NY Mets: 3 players we can “thank” Brodie Van Wagenen for in 2021

Miguel Castro turned out to be an effective reliever for the Mets

When the Mets picked up Miguel Castro at the 2020 trade deadline there wasn’t much thought about him becoming an impact player. He was one of several moves the team made that had people scratching their heads. Because it cost them pitching prospect Kevin Smith in the process, there was a lot of thought that maybe this would turn into a bust of a move.

The Mets ended up tendering Castro a contract after 2020. His performance was mediocre in that short stretch. Someone saw a more promising future ahead.

In 2021, the Mets have used Castro a ton. His role has been primarily to bridge the gap between the starters and the setup men. To my amazement, he has actually done it incredibly well.

Castro isn’t going to suddenly develop into an elite reliever. His role with the Mets this year is actually exactly where he should be. He can eat innings, get big outs, and do it without self-destructing on the mound. He has actually turned out to be one of the most pleasant of surprises this year. Without him, I’m not sure we would have ever looked at the Mets bullpen as complete—a thought I think many of us had earlier on in the year.

Castro should return to the Mets again next year in the same exact spot. At only 26-years-old, Castro could stick around even longer.