Mets are getting important contributions from unlikely source these days

Nick Plummer, mets

Late last year, the St. Louis Cardinals failed to add former first-round pick Nick Plummer to their 40-man roster, leaving him unprotected and available to sign with the New York Mets as a free agent.

It was kind of a surprising move by the Cards, as Plummer, after a few failed seasons in the minors, broke out in 2021, hitting .280/.415/.479 with 15 home runs and 13 stolen bases across 478 plate appearances between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis.

But the Cards’ loss was the Mets’ gain. He signed a one-year, major-league contract, but started off 2022 in Triple-A Syracuse. There, the outfielder slashed .250/.313/.511 with six home runs in 99 plate appearances, earning a call-up.

Well, it looks like the Mets have found their fourth outfielder with Travis Jankowski out and Brandon Nimmo being bothered by a nagging wrist injury: Plummer has hit .444/.444/1.222 with a couple of home runs and five RBI in five games with the Mets.

The Mets are showing their depth

Four of those RBI came on Monday against the Nationals. It’s nice to know that the Mets’ off-the-radar offseason signing is paying off in such a big way: their position player depth (and player development) is starting to show up.

“It’s great,” Plummer said to SNY after the game. “This is what you envision coming over here and being a part of this club and ultimately coming out with a win.”

Mets manager Buck Showalter is happy about his player. “It’s special. It’s fun,” he said. “That’s what’s fun about these jobs, is the look in his face, and he’s trying to act – you can tell it’s like, you work your whole life. He’ll be 26 in July… It’s fun to kind of sit there and watch the joy he gets being here in the big leagues and contributing. I think everybody on the field has been in a similar situation, that newness and novelty of being in the big leagues early on and kind of reveling in it within.”

Plummer is certainly living the dream right now after several years of bitter disappointments.