3 former Mets players putting up huge spring training numbers

The New York Mets are in full evaluation mode of their roster as they enter the second half of spring training. Such as with every team, the front office and coaching staff have seen mixed results with the team they assembled during the offseason. Trayce Thompson has been the surprise performer hitting .357 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Francisco Alvarez has wasted no time in proving 2023 was legitimate hitting 3 long balls. The other "Baby Mets" in evaluation, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos have just recently broken out of their early spring slumps.

Regardless of the performance of current players, fans will always keep an eye on castaways from previous seasons. We do this in our own evaluation of whether the front office was correct or incorrect to move on from certain talent. Additionally, we can also contemplate the "what if" factor when constructing a ball club. In evaluating all thirty teams, some former Mets have gotten off to impressive starts in their new organizations.

1. J.D. Davis

This may come as a surprise to most baseball fans given the recent news surrounding the San Francisco Giants. Coming into spring training, the Giants expected J.D. Davis to be the regular third baseman. The former Met is coming off a solid season where he hit .248 with 18 home runs and 69 RBI. According to evaluators, the 31-year-old defense has significantly improved from his days in Queens.

However, the Giants were not sold on Davis' 2023 performance as they recently signed third baseman Matt Chapman to a contract worth 3 years and $54 million. This move by general manager Scott Harris left Davis without a position. He was blocked at first base by LaMonte Wade Jr., designated hitter by Jorge Soler, and has not played the outfield since 2021.

Davis was committed to proving the Giants wrong in their decision to sign a 4-time Gold Glove Award winner in Chapman. Through 6 games, Davis has hit .400 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI. He bounced between first and third base, proving his versatility worth. However, the Giants were destined to move on from Davis regardless of his performance and have released him from his contract. Whichever team signs Davis will receive a motivated 31-year-old who is off to a hot start in spring training.

2. Marcus Stroman

Perhaps the most polarizing player in baseball is backing up his words with a great performance. After leaving the Mets in free agency, Stroman signed a 3-year contract worth $71 million with the Chicago Cubs in 2021. He seemed like a steal, pitching to a 3.50 ERA in 138.2 innings in 2022. His statistics were very reflective of his performance with the Mets, only allowing 36 walks and 16 home runs across 25 starts.

With an opt-out in his contract looming, Stroman put together an all-star caliber performance in the first half of 2023. In 112.2 innings pitched, Stroman had a 2.96 ERA with 98 strikeouts. However, his second half was anemic due to injury as his ERA ballooned to 8.63 ERA in just 24 innings pitched. Regardless of his September performance, Stroman opted out of his contract and signed with the New York Yankees for 2-years $37 million.

Suffice it to say, Stroman is proving to be more like the pitcher from the first half of 2023 than the second half. In 10.1 innings pitched, the Long Island native has a 1.74 ERA with 7 strikeouts. From watching Stroman in 2021, we know he performs well under pressure and always pitches with a chip on his shoulder. Given his history on social media with both New York fanbases and with Brian Cashman, this spring training means more to Stroman than any other.