3 directions the Mets can go if they end up trading Jeff McNeil

Trading Jeff McNeil may lead the Mets to prepare for the prospects

Just because the Mets trade away McNeil doesn’t mean they have to do anything else major for the ball club. Their belief in Robinson Cano to start the season at second base may be strong enough where that becomes the plan. J.D. Davis could survive the offseason and begin as the third baseman with Escobar sliding over to second base.

There are a couple of ways the Mets can go without making too many changes. Some even include bringing back a guy like Jonathan Villar for the start of the season.

This idea only works if the ultimate goal is to get one of the third base prospects into the starting lineup by year’s end. We are all already familiar with Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. One is going to have a big role on the Mets in one way or another by the start of the 2023 season. Both built up as third basemen over the years, it’s looking like one may ultimately end up as the left fielder with the other playing the hot corner.

In preparation, the Mets need to leave themselves some room to work. The addition of Escobar lines up well with one of them getting significant playing time. He’s only on a two-year deal. By 2024, third base will be wide open for the taking.

I kind of feel like this is what the Mets will end up doing. A big splash in free agency or a major trade creates a roadblock for the prospects they’ve been so eager to get to the big leagues.

But we’ve all been surprised before. Who would have thought Max Scherzer would ever call Citi Field home?

The Mets have a couple of directions to point themselves following a McNeil trade. What do you think they end up doing?