Top Mets Prospects By Position: Shortstop is Strong

At the big league level, the Mets have one of the league’s best shortstops in Francisco Lindor. The superstar ranked ninth in bWAR (6.0) and seventh in fWAR (6.0) among position players in 2023. Deservedly so, Lindor is set to be the Mets’ shortstop through the 2031 season after signing a 10-year, $341 million extension in 2021. Still, the Mets have prioritized organizational depth at the position and have compiled a group of shortstop prospects that should leave fans optimistic for the future.

In The Bigs

Francisco Lindor, Joey Wendle

In the past two seasons with the Mets, Lindor has played in 324 of a total of 327 games (including the postseason). Unless he gets hurt, expect him to play every day at shortstop in 2024. That hasn’t stopped new president of baseball operations David Stearns from acquiring major league depth, however. Joey Wendle played in 112 games with the Marlins in 2023, playing only shortstop despite being able to play all around the infield.

Wendle was a 2021 All-Star in Tampa Bay but was abhorrent at the plate during the past few seasons in Miami. As of now, he’s likely the first option to fill in at shortstop in the case of a Lindor injury. David Stearns also claimed shortstop Zack Short off waivers from the Tigers, and he is another option to replace Lindor if need be. Short, in his rookie season in 2023, actually had better results at the plate than Wendle did. Still, both options are underwhelming and not starter-worthy players.

The Mets would be in better shape at the backup shortstop position with Ronny Mauricio, who was expected to fill that role in 2024. However, Mauricio suffered a torn ACL during Dominican Winter League play and will miss the entire 2024 season.

All prospect rankings are used from Metsminors.net upcoming list. 

Prospects On The Farm

No. 1: Jett Williams

Age: 20
Height/Weight: 5’6″, 175 lbs
Acquired: 2022 MLB Amateur Draft, 14th overall selection
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 1st

According to many prospect rankings, including Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus, Jett Williams is the best prospect in the Mets organization. Despite being drafted three picks after fellow Mets prospect Kevin Parada in 2022, Williams has enjoyed more success so far and has given the Mets plenty of reason for optimism about his future.

The 20-year-old stands just 5’6″ but possesses elite plate discipline, plus speed, and is a solid contact hitter. Williams impressed in rookie ball in his first pro action in 2022, recording a .803 OPS, but he really broke out in 2023. Across three levels, including Double-A, Williams recorded a .876 OPS, 45 stolen bases, and 104 walks, which was the second-most among all minor leaguers in 2023. Williams was especially dominant in High-A Brooklyn, where he posted a slash of .299/.451/.567/1.018 in 36 games. Williams was later promoted to Double-A Binghamton during the team’s Eastern League playoff run, where he struggled in a very small sample size (.580 OPS in 26 plate appearances).

The biggest question for the future of Jett Williams, is where does he play defensively going forward? During the 2023 season, was his defense from the shortstop position, committing 23 errors and recording a .918 fielding percentage across all three minor league levels he played in. Williams, though, played 21 games in center field and had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. With Lindor locked in at shortstop on the major league team for the foreseeable future, Williams’ future may very well be in center field.

The Mets have said Williams will focus on center field and shortstop this spring, though he could also see time at second base.

Williams should begin the 2024 season back in Double-A Binghamton but should see Triple-A Syracuse and potentially the major league squad before the season is up.

No. 2: Luisangel Acuña

Age: 21
Height/Weight: 5’8″, 181 lbs
Acquired: Trade in 2023 via Rangers (Max Scherzer)
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 3rd

Adding the brother of the reigning National League MVP at the 2023 trade deadline was a big-time acquisition for the Mets. Not only because of his relation to Ronald Acuña Jr., but because of his top-100 prospect status and potential to develop into an impactful big league player. In order to nab Luisangel Acuña, the Mets had to send the Rangers future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer and a significant amount of cash.

Acuña has only played in 37 games in the Mets organization, but his tenure is off to a rocky start, to say the least. In 167 plate appearances in Double-A Binghamton, he recorded two home runs, 12 RBIs, 15 stolen bases and a slash of .243/.317/.304/.622. Prior to his trade, however, Acuña impressed in Double-A Frisco where, in 84 games, he recorded seven home runs, 51 RBIs, 42 stolen bases, and a slash of .315/.377/.453/.830. Pretty obvious when looking at his stats, he is very speedy and a fantastic baserunner, as he recorded 57 stolen bases while only getting caught 10 times in 2023.

Acuña’s other skills that make him a top prospect are his ability to hit for contact and his fielding ability. With the Mets, he excelled at both shortstop and second base defense, and he has also dabbled in center field in the past while still a member of the Rangers organization. The Mets’ ability to utilize him at different positions beyond shortstop is certainly valuable to them, and it’s likely that Acuña sticks at second base long-term. He will focus on second base and shortstop this spring, though reps in center field are possible too.

Where Acuña lacks most is in the power department, which is what most limits his potential. His season high in home runs is 12, which he recorded in 2021 in Low-A ball. Additionally, his season-high slugging percentage is only .455, and he currently sits at a career .418 slugging percentage. More power can certainly come with age and maturity, but it would be best to temper any expectations that he could develop the power his brother has.

Look for Acuña to start the 2024 season in Triple-A Syracuse, where he will be only one step away from the majors. Notably, he is already on the Mets’ 40-man roster.

No. 3: Marco Vargas

Age: 18

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 170 lbs

Acquired: Trade in 2023 via Marlins (David Robertson)

2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 6th

Marco Vargas was another midseason acquisition by the 2023 Mets, heading over from the Marlins with catcher prospect Ronald Hernandez for closer David Robertson. Vargas was considered by many to be the prize of the deal for the Mets, and there’s a lot to like about him.

The 18-year-old held a .899 OPS with the Marlins’ rookie-ball affiliate prior to the trade before struggling with the Mets’ rookie-ball affiliate to the tune of a .666 OPS. What stood out most about Vargas’ game in 2023 was his eye; over a total of 250 plate appearances from rookie ball to Low-A St. Lucie, he walked 53 times while only striking out 38 times. Vargas finished the year with a .432 on-base percentage and a .821 OPS despite his struggles in 15 games with the Mets of the Florida Complex League.

Vargas finished the 2023 season in Low-A ball, where he actually fared better than he had with the FCL Mets, albeit in a smaller sample size. In six games and 31 plate appearances in St. Lucie, he recorded a slash of .308/.419/.308/.727. As you can tell by his slugging percentage, Vargas is not a power hitter by any means and has just four career home runs in 471 plate appearances. Of course, he is still just 18, but his eye and his ability to hit for contact are his calling cards.

Vargas was listed as a player who just missed multiple 100 prospects lists that recently came out, including Baseball Prospectus.

Defensively, Vargas has played all over the infield during his young career, but he has found the most success at second base while struggling mightily at third base. The Mets played him most at second base after he was acquired, but they could absolutely use him up the middle at both positions if they need to. He will play both positions, and maybe some more third base, for the St. Lucie Mets in 2024.

No. 4: Colin Houck

Age: 19
Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 lbs
Acquired: 2023 MLB Amateur Draft, 32nd overall selection
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 9th

The Mets’ selection of Colin Houck with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft was praised by baseball experts, many of whom had Houck pegged as a top-10 or top-15 prospect in the class. The prep shortstop from Georgia signed with the Mets and had a brief pro debut in 2023.

Houck played in just nine games and had 36 plate appearances for the FCL Mets, a sample size too small to draw any initial conclusions. He finished the year with a slash of .241/.389/.310/.699, recording seven walks and eight strikeouts. He also played all over the infield, but struggled a bit at third base and shortstop. Again, though, his sample size from 2023 is so small that there’s no real concern there. The 19-year-old will continue to grow and get more comfortable with experience.

After selecting Houck, Mets’ director of amateur scouting, Drew Toussaint, spoke about what stood out to the club: “[He’s] an athletic kid. We like the hit tool… We like the defensive ability. We think he has a chance to develop some power. We’re real excited.”

Houck will likely begin the 2024 season in Low-A St. Lucie with the chance to advance through the minor league system if he develops the way the Mets hope he will.

No. 5: Jeremy Rodriguez

Age: 17
Height/Weight: 6’0″, 170 lbs
Acquired: Trade in 2023 via Diamondbacks (Tommy Pham)
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 11th

To many fans, Jeremy Rodriguez was a head-scratching acquisition at the 2023 trade deadline. The Mets dealt Tommy Pham, arguably the best bat on the market, for a teenage shortstop with a .740 OPS in the Dominican Summer League. Needless to say, many Mets fans believed they should have gotten more for Pham.

In his brief stint with the Mets’ Dominican Summer League team, however, Rodriguez proved many fans wrong. In 13 games and 56 plate appearances, Rodriguez recorded a whopping slash of .422/.536/.711/1.247. In that time, he also walked 11 times while striking out just four times.

Like many of the other entries on this list, Rodriguez also saw time at second base defensively but he primarily played shortstop, logging 88 of his 99 defensive innings with the Mets at that position. In those 88 innings, Rodriguez recorded three errors and a .927 fielding percentage.

A trade that seemed underwhelming to some at the time could very well prove to be game-changing for the Mets. Of course, it’ll take time for the 17-year-old to reach the major league level, but the Mets are hoping it pays off when he does.

No. 6: Jesus Baez

Age: 18
Height/Weight: 5’9″, 180 lbs
Acquired: 2022 International Free Agent Signing
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 17th

In the Mets’ 2022 international free agent class, Jesus Baez received a $275,000 signing bonus, which was the fourth highest among Mets signees. What drew the Mets to Baez was his bat speed and his ability to hit the ball hard. With that, the Mets have been hoping Baez can develop into a power-hitting shortstop.

So far in his brief minor league career, that hasn’t been the case. Baez made his pro debut in 2022 in the Dominican Summer League before playing with the FCL Mets in 2023. Across those two seasons, he has only recorded 377 plate appearances but has recorded just nine home runs. In just 2023, he hit two home runs in 160 plate appearances while slashing .210/.306/.333/.640. However, Baez continued to be one of the top players in the Mets’ lower levels in exit velocity and has one of the strongest arms in the system.

Baez hasn’t burst onto the scene yet, but he is still just 18-years-old with limited pro experience. He has plenty of time to develop his power and the other facets of his game that the Mets remain excited about.

No. 7: Diego Mosquera

Age: 19
Height/Weight: 5’9″, 156 lbs
Acquired: 2021 International Free Agent Signing
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 36th

Diego Mosquera was an international signee in 2021, when he signed the second-highest signing bonus in the Mets’ class at $400,000. Mosquera is a different type of prospect from Baez, where he is a better contact hitter with not much power potential. In fact, in 366 pro plate appearances, he has yet to hit a home run and has just 13 extra-base hits.

Still, Mosquera impressed in his pro debut in 2021, when he hit .326 and recorded a .431 on-base percentage in 109 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League. Unfortunately, though, Mosquera missed the entire 2022 season due to a torn labrum, causing him to focus on recovering instead of developing his game.

Mosquera spent the 2023 season between the FCL Mets and Low-A St. Lucie, where he recorded a .638 OPS at both stops. In rookie ball, Mosquera had a better average and slugging percentage but had a higher on-base percentage in St. Lucie. Primarily a shortstop, Mosquera has played all over the infield and will likely be a starting shortstop or second baseman in St. Lucie to begin 2024. Wherever he plays, Mosquera is likely the best defensive player on the field.

No. 8: Cristopher Larez

Age: 18
Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 lbs
Acquired: 2023 International Free Agent Signing
2024 MMN Prospect Rank: 39th

One of the Mets’ top international signees in the 2023 class, the first pro season for Cristopher Larez seemed to be going well. In 97 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League, the then-17-year-old Larez slashed .274/.351/.405/.755.

On August 21, however, Larez’s season lost most of its legitimacy when it was announced that he would be suspended 56 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Larez has received positive reviews about his ability to hit for contact and for the potential to develop power as he matures. When he returns from suspension, the Mets will be hoping he can learn from it and continue to develop the way they hope he can.

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