The New York Mets have a lot going on this spring training, and it’s not just about one player. Last year a lot of the focus was on new outfielder Juan Soto, but this spring there are new players all over the field.
As such, first impressions become far more important, and Anthony DiComo of MLB.com offered his after pitchers and catchers reported this week. Some were surprising, so let’s dig in and see what he observed and how it might matter going forward.
Start with pitcher Kodai Senga, who was suppposed to be an afterthought this spring, if he was even with the team at all. Senga was popular in a lot of trade rumors after the season ended, and many Mets fans assumed he’d be gone by now. But Senga hit 92 mph on the radar gun this week, and manager Carlos Mendoza mentioned it during one of his media briefings.
Mendoza was also hands-on with new infielder Bo Bichette during his first day, which is very noteworthy given that the Mets are asking him to play a new position he’s never handled before. Bichette is a shortstop by trade, of course, and the transition to third is one of the biggest issues the Mets have this spring.
“Part of the transition, even when he’s just taking regular ground balls, is realizing how much time he has compared to the shortstop position,” said Mendoza, who played both positions in the minors himself. “The ball’s going to get to you a lot quicker. You’ve got more time than you think [to throw].”
Speaking of time, the Mets are winding back the clock a little when it comes to their roster possibilities. They had four Top 10 prospects in the clubhouse this week to go with six of their Top 30 pitchers, with the names including the likes of outfielder Carson Benge, Nick Morabito and first baseman Ryan Clifford. DiComo said it’s easy to spot the position players, who engage in spirited games of mini-basketball before their workouts.
The Mets are also doing some restructuring in their facilities. They’ve finally renovated the back fields in their complex at Port St. Lucie, and anyone who’s ever been to Mets spring training knows just how antiquated they are. This is one of those “it’s about time” changes that should have come long ago given the amount of money the Mets are investing in prospects and player development.