6 important Mets players who could be gone next year if they fail in 2024

5) DJ Stewart

A newcomer to the organization, DJ Stewart surprised us all with how well he hit in August of 2023. Then reality set in. He was a pumpkin again in the final month of the season. He came to the Mets with only one minor league option left. A toss up to get used this year based entirely on his own performance, it should be easy to know whether or not Stewart fits into the plans for 2025 by the end of this coming campaign.

Stewart’s ceiling likely has him never becoming much more than a part-time player. It’s fine. For the price to have him around, it’d be a welcomed bat to have available, especially if he can continue to crush righties and play better defense than expected.

The difficulty for Stewart could be competing alongside the up-and-coming rookies whom the Mets will view as more “toolsy” in what they offer. Players such as Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams will see regular action upon their promotion, but could also share some playing time along the way, too.

Stewart is fighting for a spot on the Mets roster next year. He’s also going to be competing for an opportunity to stick around in the major leagues. Possibly headed to journeyman status where he’ll bounce around on multiple teams for the remainder of his career, a strong performance in 2024 can help him at the very least become a niche player.