Meet the 5 unsung Mets players who have made a good impression this spring
Two of the glaring needs with a little more than two weeks to go until the beginning of the Mets' season are backup infield and help in the back of the bullpen.
But as manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns will often say, it is going to take a lot more than 26 men to work through the MLB's 162-game marathon. That's where the depth of the team's roster comes into play.
And these five unheralded players have presented themselves well through the first month of spring training in the Sunshine State:
Position: Relief pitcher
The 27-year-old right-hander admitted that initially he was not thrilled to have to make the transition from starting pitcher to bullpen arm but is getting used to the adjustment. It could be his gateway to returning to the major leagues for the first time since 2022.
"You have to be ready from pitch one," Kranick said. "In the bullpen, get hot and use some of your best bullets out there to prep and be ready. That was an adjustment early."
Kranick, who saw his competition for a starting role sidetracked by a hamstring injury last spring, has turned heads early in spring, with a fastball that sits in the upper-90s. Now viewed as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen, Kranick has tossed seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and four hits allowed.
Position: Outfielder
While there might be a logjam of outfielders on the Mets' major league roster, with Jesse Winker and Starling Marte likely to regularly occupy designated hitter roles, Azocar has been arguably the most productive outfielder, sans Juan Soto, this spring.
The 28-year-old Venezuela native, who was claimed off waivers by the Mets last September, is tied for the team lead with 10 spring training games played. Entering Monday night, he's 8-for-21 (.381) with one home run, six RBI, five runs and a stolen base.
With the health of both Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte worth monitoring, Azocar could sneak his way into consideration as a replacement down the line. In 214 major-league games across three seasons with the Padres, Azocar is a lifetime .243 hitter.
Position: First baseman
Since breaking through into the major leagues as a 30-year-old with the Nationals in 2022, Meneses has seen a somewhat steady decline in his offensive numbers over the last two seasons.
His struggles in 2024 — he slashed .231/.291/.302 in 76 games — landed him back in Triple-A Rochester.
Meneses has proven that he can have success at the major league level, evidenced by his .930 OPS in 56 games in 2022. He could provide a safety valve behind Alonso at first base or designated hitter. After a late arrival to spring, Meneses is 3-for-9 and highlighted Saturday night's win with a three-run home run and a highlight-reel catch in front of the Mets' dugout.
Position: Relief pitcher
Gose is an interesting character to keep an eye on. The 34-year-old, who broke into the major leagues as an outfielder, has reinvented himself into a pitcher over the last decade.
The southpaw is still looking to make an impression at the major league level despite steady production at the Triple-A level. Last season, Gose recorded a 5-4 record and 3.22 ERA with 10 saves, 10 holds and 59 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings for Triple-A Columbus.
The former second-round pick has pitched in 31 major league games across three seasons with a 4.78 lifetime ERA. So far this spring, Gose has tossed four scoreless innings with four strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP.
Position: Relief pitcher
If there's one thing that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns appreciates, it's relievers with some flexibility. The 29-year-old Zuber, who carries one more minor league option, could provide that for the Mets.
The righty joined the Mets organization following a trade from the Rays at the trade deadline but never debuted with the team. He struggled for Triple-A Syracuse, allowing 22 earned runs in 16 innings but appears to have gotten back on track this spring.
In three appearances, Zuber has tossed 3⅓ scoreless innings, striking out three and surrendering two hits and three walks. Zuber managed to keep the Marlins off the board despite tendering three walks in his spring debut.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Standout players for team at spring training 2025
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