New York Mets: Five best center fielders of all-time in franchise history

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets makes a running catch in centerfield against the Atlanta Braves September 6, 2006 during the second game of their doubleheader at Shea Stadium in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets makes a running catch in centerfield against the Atlanta Braves September 6, 2006 during the second game of their doubleheader at Shea Stadium in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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FLUSHING, NY – OCTOBER 16, 1969: Outfielder Tommie Agee #20 of the New York Mets watches a ball go into foul territory during Game 5 of the World Series on October 16, 1969 against the Baltimore Orioles at Shea Stadium in New York, New York. The Orioles’ catcher is Andy Etchebarren #8 and the home plate umpire is Lou DiMuro. (Photo by: Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

3) Tommie Agee

Next up on the list of top Mets center fielders, we have Tommie Agee. Although Agee’s career was a bit short, as he only played in twelve seasons with five of them being with the Mets, he made the most of it.

In the five seasons Agee was in Flushing, he had a huge role on the team. He was part of the 1969 World Series Championship team where he finished sixth in MVP voting. In Agee’s five seasons with the Mets, he appeared in 591 games in center field and slashed .262/.329/.419/.748 with 82 runs, 265 RBI, and 167 stolen bases in 661 total games.

Despite finishing sixth in MVP voting in 1969, his best season was the following one in 1970. In 1970 Agee hit .286/.344/.469/.812 with 24 home runs, 75 RBI, 31 stolen bases, 107 runs scored, and a 5.4 WAR in 153 games while finishing 19th in MVP voting and winning a gold glove.

Agee’s defense was fantastic while manning down center field for the Mets. In addition to the gold glove award he won, his total zone fielding runs above average in his five seasons at center field was 20. His best season was when he won the gold glove and had plus thirteen.

In the 1969 postseason, Agee came through in the clutch. In the NLCS he .357/.438/.857/1.295 with 2 home runs, 4 RBI, and 4 runs scored in only 3 games played. In the World Series, he hit a home run and made two incredible catches in one game to save multiple runs which led to a Mets win.

Agee’s time with the Mets was no doubt Amazin. In his somewhat limited time, he put up fantastic numbers and was a huge part of the 1969 World Series Championship team. As a result of his great years in New York, Agee finds himself as the third-best center fielder in Mets franchise history.

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