The New York Mets made a minor roster move on Monday, signing first baseman Jared Young to a Major League contract. But with the hot stove burning and MLB predictions flying, moves like this may be bigger than they seem.
Young compiled 62 career at bats between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, hitting .210 with a whopping 20 strikeouts. However his minor league numbers offer a much greater sample size and far better results. MLB Trade Rumors crunched the numbers from his last 1,402 minor league plate appearances, spanning four seasons, and he’s slashing .274/.370/.488 in that span with a 124 wRC+. Each of those numbers increases when accounting for only the last two years.
The Mets have open spots on their 40-man roster, so they do not need to make room for Young. He provides the team with some additional depth at first base as Pete Alonso’s future remains uncertain. If the Polar Bear does not return to Queens, Young can compete for the everyday first base job, which currently might belong to Mark Vientos.
Young is 29, but with less than a full year of service time, it’s possible that the Mets can control him for up to the next six years as they would any rookie. MLB Trade Rumors says it is unclear if that’s the case or if Young is on track to be a free agent next winter.
The Mets are still in the running for Pete Alonso
The move for Young could easily be looked at as insurance in case the Mets do not bring back Alonso — or even as the team conceding that it’s not going to happen.
But it sounds like the Mets and Alonso are still very much open to a reunion. Former Mets general manager Steve Phillips appeared on MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” show on Monday, where he said he would be “shocked” if he did not re-sign with the Mets.
“I think it is the right fit, and I don’t know if somebody will go beyond what the Mets are willing to do,” he said.
That’s been a common refrain in free agency during the Steve Cohen era. The Mets outbid everyone for Juan Soto by offering him more than $51 million a year and will already pay Francisco Lindor another $34.1 million in 2025. There’s no reason to think they’re not willing to cough up whatever it takes to keep Alonso, a two-time Home Run Derby winner and fan favorite.
Alonso made $20.5 million last year in arbitration and, while estimates are all over the place for what he could sign for in free agency, most projections have him earning between $26 and $30 million per year on his next contract.
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