3 best assets Billy Eppler should trade this offseason

2) NY Mets need to trade Ronny Mauricio while his value is high

Ronny Mauricio has far fewer clearings to get into the Mets starting lineup. As a shortstop, he’s blocked by Francisco Lindor for the next decade. Moving him to second base would be a possibility if not for Jeff McNeil. The Mets could always eventually move McNeil to one of the many other positions he plays.

It’s not ideal nor does it seem like the direction Eppler would go with this franchise.

Mauricio played well in 2022 and was one of the better Mets prospects we’ve been following for a few years that didn’t crack the major league roster. He continues to develop each year and wouldn’t be such a bad player to hold onto if there was any space.

Unfortunately, there isn’t.

Mauricio’s trade value is greatly helped by his age and performance on the field. The fact that he plays shortstop helps a lot, too. Other teams don’t have the luxury at shortstop as the Mets do. There is no question at the position in Flushing for several more years. Teams who could offer the Mets something now for a shot at Mauricio in the future will be making phone calls to Eppler this winter.

The Mets already unloaded Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez in the past—both to the Cleveland Guardians. Mauricio could be destined for something similar. We’ll just have to hope the Mets are able to snag something they can utilize for a few years. Mauricio is trending upward.