Mets: Best non-tendered hitters to better the Mets’ World Series odds

Hanser Alberto is the right-handed bench piece the Mets need

Hanser Alberto is an infielder that was non-tendered by the Baltimore Orioles and can help the Mets at not only second base but also third. Yes, the Mets have Jeff McNeil and J.D Davis penciled in at second and third respectively, but Alberto would not be brought in to be the starter at either position if everyone is healthy.

Since Alberto became a starter with the Orioles in 2019, he has hit .299/.322/.413/.735 with 53 extra-base hits and 73 RBIs. At 5’11” Alberto is not the biggest guy and won’t produce much power (.114 ISO), but he has good bat to ball skills shown by his .317 BABIP.

Alberto would provide solid infield depth either at the big-league level or in Triple-A to replenish some of the depth traded away over the last couple of years. Regardless of where Alberto plays, injuries happen, and it is also likely someone like Luis Guillorme regresses a little so it would benefit the Mets to have depth in place to weather the storm in case of injuries or regression.

Additionally, Alberto, if on the major league roster, would provide a much-needed right-handed infield bat off the bench. Currently, the projected infield depth for the Mets consists of Guillorme, Andres Gimenez, and Dom Smith who are all left-handed.

This would be a smart bargain deal by Sandy Alderson. It fills a need at a presumably low price without overpaying for less effective players to fill the same hole. Sometimes the minor moves prove to be more valuable than the bigger moves and this could be one of them.