Mets Will Reportedly Add Scouts To Increase Live Evaluation

The New York Mets farm system has done a good job of supplying a steady stream of talent to the big club, but the scouting department hasn’t exactly followed suit, so the Mets will be beefing up that part of their operation, according to a report from Will Sammon of The Athletic. 

The move is interesting but necessary, as the Mets have four professional scouts who hunt for talent  and information in the majors, minors, foreign and independent leagues. But it also comes at a time when many teams are cutting back on their scouting departments to use more video material, and the Mets are hoping they additions lead to more in-person scouting. 

There’s a bit of follow-the-leader going on here as well. The Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers boast the two largest pro scouting departments in MLB, per Sammon, as they both employ at least 15 scouts to compile reports on opposing teams ahead of matchups and profile particular players for potential transactions. 

Both organizations blend analytical models with in-person scouting, which makes a lot more sense than what the Mets and many other teams have been doing. One thing that both owner Steve Cohen and GM David Stearns have mentioned is evaluating players for prospective injury issues, which is something that definitely wasn’t done sufficiently with additions like center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and infielder Jorge Polanco. 

The real problem the Mets face is that there’s a right way and a wrong way to do this kind of thing. One example would be starter Freddy Peralta, who benefitted from a simple shift out of the windup after he was traded to the Rays. The result was a different pitcher who’s been starring in the ALCS, and this change apparently never occurred to Mets coaches, scouts and evaluators.

Another good example would be former first base coach Antoan Richardson, who was a revelation when the Mets tasked him with improving the base running across their farm system. Richardson helped outfielder Juan Soto steal almost 40 bases, but the Mets let Richardson leave to go to the Atlanta Braves. 

The dropoff was dramatic. Soto’s stolen base number cratered, and rookie A.J. Ewing was thrown out repeatedly after succeeding on the base paths in his run through the minors. Base running gaffes were frequent this season, with shortstop Francisco Lindor leading the pack there. 

It makes sense for the Mets to make this kind of change, but a simple “me too” approach will get the Mets more of the same if all they’re doing is adding scouting bodies.