Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
With the acquisition of the right hand Jordan Yamamoto Miami Marlins on Monday, as well as preliminary interest in the former Atlanta Brave Mike Foltynewicz, the Mets continues to focus on its pitch depth.
This has been a topic for New York during the off-season, as they have quietly made some astute acquisitions to help with the initial spins and bullpens at the major league level, as well as at the upper levels of the minors.
The Mets parted ways with the minor league field player Federico Polanco to get Yamamoto, and just a few days ago, turned left-handed Steven Matz to Toronto Blue Jays for a trio of right-handed pitchers Sean Reid-Foley and Yennsy Diaz.
In addition, this winter, the team added righties Jacob Barnes, Sam McWilliamsand Stephen Tarpley as well as lefties Aaron Loup and Joey Lucchesi to the list of 40 men alone. Not to mention the guys they took as invitations not on the list, like ex-Phillie Jerad Eickhoff, highly praised former prospect Oscar De La Cruz and the former Atlanta Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino.
This is certainly a 180 degree turn from where they were in the previous season, where righties Walker Lockett, Corey Oswalt and Ariel Jurado were the extension of the depth options.
What is even more important is that many of these acquisitions come with options for team control and secondary leagues.
Yamamoto is qualified to become a free agent for the first time in 2027. Reid-Foley in 2025. Lucchesi in 2025.
The previous regime often mortgaged the agricultural system for large marginal leagues and came back to bite them. When ownership changed hands for Steve Cohen and the team, they were left without much reinforcement at the upper levels of the minors.
Overall, the team’s farm system needs to be replenished as a whole, but team president Sandy Alderson has done a solid job in choosing young players flexibly, without sacrificing unknown or emerging products.
