NY Mets trade deadline targets: 3 prospect positions to focus on for the farm system

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Your summer plans hopefully include a trip to the beach, a small road trip, and maybe some evenings in the backyard. The New York Mets have different plans. Destined to be trade deadline sellers, our focus has sadly already turned away from the present and over to the future.

Although they’ve made the playoffs once in the last seven seasons, the Mets have regularly found themselves buying instead of selling mid-year. They sold in 2017 and 2018 and not again until 2023. Two years of selling followed by a couple of buying? I suppose we can accept this.

When the Mets field offers for their veteran players, their focus should be on three primary positions. David Stearns shouldn’t necessarily say “no” to adding another shortstop or catching prospect, but if they want to create a more balanced farm system, it’s these three positions we’d love to see them target.

1) Mets need more third base options in the future

Neither Brett Baty nor Mark Vientos seem like the solution the Mets want at third base. If only they were one player rather than two. Baty has improved drastically as a defensive player while Vientos is carrying the load at the plate. Unfortunately, this type of platoon doesn’t work. As a result, the Mets should seek out other third base options for their future.

As crowded as some positions may be getting on the farm system with all of their shortstops already moving away from the position over to second base and even the outfield, they don’t really have many true third basemen. Plenty of guys could eventually move over to the hot corner. Colin Houck, Jesus Baez, and more are destined for a change of some kind as long as Francisco Lindor is around.

We shouldn’t expect the Mets to land any big time third base prospect. It’s not even where many of the top prospects play. This is more of a transitional spot for guys who didn’t quite make the cut as a shortstop. Maybe they were too tall for second base. Maybe their range just wasn’t good enough at a professional level to stay at a position they excelled at in college or high school.

Third base is often a shallow position in the majors with only half the times having anyone well-rounded enough to stick. In search of stability at this position in the post-David Wright years, adding even a lower-level or ranked third baseman to the organization is necessary.

2) Mets need to add pitching in every way they can

Written in every religious doctrine known to man is the phrase “you can never have too much pitching.” It’s a common-knowledge fact translated in all languages. Confucius famously noted how it’s pitching that wins championships.

As high on the Mets pitching prospects as many are, the team has only one guy in the top 100, Christian Scott. Others could eventually get there. He is, after all, a bit of an overachiever based on his draft position.

Adding a left-handed pitcher isn’t necessary, but would be great to bring in as their current top 30 according to MLB.com doesn’t include a single southpaw. More important than handedness is talent. So if it’s nothing but some right-handed pitchers the Mets bring in, we should accept it.

Pitching prospects will be a major focus for all trade deadline sellers. After not adding any in 2023 at the deadline, the farm system seems a little less balanced. We can’t blame Billy Eppler for failing to add arms because they come at such a higher cost. Prone to getting injured more often, teams are hesitant to deal away their gems. Half of an MLB roster is made up of pitchers. You need a lot of them.

The Mets probably won’t achieve a goal of adding any higher-end pitching prospects which isn’t the end of the world. A mix of lower-level prospects or MLB-ready relievers might be solid enough. The Mets could use Colin Holderman back with the organization.

3) Mets can still benefit from more outfielders in the pipeline

The Mets have quite a few outfielders already in the farm system. Plus, with Brandon Nimmo locked up long-term, there’s on less spot available. It’s easy to plug in a bunch of the current Mets prospects into the other two outfield spots. However, with Luisangel Acuna or Jett Williams probably more bound to play second base, Drew Gilbert is far and away the only outfield prospect who seems like a sure thing to have a major league roster spot in the next year.

The Mets have given away far too many outfield prospects in trades. Jarred Kelenic. Pete Crow-Armstrong. The former has developed into more of a platoon player while the latter remains a Four-A player working his way into a major league role. It wouldn’t hurt to have either back even in their current buffering mode.

There are more than enough second base options for the Mets already present. First base? Let’s leave that for a proven MLB hitter whether it’s Pete Alonso or someone else. There is rarely a need to add a first base prospect in a trade. This is a final resting place for players who originally had a different position to land.

If the Mets come away from the trade deadline with a third base prospect, an outfielder, and a whole bunch of pitching, we’ll be satisfied. Of course, the talent level matters much more.

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Mets trade deadline targets: 3 prospect positions to focus on for a better farm system

1) Mets need more third base options in the future

2) Mets need to add pitching in every way they can

3) Mets can still benefit from more outfielders in the pipeline

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