Juan Soto and 2 other Yankees free agents the Mets should sign, 2 they should avoid

The Mets should look the other way if they talk about Alex Verdugo.

The second-round pick of the 2014 draft and former top prospect, Alex Verdugo is a free agent this season after eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and finally, the New York Yankees. Verdugo is coming off a season where he hit a line of .233/.291/.356/.647 with 13 home runs, 28 doubles, and 61 RBIs.

After the experiment with the Yankees did not work out, the market remains concerned about the type of offensive player Verdugo is, whether he is a bounce-back candidate or simply reached the turning point of his career. Verdugo has never really been projected as more than a bat with contact ability, who can hit for batting average with the ability to produce extra bases through doubles but with little power.

His defense appears to be his calling card with sufficient coverage range, an overall defense ranked in the 77th percentile of the league as measured by Statcast outs above average, and a superior arm.

The Mets need an outfielder but a profile like Verdugo's does not fit the needs of this lineup that has multiple figures that provide a high level of contact and little power. The Mets must avoid at all costs a deal with an outfielder who could be on the opposite side of the curve given his recent history and age.