Spring training is almost upon us! The New York Mets have a very good offense. They, in fact, have star power and depth as things stand right now, and that’s what makes them dangerous in the NL East.
Every good offense should start at the top. A quality leadoff hitter is essential for a team’s ability to score runs. Getting the first runner on base can be what sparks a rally, or what takes the squad to the lead of the game.
In the Mets’ case, they have two quality options and a third one who could be quite interesting.
Brandon Nimmo
If healthy, Brandon Nimmo could be the element that starts the offense on the right foot. His 18.1 BB% last season (second to only Mike Trout) comes in hand for the leadoff spot.
Nimmo is, additionally, a threat to hit 15-20 home runs in a season and steal something in the neighborhood of 10 bases.
He is a savvy baserunner, he is a quality defensive outfielder when deployed in the corners, and he can play center capably.
The Mets’ outfielder is certainly capable of putting a .400 OBP season (something he already did in 2018) especially now that he is in the prime of his career.
Jeff McNeil
Nimmo offers walks in bunches and an uncanny ability to reach first base. Jeff McNeil, on the other hand, provides the pure hitting ability to contend for batting titles.
In 815 career plate appearances, McNeil has a fantastic .321 batting average. His OBP is an equally fantastic .383, which could play nicely at the top of the lineup.
McNeil offers a bit more pop than Nimmo, but isn’t a consistent threat to steal bases. His bat control, though, is elite.
Amed Rosario
The darkhorse candidate to lead off for the New York Mets, albeit the less likely to do it, is Amed Rosario. He is speedy and he improved in every year he was in the big leagues. His youth, at 24 years old, hints at even more projectability.
In 2019, he hit .287/.323/.432 with 19 steals. He has a contact-oriented approach that could work while batting first. The best thing, though, is that he improved considerably in the second half, hitting .319/.351/.453 with a .804 OPS.
Who is the better fit for the Mets’ leadoff hitter job?
While McNeil would be an awesome first batter in any offense, including the Mets’, the best fit is Brandon Nimmo. He has a little bit more potential for a high OBP than McNeil, not to mention that the latter’s bat plays up from the second spot. As evidenced here, lots of Mets’ fans have a similar feeling.
Rosario is a better hitter now than a year or two years ago, but he needs to show he can walk consistently before the Mets consider him as a number one or two hitter.