Steven Matz signing might’ve gifted the NY Mets with OF depth option

Steven Matz was never a practical choice to come back to the New York Mets this offseason. What might make some sense is for the Mets to snatch the player who lost his roster spot as a result of the Matz signing.

Matz will pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays next season. To clear room, the Rays DFA’d a 25-year-old outfielder named Tristan Peters. The 25-year-old lefty was 0 for 12 with 7 strikeouts in his abbreviated MLB debut last year. But in Triple-A, he put together a strong .266/.355/.429 slash line with 15 home runs and 76 RBI. Experienced at all three outfield positions, he wouldn’t be a bad outfield grab for the Mets to snatch off the waiver wire–if he falls far enough.

Why Peters above others? David Stearns knows all about him.

Tristan Peters is a former David Stearns draft pick the Mets could use on the depth chart

Drafted in 2021 by the Milwaukee Brewers, he didn’t even get a full year with the organization. Stearns traded him to the San Francisco Giants the following summer for reliever Trevor Rosenthal. Rosenthal tossed only 2 innings in 3 games in Triple-A with the Brewers after the deal.

It hasn’t turned into a disastrous deal for the Brewers just yet with Peters yet to have a major league hit. Stearns has familiarity with him and in the team’s pursuit of additional outfield depth, we can see where the connection is.

Who would Peters actually replace? If he was to come as a waiver claim, he’d go onto the 40-man roster. Peters is a younger and more defensively useful player than Jared Young. There’s no reason why Ji Hwan Bae needs to sit on the 40-man roster either. Take the left-handed hitting outfielder in his mid-20s over the utility man who has failed in multiple big league opportunities.

The Mets need some sort of outfield addition of a larger magnitude with room for a smaller addition, too. Peters is more of minor league depth than anything else. Already logging more extensive Triple-A experience than Carson Benge and Nick Morabito, he could be an early option for the team to play a little bit of center field or left field, the latter of which should be considered completely vacant at the moment.

Stearns has shown a regular desire to re-add players he had with the Brewers in the past even on the level as low as Pablo Reyes. Does he seize an opportunity to snatch another, maybe even at the cost of some cash?