3 prospects the Mets didn't trade at the deadline that they could deal in the offseason
The New York Mets had an underwhelming deadline to most of the fanbase as the moves made weren't for big names. This meant the Mets did not trade any of the highly touted prospects in their farm system, something they did do last year in a move that didn't help them make the playoffs.
Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty are the cream of the crop in the Mets farm system. Both are ranked in mlb.com's top 100 prospect list with Baty number 18 and Alvarez the top ranked prospect.
Neither of those guys should or will get traded for anyone not in the Soto or Ohtani realm of player. They are far too valuable to be traded for even a high level player, it has to be a star or superstar.
While Alvarez and Baty are for the most part off limits, there are prospects I believe the Mets could and should trade to improve the roster in the offseason.
1) NY Mets prospect that could be traded: Ronny Mauricio
Ronny Mauricio is a guy I feel the Mets should have looked to trade once they acquired Francisco Lindor. Like Lindor, he is a shortstop who despite being 6'3, has only played shortstop. The Mets have not given him a chance to play any other position which tells me he has absolutely no future in Queens.
With Lindor signed on for ten years, it makes very little sense that the Mets have even kept him this long. They had a chance to get an impact player for him at the deadline while being a team 30 games over .500 and didn't do it.
To further complicate things, Mauricio's stock isn't as high as it once was. He's shown an inability to get on base at a good clip, walking just 17 times in 395 plate appearances. His .286 OBP is a big reason why he's going to spend the whole season in AA Binghamton while fellow prospects Baty and Alvarez have already moved onto AAA Syracuse.
Mauricio does have 21 home runs and is clearly immensely talented. As a blue chip prospect who plays shortstop he still does have a lot of value on the trade market.
With seemingly no future in Queens, the Mets should look to move on in search of talent that can help the Mets win next season and in the future.
2) NY Mets prospect that could be traded: Mark Vientos
Mark Vientos is in a very similar position to Mauricio. He's a guy without an established position and does not have a clear path to playing time this season or in the future.
Vientos has spent the entire season at AAA Syracuse and has slashed .267/.351/.520 with 19 home runs and 54 RBI.
After an incredibly slow start, he has slashed .296/.378/.579 with 18 of his 19 home runs since May 1st. He's beed on fire for months, but no call up appears to be in sight.
Vientos came up as a third baseman but has been moved off of the position due to his poor defense at the hot corner. He's struggled in left field as well, and has been playing a lot of first base an DH of late in Syracuse.
Vientos' lack of a position definitely limits his value as a player as he might be most valuable just as a DH. Even with the Mets lack of production at the DH spot this season, they chose to upgrade externally than give Vientos a shot at the DH role.
With Darin Ruf and Daniel Vogelbach both under contract next season and likely serving as the DH platoon where would Vientos play? Third base is occupied by Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme until Brett Baty is ready. Left field is taken as well and Vientos is not an outfielder.
Like Mauricio, Vientos has no path to playing time. With the Ruf and Vogelbach acquisitions, I fear his fate might be sealed in Queens, and he will find a landing spot where he can get his shot in the major leagues.
3) NY Mets prospect that could be traded: Dominic Hamel
Dominic Hamel was the Mets third round pick in the 2021 MLB draft. He was drafted out of Dallas Baptist University after going 13-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 18 appearances in the 2021 campaign. He struck out a whopping 13.4 batters per nine that season.
Hamel pitched extremely well for the Mets single A affiliate in Port St. Lucie, posting a 3.84 ERA and a 10.1 K/9. This earned the 23 year old a promotion to the Mets High-A affiliate in Brooklyn.
In Brooklyn, the right-hander has been even better. He's gone 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five starts. He's struck out 35 batters in 25 innings pitched, a 12.6 K/9. Hamel has not allowed a home run in Brooklyn after allowing just five home runs in 63.1 innings pitched with Port St. Lucie.
Hamel's one flaw thus far has been his loss of command at times, as he's walked 4.2 batters per nine this season. This happens with many young pitchers and will likely improve with experience.
Hamel clearly has loads of potential with the stuff he has and will definitely receive interest on the trade market if he hasn't already. The Mets only have one prospect in their top 30 past AA and that's Jose Butto. They have plenty of guys in A-ball pitching well.
With the Mets looking to compete right now, trading a 23-year old starting pitcher who's in A+ ball doesn't seem to be a bad idea if it really helps the team.
It'd sting to give him up, but in a prospect pool that lacks much pitching talent, Hamel might find his way in another organization in exchange for a player who can help the Mets in 2023 and beyond, much like Ginn and Oller found their way in Oakland this past offseason.