Former top NY Mets prospects are now two of MLB’s best role players in free agency

Once upon a time, Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith were the next great hope for the New York Mets. Rosario once set the record for the largest signing bonus given to an international free agent by the club back in 2012, and by 2017, he was the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball.

That same year, Smith hit No. 63 on the MLB Top 100 and was the Mets' second most valuable farmhand, behind Rosario. Fans had visions of the pair anchoring the infield for years to come.

There were flashes. 2019 stands out as the high-water mark for both, with Rosario hitting 15 homers with a .755 OPS and Smith slashing .282/.355/.525 in part-time duty, but quickly both would fizzle. Rosario was done in New York after the 2020 season, with a career .268/.302/.403 line as a Met. Smith hung on through 2022, though he really only got regular work in 2021, and finished his time in Queens with a .246/.308/.424 ledger.

While you might remember them as busts, they've both found roles in the bigs and enter the winter as two of the most highly sought-after role players in free agency.

Former Mets top prospects Ahmed Rosario and Dominic Smith will draw heavy free-agent interest

Neither became a star at their other stops around the league, but while they didn't work out in New York, both players enter the free-agent market with skillsets that will make them highly coveted.

Rosario is no longer the jackrabbit-quick shortstop that he was in his younger days, but he's found his hit tool since leaving the Big Apple, hitting .276 or better every year but one since he left.

What has truly made Rosario an invaluable asset is his ability to mash left-handed pitching. For his career, the soon-to-be 30-year-old owns a .298/.336/.464 line against southpaws while playing second base, the hot corner, and both corner outfield spots. In a pinch, he could still log some innings at short, but that's no longer his bread and butter.

As for Smith, it took longer for the lefty-swinging first baseman and occasional outfielder to land on his feet. He didn't really hit his stride until the San Francisco Giants plucked him from the scrapheap in early June of 2025.

Smith hit .284/.333/.417 out by the Bay, but it's his ability to handle righties that makes him stand out. In 2025, he hit .296 against right-handed pitchers. In addition to some positional versatility, he stands out as a nice bench option or a platoon bat.

Obviously, these aren't the archetypes that get paid big bucks in free agency, but good teams need players like what Rosario and Smith have turned into. Their skillsets become even more pronounced in October when every tiny advantage really counts.

As a result, expect multiple contenders to be sniffing around the two this offseason. Their careers have rebounded now to the point where they both have real value, and more importantly, they serve as a reminder to have realistic expectations even when it comes to the most heralded of prospects. We all want to see stars, but role players matter, too, and if that's the ultimate outcome, it'd be unfair to call a guy who fits the bill like these two an outright bust.