Midseason grades for the 2022 Mets position players

DH J.D. Davis – 2022 Mets position player first half grade 

1st Half Stats: 197 PA, .234/.325/.345, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 93 OPS+, 61 K 

This season has been a tough one for J.D. Davis, because while he consistently hits the ball hard when making contact, the making contact part of it has been elusive. He has gone down swinging at an alarming rate, and it raises concerns about if he can be the starting DH against lefties on a championship caliber team. His contact hitting must improve before the deadline, or he will be sitting a lot more following August 2. 

Grade: C- 

C Tomas Nido – 2022 Mets position player first half grade 

1st Half Stats: 182 PA, .211/.254/.235, 0 HR, 15 RBI, 42 OPS+, .304 AVG w/RISP 

We’ve known that Nido was always a defense-first catcher, as evidenced by his role as a backup for several years with the Mets. But the greater the moment, the better he’s become, both with his arm behind the plate, and at the plate as a hitter. His caught stealings and pickoffs have come at big moments in games, while only Jeff McNeil has a higher batting average with men in scoring position on the team than he does. Just don’t have him up with the bases empty. 

Grade: C+ 

1B Dominic Smith – 2022 Mets position player first half grade 

1st Half Stats: 152 PA, .194/.276/.284, 0 HR, 17 RBI, 61 OPS+, 10 2B 

Dominic Smith probably had the most disappointing result of any Met in the first half this season. The DH was supposed to benefit the Mets with the deep roster of position players they’ve had, but Smith showed why he needed a demotion to the minors in June to work on his bat because he’s had trouble hitting fastballs (hit .279 off them last year compared to just .222 this year) and off-speed pitches (.215 last year, .118 this year).

Grade: D-