5 NY Mets players most likely to be traded at this year’s Winter Meetings

The MLB Winter Meetings will pick up any slack the offseason is experiencing. Taking place next week, it’ll be the closest thing to the July trade deadline we get to follow. While there is no actual deadline in place, it’s a period where free agents sign, trades are made, and rumors flourish. David Stearns will get to add to the New York Mets roster. He’ll also have a chance to subtract.

There is no guarantee of a major deal taking place. However, if the Mets do make a trade, expect some of these names to see themselves involved.

1) Brett Baty

The time to capitalize on a Brett Baty trade has long passed. In two consecutive years, Baty failed to make his mark in the majors and was sent to the minors. The difference between the 2023 occurrence of this and 2024 is that last year Mark Vientos lapped him as the third base solution.

Vientos is no certainty to play third base again next season. The thought of having him play first base or even DH exists. Nevertheless, trading Baty now before all value is gone makes sense for a Mets ball club with no real need for him any longer.

Through 602 trips to the plate in 169 games, Baty has hit .215/.282/.325. The production did tick up a bit this past year versus what he did with his first shot in 2023. It did include about half as many chances to prove he belongs in the big leagues. His defense was competent. His bat, with only 3 doubles and 4 home runs in 171 chances, was well below where the Mets needed it to be.

With one minor league option left, the Mets are at an impasse. He didn’t even perform all that well while in Triple-A, slashing .252/.349/.504 in his 269 plate appearances for Syracuse. Although it came with 16 home runs, the totals didn’t drop jaws like they had in the past.

The Mets would be selling low on Baty if they did trade him. The alternative of seeing him non-tendered or DFA’d is far worse.