NASHVILLE, Tenn. — David Stearns seemingly made a statement this week about “playing the kids” and prioritizing the future when he announced that the Mets’ third baseman already was on the roster.
The president of baseball operations would not cite a front-runner among Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos. But he talked about the value of energy provided by youngsters and education delivered to the front office by going with the unproven. And, in this area, he said recently signed veteran Joey Wendle is a utilityman and no outside starter would be obtained.
But when it comes to third base, there also was a bit of canniness to offering this opportunity. Essentially because what are the other choices?
Stearns likes free agent Matt Chapman, a source said. However, the Mets are not going to do a big multiyear deal with a high-end defender, but also a high-strikeout, low-average hitter who will play at 31 next year. And if you eliminate that free agent, who else exactly should the Mets go get? The Astros might trade lefty starter Framber Valdez, but it is hard to believe they would actually part with Alex Bregman, who is free after the 2024 season anyway and, thus, does not match the Mets’ current longer-term objectives.
Jeimer Candelario is not special enough to avoid learning about your own players in a year in which the Mets want to contend, but are not pedal-to-the-October-metal.
The only player who would make sense for the Mets to pursue would be the maneuverable Isaac Paredes, who mainly played third for the Rays last year, is only now arbitration eligible and is available for a haul.
Before you knee-jerk say the Mets are not in position to offer a haul as they try to grow their system for long-term sustainability, know that Stearns has made teams aware he is willing to use prospects to acquire players, but only those that have controllability beyond the 2024 season — and preferably for several years.
Because remember, these are not Stearns’ prospects. The first significant development for his system was learning Tuesday, via the draft lottery, that the Mets will pick 19th overall next July.
As for the system Stearns inherited, he wants to be cautious. He has beliefs about these prospects from his time with the Brewers. But he knows you only truly learn what you have firsthand, when they are yours.
Now they are his — and, yet, not. As opposed to players he picked with Milwaukee, Stearns took over a system that reflects the chaotic nature of the Mets. Since this is really no one’s system. Of the top 20 Mets prospects ranked by MLB.com, 13 came to the organization during Billy Eppler’s time running baseball operations, four from Zack Scott’s stint and one each from Sandy Alderson, Jared Porter and Brodie Van Wagenen.
The third-base contenders all graduated from prospect status by accumulating major league at-bats last year. But for their pedigree, Mauricio and Vientos came when Alderson was in charge and Van Wagenen drafted Baty.
This, therefore, does not reflect the vision and belief system of an individual, but more a Rorschach test of a system — a smattering of influences and confluences. It is, however, all Stearns’ now. Those in charge tend to overrate and protect their own. Every organization believes it has more prospects than other organizations believe.
But Stearns does not have history and emotional ties to this group to overinflate their value.
Still, without an obvious third-base veteran to step in, Stearns has his most obvious first vehicle to begin making big-picture decisions. He is going to let a game of Darwinian Hot Corner begin. He will hope for the energy of youth and the education offered by watching the inexperienced play. He is trying to do something big here — bring order to the Rorschach test.
