by The Major League draft is the most challenging in all of professional sports, and as a result, you rarely see sure bets anywhere in the draft. For proof of that, you need not look any further than Ken Griffey, Jr. being the only first overall draft pick to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. As Mets fans well know, Griffey was inducted the same year as Mike Piazza, who became the lowest ever drafted player to make the Hall of Fame.
Realistically speaking, while you are looking for your franchise’s next superstar, your organization will have done well in the draft if your first round pick in any draft is a solid contributor at the Major League level. In order to ascertain if a player can in fact do that, they are going to have to play. That makes the Mets handling of their first round draft picks so ponderous.
Recent reports had the Mets unwilling to trade Brandon Nimmo for Andrew McCutchen, and they also may not be willing to trade him for Josh Harrison. While you understand the Mets wanting to hold onto a player that plays as hard as Nimmo and who has the ability to get on base, you have to ask when he is going to play. With an oufield of Yoenis Cespedes–Michael Conforto–Jay Bruce locked in for the next three years, Nimmo will be a bench player for the next three seasons. Therefore, before he gets a real chance to prove himself, he will be 27 years old, out of options, and a year away from free agency.
The refusal to trade for Harrison is all the more baffling when you consider the Mets will not give Gavin Cecchini at least a chance to compete for a spot in Spring Training. Instead, it seems the team is holding it against him that he struggled at the plate in a year when he was learning a new defensive position.
Another first round pick likely joining Cecchini in Triple-A next year after not getting a realistic shot at competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster in Spring Training is Dominic Smith. There is no arguing Smith fell out of shape last season or that he struggled in his MLB debut. However, Smith took a major step forward offensively in Triple-A last year, and he has been focused on his diet and training this offseason. His reward for trying to get better and learn from his mistakes was getting blocked at first base next year by an Adrian Gonzalez, who has back issues, struggled at the plate, and is reportedly not a positive influence in the clubhouse.
Considering Nimmo, Cecchini, and Smith all started the year in Triple-A last year, you would expect each of them to at least compete for a spot on the Major League roster this year. That goes double when the Mets entered the offseason with openings at first, second, and center. Instead, the Mets are opting to block these players from even competing, and they’re being reticent to include them in deals.
Ultimately, this all makes you question what exactly is the plan for these players if the team won’t play them or trade them.
