3 questions the Mets can ask to make a decision on their non-tender candidates

One of the first phases of the MLB offseason involves the decision by the front office to tender players who are arbitration eligible to a new deal or not. The New York Mets have a long list of players who fall into this category from Pete Alonso down to Sam Coonrod.

Some are obvious keepers. Others are debatable and require the team to answer a few questions.

What can the player bring to the team in 2024?

The most obvious question to ask is about talent. What can each player bring to the team in 2024? If there's any belief they can be an asset, allow them to move into the next round. Those who don't seem to fit the scheme any longer should be eliminated quickly.

This isn't always the first question a front office will ask when it comes to roster building. Because they can carry only 40 players at a time, ability sometimes falls behind things such as how much a player will earn or questions about their health. Someone like Elieser Hernandez might be one of whose health in 2023 has the Mets thinking twice about inviting him back.

In terms of talent, Alonso is the lone player with enough of it to guarantee an offer. His projected $22 million is far and away the most of any arbitration eligible player on the roster.

None of the projected arbitration salaries appear to be outlandishly expensive. Behind Alonso, who should have an extension by the way, we find Daniel Vogelbach at $2.6 million. Everyone else is less. We’re fortunate to have an owner who won’t pinch pennies over paying Joey Lucchesi $200K more than the projected total if that’s what it takes to keep him.