3 NY Mets players we’d rather see replace Jorge Polanco on the roster than Eric Wagaman

Jorge Polanco has been just one of the many disappointing aspects of this New York Mets season. Largely limited by injury, he made a total of just 145 plate appearances for the team and hit to a dismal 21 wRC+. His -1.4 fWAR for the season is tied with Salvador Perez and Noelvi Marte for the lowest out of any player with more than 140 plate appearances.

His ineffectiveness adds a silver lining to the recent news that he'd be undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. To take his spot on the roster, the Mets recalled Eric Wagaman for the third time this year but he's hardly a compelling addition. In fact, here are three players with more upside that'd probably add more long-term value with some big league experience in an otherwise lost season.

OF Jose Ramos

Ramos signed a minor league deal after spending six years in the Dodgers system without a clear future. He didn't make the greatest first impression and posted a lukewarm 99 wRC+ across 387 Double-A plate appearances. However, since being promoted to Triple-A at the start of August, he has been on an offensive tear, posting a 148 wRC+ in his first 11 games.

While with Double-A Binghamton, Ramos had trouble making contact with whiff and zone contact rates in the bottom quartile of hitters at the level. Although the sample is much smaller in Triple-A, Ramos is whiffing less while barreling the ball at a 15.4% rate. It's not much but the 25-year-old could be an example of someone who plays up to his competition. He has never gotten a chance at the majors and perhaps that's what he needs to be his best self.

OF Nick Morabito (No. 13 prospect)

Morabito was briefly called up in May but didn't do much of anything, striking out nine times in 11 at-bats and getting on base once thanks to a hit by pitch before getting caught stealing second. It's clear that he wasn't quite ready but perhaps more time in Triple-A has helped him get to where he needs to be.

After getting optioned, he enjoyed two months of moderate success at the plate, hitting to a 107 wRC+ with a notable .376 on-base percentage thanks to a walk rate of 12.4%. He also stole 19 bases over that stretch, making the most out of his 70-grade speed. This surge arguably should've earned him a call-up a few weeks ago but as they say, better late than never.

August has been a cold stretch for him offensively but luckily, he wouldn't be called up with the expectations of taking this team to the playoffs. Instead, as a potential future piece of the Mets' outfield, giving Morabito looks at the highest level of baseball could accelerate his development while giving fans and the front office a closer look at what he'd be capable of in the majors.

INF Ronny Mauricio

Mauricio is neither a stranger to the big leagues nor to the Mets, appearing on the roster in three seasons and accumulating a total of 342 plate appearances. This year, he's had one of his best years in Triple-A, hitting to a 120 wRC+ over 199 plate appearances with a whopping .574 slugging percentage thanks to his 15 home runs.

This has given him some of the best quality of contact numbers in Triple-A including an average exit velocity of 90.6 mph and a barrel rate of 13.5%. He's one of the most aggressive hitters in the box, boasting a swing rate of 57.4% which has allowed him to do plenty of damage at the cost of a 5.0% walk rate. Fortunately, his bat-to-ball skills are good enough to keep his strikeout rate relatively low at just 19.0%.

He has been in the organization since 2018 so it can be easy to forget that he's still just 25 years old and is far from past his prime. The Mets infield is in dire need of new blood and fresh faces, especially if the organization wants to return to playoff contention. Ronny Mauricio won't be able to take them to October single-handedly but he could at least be a step in the right direction.

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