The New York Mets have made quite a few good moves this offseason. However, one insider for the club did not give hire marks for one particular move. Especially since he believes that player could be replaced by a top prospect during the season.
This has been a productive last couple of months for the Mets. The club entered the offseason with quite a few holes in their pitching staff. They responded to those issues by signing three starting pitchers, including bringing back fan-favorite Sean Manea. They also added reliever AJ Minter and re-signed Ryne Stanek.
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However, their biggest move of the fall and winter was luring superstar outfielder Juan Soto away from the New York Yankees with a record-shattering $765 million contract. Yet, maybe the most important decision to diehard fans was finally coming to terms on a new two-year deal with homegrown All-Star Pete Alonso this week.
On Thursday, SNY MLB insider John Harper graded the New York Mets various moves this offseason. Unsurprisingly, the Soto and Alonso signings earned A’s. However, one move in particular scored a C because he thinks that player will just be a “placeholder” in 2025 until one of their top prospects is ready to be called up.
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“David Stearns essentially got a low-cost replacement for Harrison Bader, as Jose Siri profiles as a superb defensive center fielder who doesn’t hit much,” Harper wrote. “The 29-year-old does have some pop — 25 home runs in 2023 and 18 last season — but he hit only .187 with a .255 on-base percentage in ’24 as well.
“Ideally for the Mets, Siri turns out to be something of a placeholder in center field until a top prospect such as Jett Williams or Drew Gilbert plays well enough in the minors to force his way into the big leagues at some point.”
Williams and Gilbert were only behind pitcher Brandon Sproat in MLB.com’s final Mets minor league rankings for 2024. Williams ranked at 45 and Gilbert at 53 on the site’s rankings of the 100 best prospects in baseball. The pair of youngsters dealt with injuries in 2024 but both have generated a lot of buzz by reaching Triple-A in 2024.
If either could work their way to the main roster and push Siri to the bench this season, that would be fantastic news for the New York Mets’ short and long-term future.