The New York Mets were quite active this offseason. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns added 16 new players to the Mets' 40-man roster before the start of spring training games. Some included low-cost depth moves, while others were the largest sports contract anyone has ever seen (and that's not an exaggeration). So, going by each new addition, how did the Mets deal with their new players?
1B Pete Alonso
Pete Alonso's 2024 season was a down year by his lofty standards. He turned in a .789 OPS, .340 wOBA, and 122 wRC+ with only 34 home runs. While this was a career-low home run total for the slugger, 34 home runs still placed him with the 12th most. It took a while for Alonso to re-sign, but eventually, the Mets and the slugger agreed on a two-year contract worth $54 million. The Mets aren't taking a huge risk, given it's a short-term contract.
Final Grade: A
1B/OF Jared Young
The Mets signed Jared Young to a major league deal in December. Young appeared in the big leagues in 2022 and 2023 with the Chicago Cubs, only playing in 22 games. He was then selected off waivers from the Cubs by the St. Louis Cardinals last offseason. Although Young had a .917 OPS and 142 wRC+ for the Cardinals Triple-A team through 286 trips to the plate, the utility man was ultimately released and signed with the KBO's Doosan Bears. He continued to produce at a high level with a 1.080 OPS and 172 wRC+ in 169 plate appearances. Although Young does not have a good path to playing time in the Majors, the Mets aren't risking anything either, and Young could at least serve as a solid depth option.
Final grade: C