’t going to be the only team in adding Springer to its roster next season, but the Mets may be one of the few teams who have the funds to get it done.

Next. Three Mets trade targets flying under the radar this winter

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Springer should be considered the number one external option to fill the Mets center field position this offseason. The Mets would be adding a truly game-changing option that I had previously mentioned they have lacked at that position for some time now. In an offseason of expected splashes for new owner Steve Cohen, this move could potentially be one of the most valuable that the Mets could make for the present and the future of the organization.

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