The New York Mets brought several offensive pieces prior to the lockout, including outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha and infielder Eduardo Escobar. Their lineup seems set, but more additions can’t be ruled out.
As a results of the Mets’ spending spree, these three players don’t have a clear path towards regular at-bats and could be used as trade pieces to bring more pitching.
Jeff McNeil
With the arrival of Eduardo Escobar and the potential return of suspended second baseman Robinson Cano in 2022, the Mets could look to trade Jeff McNeil if they find a taker. In fact, multiple sources told Inside the Mets (link to SI.com’s article here) that the intention after the lockout is making him available.
McNeil can play second and third base and carries a plus hit tool, evidenced by his career .319/.383/.501 line with a .884 OPS. The 2021 season, however, wasn’t kind to him, as he only slashed .251/.319/.360 with a .679 OPS in 120 games.
Dominic Smith
After his breakout 2019 and his consolidation in 2020, Smith entered 2021 as one of the top young pieces in the Mets’ roster. Fast forward several months, and now the Mets have a player who struggled mightily with the bat (.244/.304/.363 in 493 plate appearances) and without a clear path towards consistent playing time. He was among the Mets’ least valuable players with -0.5 WAR.
The Mets can use his first-round pedigree and great performances in 2019-20 to shop him around. After all, he is blocked in first base by Pete Alonso and several outfielders are higher than him in the depth chart.
JD Davis
Right now, Escobar, Francisco Lindor, Cano, and Alonso should be the starting infield for the Mets in 2022, barring post-lockout acquisitions. The team is said to be pursuing Kris Bryant, and that could further complicate things for JD Davis.
Davis is very bad with the glove at third base and the outfield, but carries trade value because of his offensive potential. He hit .285/.384/.436 with a 130 wRC+ in the 2021 campaign.