Mets non-roster invitee to know: Lorenzo Cedrola

Lorenzo Cedrola is one of several non-roster invitees the New York Mets will have with them at camp this spring. The 25-year-old comes over from the Cincinnati Reds organization. He spent last year in Triple-A playing mostly center field and right field.

The numbers Cedrola posted aren’t incredible enough to set major expectations. Slashing .267/.303/.356 in his 504 plate appearances, Cedrola added 4 home runs and stole 15 bases.

He joins several others in camp this spring. Guys with MLB experience like Tim Locastro and Abraham Almonte are among his competitors. Can he break past them?

How Lorenzo Cedrola can contribute to the Mets this season

Cedrola has youth on his side and a potentially stronger bat than what Locastro can give. We haven’t seen him in the majors yet. He’s the kind of guy the Mets are taking a chance on, similar to the way they signed Nick Plummer last offseason but with one major difference: Cedrola is not on a major league deal.

After designating Khalil Lee for assignment, the Mets have opened up a roster spot for a position player. It immediately went to Sam Coonrod, a pitcher they claimed off of waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies. Things can change this spring.

There is no immediate need to push Cedrola or any other position player onto the 40-man roster. Already Rule 5 Draft eligible, Cedrola has a couple of advantages over the competition. His age is one of them. At 25, he’s someone the Mets can view as a candidate to develop a little further and see if he’s a suitable fourth or fifth outfielder in the future. He can also play center field which carries a ton of value with it.

Finally, it’s Cedrola’s remaining minor league options worth paying attention to. Once they promote Locastro or Almonte, they’d need to be designated for assignment before getting demoted. Not with Cedrola. He can move back and forth between the majors and minors without the risk of losing him.

Nobody expects Cedrola to win playing time this spring or in the regular season. For a franchise without very many good outfield options in the upper minors, there is room for him to differentiate himself this season.