5 best Mets options at third base for next season ranked

3) Brandon Drury

If the name Brandon Drury sounds familiar, that's because it should. Drury was a Met in 2021 and provided a spark off the bench in a pinch-hitting role. He had a 111 OPS+ in 88 plate appearances as a Met that year. He then went on to sign with the Reds the following season where he'd win a Silver Slugger seemingly out of nowhere.

Drury's breakout year in 2022 earned him a two-year contract to go to the Angels. Drury would have a repeat of his fine season by hitting 26 home runs and posting an .803 OPS for the Halos this past season. He was one bright spot in an abysmal year for them.

Drury is still under contract through the 2024 season, but he's a player who could easily be available on the trade market. There's a very good chance the Angels could watch Shohei Ohtani walk out of the door this offseason (to Queens perhaps?) With that in mind, Ohtani's departure could force the Angels to finally rebuild as they won just 73 games with him and have one of the worst farm systems in baseball.

If they do rebuild, Drury becomes a very intriguing trade candidate for New York and many other teams to consider. He's set to make just $8.5 million in 2024 and the fact that he's a free agent after the year means he won't cost too much.

Drury didn't play an inning at third base this past season for the Angels, but he has 211 appearances and over 1,500 innings over at the hot corner. He'd be just fine if the Mets were to acquire him. In fact, he's already been dealt in a mock trade with the Mets this offseason.