1 Mets roster addition this offseason that will be better than expected

While the New York Mets have not had the sexiest offseason this winter after stealing much of the headlines the past few offseasons, they have made some solid moves to build roster depth, which is an area that they lacked last year. One of those moves involved David Stearns making a deal with his old organization and acquiring outfielder Tyrone Taylor alongside pitcher Adrian Houser.

While many Mets fans originally were unsure about the move on paper, Tyrone Taylor has the ability to be a solid contributor for the team this season both offensively and defensively. The 30-year-old outfielder has an opportunity to solidify himself as the Mets' fourth outfielder this season, and potentially find himself in semi-regular playing time depending on how things shake out throughout the season

The Mets may have gotten a steal by acquiring Tyrone Taylor last month from the Brewers.

Taylor is mainly known for his speed as well as his defensive prowess in the outfield, but he also has some pop in his bat. In 2022 Taylor had slugged 17 home runs in 120 games played, and in 2023 he had also hit 10 home runs in 81 games played. Where his offensive numbers get interesting are the splits between the first half and second half of last season.

Taylor had missed the first month of the season in 2023 after dealing with lingering effects from an elbow injury the previous season and got off to a slow start in the first half by his .160/.180/.240 slash line. However, in the second half of the season, he became a solid contributor for the Brewers with a .269/.309/.545 line to go along with 9 home runs and 31 RBIs across 54 games.

The Mets are certainly banking on that second-half performance carrying over into 2024 as a part-time player, and there's no reason to think that it won't, as Taylor has shown when he's fully healthy he can be a valuable player off of the bench. Add his offensive potential, alongside his speed and defense, the Mets could've gotten a steal of a player that they will have under team control for the next three seasons.

Do not be surprised if Taylor forces Manager Carlos Mendoza to insert his name into the starting lineup more often than not if his second-half performance carries over, as he will be given plenty of opportunity to get playing time in all three outfield positions, especially as the Mets may be cautious with Starling Marte early on in the season.