Six years in the New York Mets farm system and parts of three in Triple-A, Carlos Cortes failed to ever make the final ascent to the major leagues. A well-rounded hitter who batted just under .250 in 2023 and 2024 with mid-teen home run power and 50+ RBI in both of those full seasons in Triple-A, he was always a longshot candidate to have a major impact on the Mets.
The early part of his career was spent playing a lot of second base with a more recent change to becoming a corner outfielder almost exclusively. The Mets finally cut ties with him this past offseason. At 28, they had made up their minds.
Flash forward to the present. The Athletics of Parts Unknown have added him to their 40-man roster with a promotion followed by an immediate demotion. Cortes, as one could expect playing in the Pacific Coast League while representing Las Vegas, has some insane offensive numbers the A’s can only hope he can bring with him to Sacramento and beyond.
Former Mets prospect Carlos Cortes is having an insane offensive season
The numbers, even in backyard Wiffle ball against the kids, are insane. Cortes has slashed .321/.418/.603 with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, and 73 RBI. He has 41 walks and 41 strikeouts in the 299 plate appearances. Unworldly, he already has tied his single season home run record set last year. The RBI title is his highest as well. The doubles may have to stay behind if Cortes is able to continue with any sort of credible offense for the Athletics once he does have his opportunity.
Cortes was an overlooked Mets minor leaguer until he hit .392 in Australia during the lost minor league season of 2020. He returned in 2021 at the Double-A level where he put up a more realistic .257/.332/.487 slash line. It was pretty close to the .255/.336/.397 he hit in High-A in 2019. There was nothing incredible. He seemed like a lunch pail kind of player whose ability to play all over the field could come in handy.
On a team like the Athletics, going nowhere in the standings and about to sell off anything they can, Cortes has a real chance to receive some ample playing time.