5 minor league outfielders contending for a 40-man roster spot

The New York Mets aren’t carrying any true outfielders on their 40-man roster who won’t be on the Opening Day roster. When they designated Khalil Lee for assignment, the only outfielder they had on the 40-man roster was removed, leaving them with five non-roster invitees ready to fight for a spot.

Although there isn’t any requirement for the team to carry an outfielder into Opening Day, how each performs this spring could give the big league club an idea of who makes the most sense to get added.

Which of these five makes the most sense?

1) NY Mets outfielder contending for a 40-man roster spot: Tim Locastro

Tim Locastro is more of a late-season addition to the 40-man roster than someone who would get there early. He doesn’t have a strong bat. It’s his speed that has kept him in the picture.

Through 247 games in the majors, Locastro has just 549 plate appearances. Used regularly as a pinch runner and defensive replacement, he joins the Mets with a lifetime .227/.325/.331 slash line. His speed hasn’t been put on great display outside of the 2019 season when he stole 17 bases for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 17 attempts.

Locastro might be one of the more familiar names in this bout vying for a 40-man roster spot. Working against him are a lack of minor league options and how valuable he could be in September as a pinch-runner. Look for the Mets to hold him back instead. If they get desperate enough for an outfielder, we should see Jeff McNeil shift beyond the infield dirt before the organization promotes Locastro.

Keeping a 40-man roster spot available for someone who could actually get promoted in the early part of the year is more important than putting Locastro there. There is no danger of losing him at the moment. However, on the waiver wire once players start going down with injuries, someone could swipe him away.

3) NY Mets outfielder contending for a 40-man roster spot: Jaylin Davis

The newest free agent signing the Mets have brought in to contend for a spot is Jaylin Davis. In 95 plate appearances at the big league level, he’s a .207/.274/.299 hitter. Younger but also out of minor league options, Davis is someone the Mets should hope can catch fire.

Davis’ early minor league career numbers are actually pretty good. The 2019 season, in particular, includes an eye-popping 35 home runs and .306 batting average. The juiced baseballs may be a reason for this. He hit .230 with 11 home runs in 2021 and .215 with only 9 in 2022.

Davis seems to fit the “warm body with MLB experience” description. The Mets certainly have other outfielders in the system they could look at. Many of them, however, are left-handed hitters. Davis bats right-handed. Quinn Brodey, Carlos Cortes, and Zach Ashford are all left-handed hitters. So is Khalil Lee whose time with the Mets is in limbo right now.

We can look at Davis as someone the Mets hope they never have to use but will have ready to promote and DFA if needed. Locastro is a fit for later in the year. Almonte is someone the Mets would keep around for weeks or months. Davis is the kind of player that, unless he excels in the minors, will fill a roster spot and maybe not see any action at all.

4) NY Mets outfielder contending for a 40-man roster spot: DJ Stewart

Left-handed hitting DJ Stewart actually has much more major league experience than some of us may have realized. He had 318 of his 622 plate appearances back in 2021. Unfortunately, despite homering 12 times, Stewart batted just .204/.324/.374. His career numbers aren’t much better.

Stewart is another guy who can claim he is good enough to make a Triple-A All-Star team but doesn’t have quite enough to stick on a major league roster. He has hit for decent power in his professional career. Exclusively a corner outfielder, there is a lot less flexibility with him on defense.

Players like Stewart can create a little bit of excitement in the preseason and even once games begin to count. He reminds of Daniel Palka who hit a ton of home runs for the Syracuse Mets last year. Sadly, the need for players like this rarely occurs. Better hitters are often available. And because the Mets have some especially good prospects knocking on the MLB door, Stewart’s inability to play a whole lot of positions could get in the way. The ability to play center field alone could’ve been helpful.

Because Stewart can be called up and sent back down again thanks to a remaining minor league option, the Mets could promote him over Davis. It might depend largely on whose roster spot they’re taking. 

5) NY Mets outfielder contending for a roster spot: Lorenzo Cedrola

The difference between Lorenzo Cedrola and the other four mentioned is MLB experience. Cedrola has yet to reach the big leagues. The odds of him doing so with the Mets this year are slim, but he can do himself a big favor and stick around.

Cedrola brings something different to the table. At only 25 and listed as a 5'8 righty filling out his uniform with only 152 pounds, he’s a small-framed speedster with a specific talent he can bring.

Cedrola hasn’t been an exceptional base thief at the higher minor league levels. He swiped just 15 in 21 attempts last year in Triple-A for the Cincinnati Reds. A decent hitter who has slowed down since reaching the highest level of the farm, Cedrola is the early alternative to calling up Locastro.

Working as a center fielder for most of his professional career, Cedrola has seen significant time at both corner spots, too. He’s definitely a low-risk, medium-reward type of offseason free agent signing. Adding him to the 40-man roster before Opening Day doesn’t seem likely. However, his age and Rule 5 Draft eligibility could have the Mets changing things later on this year.

Cedrola will be one of the younger outfielders the Mets carry with them into the start of the season, likely beginning in Triple-A. He’s someone to keep an eye on as the year progresses. Thanks mostly to his speed, there is a way for the big league Mets to find playing time.