Mets would make history rhyme by trading Ronny Mauricio for a power bat

Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa for Yoenis Cespedes. You know what comes after that. This was the deal the New York Mets made in the summer of 2015. It has a connection to today.

Fulmer finished the year ranked as the number 53 prospect in MLB. Consider it a coincidence or some sort of destiny. Right now, Ronny Mauricio ranks number 52.

It’s way too close for us to not make the connection. Mauricio should easily be able to headline a deal for a power bat in a similar situation as Cespedes was back in 2015 as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

The Mets gave the Tigers their new number one prospect in 2015 for Yoenis Cespedes

The next year, Fulmer was ranked the number one prospect for the Tigers. Mauricio could certainly become the top dog somewhere following a trade. Amazingly, the Chicago White Sox only have a single top 100 prospect and he's way down in the 90s. So, while I’m not saying it’s the trade to make, Mauricio and a low-level pitcher for Jose Abreu would have a deep connection to recent Mets history.

Mauricio for Abreu is enticing. It, like all trades, also comes with some risk of giving up too talented of a player for someone coming to your team temporarily. It does feel like a bit of an overpay. It’s also very realistic.

The Mets were able to snag Zack Wheeler from the San Francisco Giants back in 2011. In 2012, Wheeler became the number one ranked Mets prospect and the number 28 guy in all of Major League Baseball.

Obviously, the Mets shouldn’t swap Mauricio for Abreu simply because of the commonalities, as slight as they may be in some regards, with some best deals. If they’re going to trade him, they need to make sure they get the absolute best return. Abreu would seemingly be the greatest DH option they could land in a market of other options either gaining attention for what they have done in the past like Nelson Cruz or what they’re doing right now like C.J. Cron.

This is the time of year when acquiring anything good stings a bit. The cost of Abreu and the parting of Mauricio, whether related or not, will be the subject of a Johnny Cash cover song. Billy Eppler will hurt his franchise that day but for more than just to feel. He’s doing it because this might be the best chance the Mets have.