by How the Mets construct their infield this offseason will have a lot to do with two things.
The first is the way in which the Juan Soto the draw takes place.
In a world where the Mets sign Soto, it stands to reason that they’ll be less likely to spend a ton on an outfielder (but you never know).
The second concerns what happens with Pete Alonsowhich could also be impacted by Soto.
If the Mets don’t do it bringing back Alonso would likely mean one of two things: signing a free agent first baseman to replace him or changing players. Marc Vientos at first base – a position he played 14 times in three big league seasons.
If the Mets TO DO To bring back Alonso, they could still possibly draft a third baseman, but that would require making Vientos the designated hitter.
Things could also change if New York negotiates Jeff McNeilwho is currently considered the starting second baseman.
Here are who the top five targets for the Mets infielders should be…
5. Jose Iglesias
We’ll start the list with a player who isn’t a big name and doesn’t profile as a starter, but should nonetheless be high on the Mets roster.
From Iglesias’ arrival last season until the end of the regular season, the Mets went 66-40 – the best record in baseball during that span. No, Iglesias didn’t single-handedly transform the Mets from a team destined for a losing season to a team that made a magical run to the NLCS.
But Iglesias’ arrival — after he fought hard to continue his MLB career after changing his approach at the plate — changed the mood. Iglesias’ song and subsequent OMG catchphrase became the Mets’ rallying cry, and his performance on both sides of the ball was incredibly important.
Although the Mets infield can be crowded when it comes to who starts, they don’t have anyone on their 40-man roster who profiles as a backup infielder capable of playing shortstop. short, second base and third base. Luisangel Acuña And Ronny Mauricio There might be options for that role later in their career, but if they make the team from the jump to 2025, it will likely be on a more regular basis.
4. Willy Adamès
Adames, who will begin his age-29 season in 2025, has a solid blend of power (he hit 24 or more home runs each of the last three seasons) and speed (he stole a career-high 21 bases in 2024).
His strikeout totals are a bit concerning, but haven’t really increased – and are still within an acceptable range.
The potential fit with the Mets isn’t the clearest, as Adames has played 860 of his 870 career big league games at shortstop (the other 10 have been at second base). But he would be willing to move from shortstop under the right circumstances.
President of Baseball Operations David Stearns knows Adames well from his time in Milwaukee, which could potentially benefit the Mets if they decide to pursue him.
3. Christian Walker
Walker is the only player on this list who would only fit if Alonso doesn’t return.
Entering his age-34 season, it shouldn’t take more than three years to land Walker, who has been one of the best offensive first basemen in baseball over the past three seasons.
From 2022-24, Walker slashed .250/.332/.481 (.813 OPS) with 95 homers, 87 doubles, 281 RBIs and 242 runs scored. He doesn’t strike out much either, with his highest strikeout total in a season during this span being 133.
Walker is also a truly elite defender at first base and has won Gold Glove awards in each of the last three seasons.
2. Alex Bregman
Bregman could fit into a scenario where the Mets re-sign Alonso (Bregman at third base, Vientos at DH) or where they don’t (Bregman at third base, Vientos at first base).
There are reports that Bregman could be looking to get a huge deal, and some projections have him getting as much as seven years and almost $200 million. If that’s where the bidding goes, the Mets should pass. But if Bregman’s deal is reasonable – around five years – it could make a lot of sense.
Bregman, who has never struck out more than 97 times in a season and has been one of the best hitters in the game for nearly a decade (and is a solid defender at third base), appears to be a better bet Adames, who is just a year younger and whose strikeout rate isn’t great.
If the Mets think Bregman’s relative decline in 2024 was a failure (he had a 118 OPS+ and lowest OBP since his rookie season), it might be wise to pounce. Associate Bregman with Francisco Lindor would give the Mets two of the best infielders in baseball.
1. Pete Alonso
While the Mets could possibly replace Alonso by sliding Vientos to first base, signing someone in free agency, or keeping first base warm until Ryan Clifford is hopefully ready in 2026, there’s really no good argument for doing so unless the Alonso market spirals out of control. That’s because Alonso is still a very good player with game-changing power and he took the field almost every game.
What’s also worth noting is that the bonds fans develop with certain players shouldn’t be ignored, and players who buy into the city and genuinely want to be a part of it are hard to find. The Mets already have one in Alonso.
What Alonso will get in terms of years and dollars remains to be seen, but it’s hard to see that it will be more (or argue that it will be more) than the $27 million annually Freeman signed with the Dodgers . Freeman signed that deal before his age-32 season and got six years. So it won’t be crazy if Scott Boras asks for a similar length for Alonso.
But, without any offensive intent towards Alonso, he’s not quite the complete offensive player that Freeman is. And he’s not the defender that Freeman is. So maybe a fair deal for Alonso would be around $125 million over five years.
