Midseason grades for the 2022 Mets position players

OF Brandon Nimmo – 2022 Mets position player first half grade 

1st Half Stats: 376 PA, .271/.358/.437, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 127 OPS+, 59 R 

Brandon Nimmo is your quintessential gamer. His demonstrated success and plate discipline as a leadoff hitter is some of the best in baseball, he drives up the opposition’s pitch count, he hustles on the basepaths, he is tough to strikeout, puts the ball in play, and sets the tone for everything the Mets do offensively. Nimmo is also playing outstanding defense in center field, and it has gotten better and better as his career has gone along, as his outs above average ranks in the 92nd percentile, according to Statcast. 

Grade: A 

3B Eduardo Escobar – 2022 Mets position player first half grade 

1st Half Stats: 362 PA, .224/.279/,.397, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 91 OPS+, 131 total bases 

There are many Mets fans who are unsure of how to evaluate Eduardo Escobar’s first half, because this was the toughest to grade. That’s because he’s been shaky and streaky, both offensively and defensively. But he has struck out a team-high 89 times this season in fewer at-bats than Lindor and Alonso. His inability to put the ball in play has been surprisingly bad given that the Mets signed him to drive in runs. 40 RBI in 86 games? Not the Escobar the Mets envisioned. 

Grade: C 

OF Starling Marte – 2022 Mets position player first half grade 

1st Half Stats: 336 PA, .295/.345/.458, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 128 OPS+, 12 SB, 92 hits 

The Mets paid Marte a hefty sum this offseason, $78 million over a four year period to be exact. But Marte has been worth that and more. He was the dynamic playmaking outfielder the Mets haven’t had since Carlos Beltran. He could hurt the opposition in a lot of different ways, and he is perfectly suited to be the No. 2 hitter between Nimmo and Lindor in the lineup. He was named an All-Star for the second time this season, a deserving reward for an outstanding first half. 

Grade: A