The last of my segment for Players I look Forward to is the MILB Deals. Which are players that I see as a good part of the Mets minor league depth.

Mallex Smith:

The Mets have added some outfield depth on major league deals in Almora and Pillar. The current bench is now fairly set and Mallex Smith isn’t on the projected bench. Still, it’s a good player to have if there is a need. The speedy outfielder is a very good center fielder and provides a lot of speed. His bat is light, but that’s also the case with Almora Jr. If the Mets need an outfielder who can play CF, Smith is the most likely candidate, especially with the Mets DFAing Guillermo Herredia.

Aroldys Vizcaino:

Yes, the former Braves closer is with the Mets this Spring. An under the radar pickup in the beginning of the offseason. Main issue is his health over the last couple of years. He has pitched just 4 innings since 2019. When healthy Vizcaino has been very good. In 2018, he pitched to a 2.11 ERA over 39.1 innings with a 1.17 WHIP. It’s obvious what to look for this spring in the 30 year old righty: Is he healthy?

Tommy Hunter:

A sneaky pickup as Hunter signed a MILB deal not long ago. Hunter had some solid numbers with the Phillies, pitching to a 4.01 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. He struck out 25 over 24.2 innings. There is no doubt that Hunter could be part of the Mets pen at some point this season.

Mike Montgomery:

One of my favorite minor league signings is Mike Montgomery. The lefty solidifies the Mets depth for not only a starters role, but also in the pen. He is a perfect example of an all type role pitchers and that gives the Mets some options if there is a need. He wasn’t great with limited innings in 2020 and his 2019 wasn’t great as well (4.95 ERA), but before that he was great in a swing role, which is exactly the role I like the signing for.

Photo by Anthony Dicomo via MLB.com