NY Mets top trade candidates at the start of the offseason

The New York Mets will make a trade this winter. I know it. You know it. The players on this list do, too.

Back in September, I assembled a list of the four Mets players most likely to get traded this winter. The year is now over and I’ve expanded this list with two times as many names. They are, in my opinion, the eight guys most likely to get shopped around this winter as the team looks to improve their roster.

It’s a sure thing that not all of them will be moved and even surer that someone not on it will get dealt. Stay tuned for a more updated list in the not-too-distant future when we get a better picture as to who the Mets could target this winter.

8) NY Mets trade candidate Edwin Diaz

It took me until late in 2021 to think of Edwin Diaz as a viable trade candidate for the Mets. His blown saves just seemed to grind a little harder as the rest of the team around him faltered as well.

He is my number eight pick on the trade block because of how unlikely it is for the Mets to actually trade him. That’s because the one scenario I see it making sense would require them to get a closer back in return. The options we could expect to be available are less talented, less costly, and some have more years of control left.

Diaz’s future with the Mets is incredibly uncertain. Set to reach free agency after the 2022 campaign, this upcoming year might be his last in Queens.

Many fans have been ready to drive Diaz to the airport for years with some willing to go as far as to use their own credit card points to fly him anywhere else. The front office, however, has shown a lot of trust in him. But for the right price, I don’t think they would hold onto him too tightly.

7) NY Mets trade candidate Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil is a core member of the Mets coming off a down year in 2021. You could replace his name with a couple and that last sentence would still be factual.

It was a rough year for McNeil. He didn’t hit for the same average he had in previous years. His value, both to the Mets and on the trade market, is at an all-time low.

For this reason, he’s not too high on my list. McNeil serves the Mets much better as a below-average player on their bench not making a whole lot of money. His defensive versatility makes him useful even if he’s not a .300 hitter playing every day. Add in the chance that he fixes whatever ailed him in 2021, the Mets have themselves a whole lot of depth moving forward.

In spite of having such a poor year, I would expect teams would have interest in McNeil. Fiscally frugal clubs who value his talents might be willing to even pay a price closer to what he was worth in previous years.

The odds of trading McNeil remain slim. The team seemed to still find ways to get him into the lineup late in 2021, instead resting a few others on this list in favor of him. This shows me they may like him a little more than they did in early September.

6) NY Mets trade candidate Robert Gsellman

The value isn’t quite there for Robert Gsellman compared to some other people on this list. A swingman who can start (poorly) and pitching in relief (inconsistently), he can serve a purpose on the 2022 team in what will be his final year before hitting free agency.

However, shopping him around could also benefit the Mets if they’re interested in moving on or possibly adding a little something else to the organization. Gsellman is good enough to at least give the Mets some Triple-A depth at a position of need.

Arguing against my own argument, what depth is more important for the Mets than pitching? Because he can go multiple innings, Gsellman is an emergency starter they could turn to even if he’s primarily used out of the bullpen.

I think a lot of Gsellman’s future could rely on whether or not they decide to keep Trevor Williams. He has been used more often as a starter in his major league career. It’s possible both remain with the organization. After this year, we know how important it is to hold onto any level of quality pitching possible.

Gsellman probably won’t remain with the Mets past his free agency arrival. Trading him now, even for a prospect, could make some sense for New York.

5) NY Mets trade candidate Luis Guillorme

There is absolutely no need to trade Luis Guillorme. He is, in fact, quite possibly the best utility infielder you can ask for. His ability to move around the diamond and play the non-first base positions with great skill makes him a wonderful part of any roster.

So why put him on this list?

The Mets didn’t use Guillorme much at all in 2021 even when he was healthy. Starts in September were impossible for him to find. Is it that the team preferred their regulars or is it that they just don’t need to find out what Guillorme can offer them?

Guillorme has now had two good offensive seasons. Even though they’re about as light-hitting as you can imagine, he showcased unique abilities beyond just his glove. Guillorme doesn’t strike out often and he is brilliant at working a pitcher. He’s not someone we should ever expect to become a starter in Major League Baseball, but he could definitely have a larger role somewhere than he has with the Mets.

Any trade involving Guillorme might be to add someone of equal abilities who can play the outfield. I would still categorize a deal involving Guillorme as unlikely, but it’s logical. Perhaps a package deal would be the type of transaction that makes the most sense.

3) NY Mets trade candidate David Peterson

A lot of what was said about Megill could be said about another pitcher we saw take the mound this year, David Peterson. The difference is Peterson has the 2020 season on his resume as a favorable year. Also a bit older than many “young” pitchers, Peterson’s future with the Mets is somewhat questionable.

Peterson came into spring riding high off of a successful stint with the club in the shortened 2020 campaign. Unfortunately, an injury cut his season short and he wasn’t able to redeem himself after a poor start. The team essentially has to start all over with him again.

Having Peterson in next year’s Opening Day rotation doesn’t feel like an improvement. While not someone we should dismiss entirely, he should be an intriguing trade piece for the Mets to shop around to add better players.

Peterson’s trade value works in the Mets’ favor because of the pre-arbitration status he is in. A team looking for a cheap starting pitcher would be willing to take a chance on him. He is a first-round pick after all and for several seasons was one of the more highly-regarded Mets pitching prospects.

Lefties are always a sought-after commodity on the trade market. If interested, shopping Peterson around to the other 29 teams could be in the winter plans.

2) NY Mets trade candidate Dominic Smith

We’ve crossed from the “unlikely but maybe” to the “possible” and now to the “almost, very likely” group of Mets trade candidates. We find this one in left field. Dominic Smith, once a prized prospect in the club’s system, has seen his stock rise and fall very quickly in the last few years.

Smith struggled early on in his Mets career but seemed like a whole new player and person in 2019. In a part-time role, he excelled.

The next season, now with left field as his, Smith put together the kind of year everyone had hoped for. He was terrific at the plate with some room to grow in the outfield. No matter. Anyone who can hit like that can have some hiccups with the glove.

Unfortunately, things have turned for Smith. He was extremely unproductive in 2021 to the point where starting games in left field down the stretch were impossible to find. Instead, the team preferred to put Kevin Pillar out there even when the games lost meaning in the standings.

Smith has been on the trade block before. Previously because he was blocked by Pete Alonso at his natural position of first base, the case to trade Smith is back to a lack of ability.

With his stock now low again, it’s tough to imagine the Mets get much value in return for Smith. First basemen are easy to find around the league. The best the Mets might be able to hope for is that Smith is included in a package or possibly another ill-fitting player with youth on his side.

1) NY Mets trade candidate J.D. Davis

The most tradable of players on the Mets roster is J.D. Davis. It’s hands-down. From the moment he arrived in New York, it seemed like he fit in poorly with what the team needed on the defensive side of things.

Much like Smith, Davis produced well enough at the plate to look the other way. Nonetheless, he was a trade candidate after his breakthrough 2019 season and again last winter. Never able to earn enough faith at any one single position, Davis has bounced around between third base and left field. The team’s interest in improving their defense has turned him into a bit of a black sheep. He started far fewer games when healthy this past season and probably won’t start another for the Mets.

The issue with Davis is that he’s probably limited to a DH role. How many teams, even if the National League adopts the DH, want a guy so limited with a glove and some questionable offensive numbers?

The Mets’ chance to sell Davis high came right after 2019. However, it didn’t quite make sense when it appeared he could hit .300+ with 25+ home runs if given a full-time role.

Davis was still a good hitter at times in 2021. Ultimately, his biggest flaw was his romance with the IL. Davis missed significant time. Whenever he did get back onto the field, he would go hot or cold to extremes.

Those nights of calling 877-RUNS-NOW are over for Davis—at least in a Mets uniform.

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Who else do you think the Mets could trade this winter and what would you expect to get in return?