Following the release of the New York Mets’ summer camp player pool, here’s a prediction of the team’s 30-man Opening Day roster.
On Sunday, the New York Mets announced the player pool for “summer camp.” Initially, they announced just 45 players but are still adding names to the pool. There are many familiar faces, some new ones, and some surprises, as well.
The Mets are a good team and will be looking to make a deep playoff run. They have invited the players whom they think will best serve their needs in accomplishing such a feat.
Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the names in the pool and what the 30-man roster could look like.
Some players wouldn’t have made the final roster under normal circumstances, but without a minor league season, it makes sense to give them a shot with the big club. David Peterson is an example.
The left-handed 24-year-old is currently ranked as the 10th best prospect in the Mets’ farm system and is expected to make the 30-man roster.
Newly-hired manager Luis Rojas and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen even implied that Peterson has a chance at becoming a starter this year, primarily because Noah Syndergaard will miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Kevin Smith, another left-handed pitcher, has also been invited. The 23-year-old is ranked as the team’s ninth-best prospect and could be used out of the bullpen.
Andres Gimenez is another name that stands out.
The 21-year-old shortstop, who is the third-best prospect in the organization, may not be ready for the big leagues on all accounts, but the Mets may look to add him as a bench player to serve as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.
Tim Tebow, to the surprise of some, was left out of the pool. So was lefty hurler Thomas Szapucki, which was a bit of a surprise.
Szapucki, 24, becoming a factor in the bullpen this season is not unimaginable and although he can still end up joining the team at various points, the fact that he hasn’t been included in the player pool is a bit strange.
Szapucki is ranked as the organization’s seventh-best prospect.
Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the biggest surprises and snubs of the Mets’ player pool, here’s what the 30-man roster could look like:
Starting Pitchers:
1. Jacob deGrom
2. Steven Matz
3. Rick Porcello
4. Marcus Stroman
5. Michael Wacha
Bullpen:
1. Tyler Bashlor
2. Dellin Betances
3. Brad Brach
4. Edwin Diaz
5. Jeurys Familia
6. Robert Gsellman
7. Walker Lockett
8. Seth Lugo
9. David Peterson
10. Justin Wilson
11. Daniel Zamora
Catchers:
1. Tomas Nido
2. Wilson Ramos
Infielders:
1. Pete Alonso
2. Robinson Cano
3. J.D. Davis
4. Luis Guillorme
5. Jed Lowrie
6. Jeff McNeil
7. Amed Rosario
8. Dominic Smith
Outfielders:
1. Yoenis Cespedes
2. Michael Conforto
3. Jake Marisnick
4. Brandon Nimmo
To begin with, Peterson is listed as a reliever here, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a starter at some point. However, the Mets have five experienced starters, even without Syndergaard, so Peterson is relegated to the bullpen for now.
With regard to the infield, it looks like Jed Lowrie will finally be ready to join the team. This isn’t certain, and the Mets could elect to go with someone like Matt Adams instead, but Lowrie might be the best option if he’s healthy.
Additionally, many think Gimenez will make the cut, but his hitting will be an obstacle. Gimenez eventually joining the team at some point won’t come as a surprise, it just seems unlikely that the Mets will deem him to be ready after summer camp.
This prediction lists eight infielders and four outfielders, but it’s important to note that several of these infielders will be playing the outfield.
For example, Dominic Smith is a first baseman but will likely mainly be featured in left field and as a DH. Jeff McNeil is a utility player who can play both corner outfield spots if needed. J.D. Davis is a third baseman but will be used significantly as an outfielder.
This player pool features some intriguing names and it’ll be interesting to see how some of the new faces will help the team on their quest to the playoffs. Let’s see how accurate this prediction of the 30-man roster ends up.
