7 Mets free agent predictions

The Mets will sign a power hitter at the DH position

The Mets have lacked an innate power figure at the designated hitter position to balance the lineup alongside Pete Alonso. Among several experiments, we saw how recent non-tender player Daniel Vogelbach was unable to produce at the expected level.

The Mets need real power in their lineup, especially if he can be a left-handed hitter. The main reason why the Mets will sign Joc Pederson in free agency this winter.

Pederson had a subpar season that did not meet the expectations of his contract after accepting the Giants' qualifying offer for almost $20 million. Either way, this is a positive factor in the case of the Mets since this drop in this player's offensive performance will lower his cost.

For many, Pederson would not be an attractive target, but if we look closely at his numbers and profile as a hitter, we will find a productive player with a touch of bad luck. Pederson is a natural power hitter, and his numbers say so. His exit velocity averaged 92 mph in 2023, ranking within the top 10% of the league, and his hard-hit contact percentage was 52.2%, top 4%.

Another relevant aspect of Pederson's profile is that his plate discipline improved considerably, dropping more than four percentage points in his strikeout rate and increasing his walk percentage from 9.7 to 13.4 percent. Additionally, his advanced metrics show that Pederson was unlucky and showed considerable differentials in his batting average and slugging versus those expected by more than 30 points.

The Mets are going to sign Pederson to a short contract, and it will be one of the team's best decisions this winter. This left-handed power hitter will be a great balance in the lineup between right-handers Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez, injecting a core of power into the middle of the lineup.