Mets minor league outfielder Drew Ferguson has caught our attention

As far as young outfielders on the farm go, the New York Mets don’t have very many close to the big leagues. They did pick up Khalil Lee this winter in a trade but he’s likely at least another season away from contributing regularly.

Far lesser known is Drew Ferguson. The 28-year-old minor league Rule 5 Draft pick was picked up off the scrap heap from the Houston Astros over the winter. You may have seen him hit .500 in his 8 spring plate appearances.

Ferguson may, in fact, be a lot more than just a guy with a few good at-bats in camp. Based on his career numbers, Ferguson could be a contributing force to the 2021 Mets.

Where Drew Ferguson could fit into the 2021 Mets plans

Make no mistake; Ferguson isn’t about to steal anyone’s job. He’s not a highly-touted prospect on the verge of having a breakout season. At his age, with zero games of MLB experience under his belt, we can at best expect him to become a late-bloomer with a role to play.

While cruising through the Mets spring training statistics, I stumbled upon just how well he hit albeit in a small sample. I decided to dig a little deeper to see if Ferguson’s performance was a complete fluke or possibly a sign of things to come.

As one of the most MLB-ready outfielders within the system, Ferguson might be on speed dial for a promotion this year—that’s if he can live up to his past numbers.

Drew Ferguson’s minor league statistics

Ferguson has stepped up to the plate a total of 1987 times as a minor leaguer. The results include a .293/.394/.452 batting line, 46 home runs, and 92 stolen bases.

Ferguson last played for the Triple-A Houston affiliate in 2019. While there, he batted .281/.395/.440 with 11 home runs and 27 stolen bases.

These are typical numbers Ferguson has posted throughout his professional career, one that began back in 2015. A 19th round draft pick, he got lost in an Astros organization filled with talent after years of tanking.

Able to steal bases, hit for average, and occasionally go yard, Ferguson is an interesting player to watch this season. His primary position has been in center field which works out well for the Mets even beyond just 2021. If Ferguson turns into a keeper, the Mets may have a speedy fifth outfielder to stash on the bench.

Something we all realize about the Mets this winter is how focused they were on building quality depth. Ferguson is one of those moves that, quite frankly, many of us missed—myself included.

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It took hitting well in spring training for people like me to take notice of Ferguson. At 28, his career isn’t done yet. In the right situation, he could turn into a nice winter steal.