While the big league ball club is playing some of the best baseball it has played all year, the Mets Triple-A affiliate has two players that are reaching their potential pretty quickly. Dilson Herrera and Brandon Nimmo have been top prospects in the organization for a good amount of time, but they are putting it all together this year, which means they should be ready for the big leagues next season. The team has lots of talent this season, so it will be interesting to see what the team decides to do with these two youngsters next year.
Herrera has some major league experience, and there have been plenty of promising moments during his major league tenure, but the team was in need of more offense. So far, he is hitting .342 in 56 games with six homers and 33 RBIs. His OBP is .392, and he has stolen seven bases. His offensive performance has been impressive, and has enabled us to see that he has a well-rounded combination of power and speed.
This season we have seen Wilmer Flores, Kelly Johnson, Daniel Murphy, and Ruben Tejada play second base. Johnson and Murphy are free agents next season, meaning that they may not be Mets after this season. Tejada will most likely be playing shortstop, and Flores could be the starting second baseman. Flores can be used as a utility player, as he has experience at third base, second base and shortstop. If the Mets wanted to use Flores off the bench, then Herrera could become the starting second baseman. It would also be beneficial for the team to have an insurance plan if either Flores or Herrera struggle offensively while playing second base, as there is a backup ready to play.
Ever since getting promoted to Las Vegas, Nimmo is hitting .324 with an OBP over .400 in 11 games. Since it is a small sample size, Nimmo will probably need a great spring training in order to make the team from the beginning of the season.
The outfield was once a sore spot for the Mets, but Curtis Granderson has had a revitalizing season and has two more years remaining on his contract, Michael Cuddyer has one more year left, and recently acquired Yoenis Cespedes provides a big bat in the middle of the Mets lineup. Add Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares to the mix, and the Mets may have five outfielders to choose from if they resign Cespedes. Nimmo would look to be the odd man out, and will most likely be starting the year in the minors in order to get more seasoning at Triple-A.
It is always reassuring when an organization has prospects that are performing at a high level as the big leagues are approaching. Sandy Alderson is going to have a lot of important decisions to make after this season, but for right now, we can enjoy the Mets play, while being hopeful about the future. Herrera and Nimmo should become two solid pieces in the big leagues, while providing high OBPs and a decent average, but their time may have to wait.
It’s all coming together,it’s great to be a Mets fan.
Ideally, Herrera will be able to step into the lead off spot and play second base at the start of the 2016 season. That would push Flores to a infield utility role. Kelly Johnson should also he signed as the back up veteran bench player. Herrera has all the tools so it is up to him to take that job.
Nimmo doesn’t look to have the offense to be an impact right fielder and he is not as good as Conforto in left field. That doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a better than average center fielder in the majors. If the Mets sign Cepedes then Nimmo will be blocked in the minors in 2016. If Cepedes isn’t signed, and Lagares starts off slow in 2016 then I can see Nimmo, a left handed batter, taking some at bats away from Lagares by mid season.
It is nice to have some position depth in the high minors.
Nimmo has had difficulties adjusting at every new minor league level. He did manage those adjustments, but my point is: who is going to wait and invest PA’s in him at the major league level? I’m guessing the answer is “not the Mets.”
If he experiences the same trouble at the major league level he probably won’t kill the offense in the process; one thing that he has consistently done is take the bases on balls, so it’s not like he has been an out making machine. But it’s becoming clear he won’t be much of a power threat either. With the window of opportunity for this Mets team wide open, will the Mets wait around to see a .270 hitter with a pretty high OBP find himself?
Excellent question.
Juan Lagares will likely require Tommie John surgery so he will not be the Mets centerfielder in 2016 and will possibly miss part of 2017 too. I doubt the Mets will resign Cespedes as he will be too costly since they already paid a fortune for Wright, Cuddyer and Grandson. I think Wright and d”Arnaud need to work on seeing if they can acclimatize to playing in the outfield. Travis is delicate and David has a very serious spinal problem which should really preclude him from playing third base. Both David and the Mets have to consider how hard third base play can be especially with opposing players crashing into 3B, and the third baseman often having to cover home plate. If I was David Wright I would definitely try left or right field. Hopefully Wright will not be shades of Daniel Murphy or Lucas Duda, and will accustom himself to what I think may be a career resuscitating move for him. David cannot crash into walls or have a collision with other outfielders, and we have already seen Conforto crash into Cespedes several times. Personally, I would like to see Flores next year play 3rd base, with Herrera at 2nd and either TJ Rivera, Matt Reynolds or Gavin Cecchini at SS. Duda will be at 1st , Wiight hopefully in left or right with either Conforo in the other out position. Grandy, and Nimmo can share centerfield depending on who is pitching against the team. Michael Cuddyer can be a bat off the bench or a 4th or 5th outfielder who also plays 1st and has played 3rd base in the past. I think Grandy and Cuddy plus Wright will be essential in helping youngsters like Nimmo, Conforto and either Rivera, Reynolds or Cecchini adjust comfortably to playing in the Major Leagues as well as being comfortable playing a Citified for the Mets. The rotation should be great but they will need to import 1 or 2 left-handers, and a much more adept righty. It seems like the new age of baseball is demanding that players become more versatile therefore players like d’Arnaud need to work on mastering other positions. Niuewenhuis would be much more valuable if the played 1st base. I say since there is winter ball Wright, Niuewnhuis and d’Aranud need to learn other positions.
While we are desiphering the Mets outfield depth, Kirk Neuweinheis needs to be kept in mind. Kirkkk said that he learned something about keeping his hands higher in the Angels organization. In 45 July plate appearances for the best team in the world, he had a slash of .317/.404/.634. Small sample, but we haven’t seen that for an entire month from Kirk in several calendars. If Cespedes feels loved and stays, an outfield of Cespedes, Conforto, Neuweinheis, and Granny would be a strong unit. I would feel that if Lagares is healthy, he will be traded if they resign Cespedes. Not just to clear contract (we have been trained to think Couponian), but why have the best defensive center fielder in baseball if you are going to put him in right? Also, besides dealing Lagares, if they can move Cuddyer, Johnson could be the #5 guy until Nimmo is ready in July. It all stems on what Cespedes does because if Cespedes leaves, then we will have our old alignment. Bummer.
I am really enjoying the *right-now* so don’t want to spend too much thought toward 2016 and beyond. In the old blogging days, that’s all we had: a look toward the kids in Brooklyn, a dream about future rotations, and so on. Now we have actual games that matter. It’s here. Now. How wonderful.
As for the issues raised:
* I like Herrera at 2B. It’s where the Mets will need to make a tough decision with Flores, since they will need an insurance policy. A terrific super-sub; but in order to go with Herrera, he can’t be yanked around after ever bad weekend.
* They won’t sign Cespedes. I just don’t see that.
* I do think SA would love to upgrade CF, though my suspicion is that Nimmo would not field that position very well. Another tough call.
* From what I know of Johnson, he’s a guy who wants a bigger role. During a pennant chase, he’ll fit in and stay silent. But as a free agent, I suspect that he would prefer to find a place where he’ll be offering more playing time.
The only reason Cuddyer has been a starting OF is because of the couponian effect you soeak of. regardless of his salary, he’s best suited to. DH/pinch hitter/backup 1st base role and should not block Conforto or Nimmo next year.
If Nimmo can come up soon, it would be great to see Conforto and Nimmo in the same outfield. They would provide two new faces that could change the face of New York. I’m very excited to say the least.