Gabriel Arias’ DFA by the NY Mets sends a third reminder about top 100 prospect lists

To make room for Christopher Morel on the roster, the New York Mets have chosen to DFA Gabriel Arias after only 2 games. Only one start at first base no less and an error in his 4 innings at shortstop, Arias might not be that random waiver claim who finally answers a Mets depth question.

Upon the addition of Arias, it looked like the Mets were going to provide him with rope to answer a constant roster need. David Stearns has tried annually to find a versatile, gifted defender to plug in all over the field. Arias, unless he passes through waivers and decides to take his minor league assignment with the Mets, won’t be the successful version of Zack Short, Joey Wendle, or Vidal Brujan.

Hitless in all 5 plate appearances after a .669 OPS performance with the Cleveland Guardians in a larger sample size, Arias heads to the waiver wire as a reminder of how quickly a top 100 prospect can fall.

Gabriel Arias is another reminder to not get too caught up in any Mets prospect rankings

Arias was a top 100 prospect on each of the four big lists heading into 2022. At his highest, Baseball Prospectus had him at 57th. He turned out to be a Four-A type of player whose .806 OPS in just over 1,000 plate appearances in Triple-A tells us there is a clear ceiling. Just a .632 OPS in the major leagues, all but 5 of his plate appearances with the Cleveland Guardians, it’s another reminder about how no matter where Mets prospects rank, you never know.

Just a single top 100 prospect currently on most lists, Jefferson Rojas, doesn’t even rank as high as Arias did pre-2022 according to MLB Pipeline. Arias was 73rd with Rojas now at 76th. The comparison is a storm cloud over the acquisition of a significant prospect at the trade deadline, but also the reality.

Arias is the third top 100 prospect from pre-2022 that the Mets have DFA’d this season. MJ Melendez and Vidal Brujan are the other pair. There’s a good chance we see them non-tender or trade Ronny Mauricio for very little this offseason. Brett Baty, who ranked 27th on the list, is a part-time player at best. Melendez and Brujan managed to remain with the Mets in the minor leagues, playing out the remainder of 2026 as bodies to have in case of injury. Even then, each is a “been there, done that” player.

Placement as a top 100 prospect is irrelevant to the baseball gods who have plagues of injuries and low ceilings for even the best minor league players ready. A worthwhile gamble by the Mets, they seem to prefer the “what if” Morel can provide them.

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