3 former Mets prospects not named Pete Crow-Armstrong excelling with their new team

3. Hector Rodriguez

Eppler's tenure may be defined by the prospects he gave up at the 2022 trade deadline, not just the acquisition. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, outfielder Hector Rodriguez is a contact-first left-handed hitting outfielder. After signing as a middle-infielder, Rodriguez has successfully made the shift to center field in 2022 without sacrificing any of his offensive potential. Totaling 49 games in the Florida Complex League, Rodriguez hit .333 with 3 home runs and 26 RBI.

The most impressive aspect of the 19-year-old profile is his incredible contact ability. Playing 115 games at the Single-A level in 2023, Rodriguez hit .293 with 25 doubles and 10 triples. His strikeout rate was just 15.7 percent, putting him in the elite category at this level. Furthermore, Rodriguez's speed has made the transition from infield to center field more methodical. While he may never be a Gold Glove Award winner, Rodriguez has earned accolades for his range and stolen base ability, swiping 18 bags in 2023.

Unfortunately for the Mets, Rodriguez has not blossomed into a top prospect in their organization. He was dealt in 2022 along with minor league pitcher Jose Acuna to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Tyler Naquin. Since this time, Rodriguez has blossomed into a top-10 worthy prospect in the Reds' system and continues to improve each season. Meanwhile, the Mets received a .203 batting average with 4 home runs and 13 RBI down the stretch in 2022 from Naquin. The mistake by the Mets is not necessarily just misevaluating the talent of Corona, Seymour, or Rodriguez, but the performance they received in return was lackluster in 2020 and 2022.