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Mets: Five best international free agents the front office should consider

By Adrian Cervantes

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 08: A detailed view of the Franklin batting gloves worn by Juan Lagares #12 of the New York Mets during a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium on March 8, 2016 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 08: A detailed view of the Franklin batting gloves worn by Juan Lagares #12 of the New York Mets during a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium on March 8, 2016 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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TOKYO, JAPAN – MARCH 08: Outfielder Yoelkis Cespedes #16 of Cuba hits a RBI single to make it 0-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning during the World Baseball Classic Pool B Game Two between China and Cuba at Tokyo Dome on March 8, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images) /

1) Yoelqui Cespedes – Outfielder, Cuba

I recently wrote a piece on how the Mets farm system could benefit from the addition of Yoelqui Cespedes this offseason. The younger half-brother of Yoenis Cespedes is eligible to sign on January 15th when the 2020-2021 international signing period opens up. In order to sign Cespedes, the Mets would need to pull from their allotted international bonus pool of $5,348,100.

While no teams have currently been openly connected to the 23-year old outfielder yet, the Mets will certainly have the funds to make a serious offer for Cespedes. As of right now, the organization isn’t considered favorites to sign many of the other big international free agents that already have some sort of verbal deal in place with other clubs, which provides them with some flexibility to be a suitor for Cespedes and even possibly Oscar Colas.

The Mets could surely use a toolsy corner outfielder in the upper echelon of their minor league system after losing Jarred Kelenic via trade a couple of offseasons ago. The Mets don’t have a position player in their pipeline that could make a significant Major League impact within the next year or two and Cespedes could fill that role, while also deepening the Mets system as a whole.

For reference in terms of what the potential cost would be to acquire Cespedes talents this winter, you could comparably look at another similar Cuban international signee in Pedro Leon, who is slotted to sign with the Houston Astros on January 15th at around $4 million. The 21-year old Leon is also a highly regarded Cuban outfielder that has an equally high ceiling.

Famished Mets farm system could utilize Yoelqui Cespedes. Next

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Wouldn’t it be a sight to see to watch another member of the Cespedes bloodline roaming the pastures of Citi Field?

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