Minor League Mondays: Which Mets' Prospects Could Be Moved Before The Deadline?

If you are invested in minor league baseball, the period leading up to the trade deadline can be a roller coaster ride. Teams that are sellers have a chance to land talented young players who could become big league difference makers in the next few years, while the buyers have to give up these pieces in pursuit of a title this season. With the New York Mets solidly in the latter camp, this week's edition of Minor League Mondays will take a look at which prospects could be on the move prior to Thursday's deadline.

Could Drew Gilbert be on the move this week?

The Mets have already started wheeling and deadling, sending out two prospects to Baltimore to land lefty reliever Gregory Soto. The most notable name of the two is RHP Wellington Aracena, who was the 19th-rated prospect in the Mets' system and is now in the same slot on Baltimore's list of their top 30 prospects according to MLB.com. While Aracena was having a breakthrough year for Low-A St. Lucie, he is still at least three years away from contributing to a big league team, which is the kind of piece most contenders prefer to deal when acquiring rentals.

The Mets' farm system is improving from its decline at the end of the Wilpon era and has good depth in the form of young pitchers and position players who play up the middle, which are often the most coveted pieces for sellers to acquire. Each team also has a list of "untouchable" players who are not up for discussion in your typical deadline deal, and the Mets' list of untouchables likely includes their top four prospects (infielder Jett Williams, outfielder Carson Benge as well as pitchers Jonah Tong and Carson Benge) and infielder Elian Pena, who the team gave a $5 million signing bonus to in the international free agent market.

Brandon Sproat is just below that tier, but he is likely only available if the Mets are able to land the type of elite young starter under team control who could fill a need for many years. Minnesota's Joe Ryan fits that kind of bill, but it remains to be seen if the Twins will commit the type of sell-off that could warrant parting with someone as talented as Sproat. Otherwise, unless something dramatic happens like the Pittsburgh Pirates deciding to move Paul Skenes, the untouchables are not going anywhere.

The rest of the Mets' organizational Top 10 includes players with promise that could be moved in the right deal, such as outfielder Drew Gilbert, first baseman Ryan Clifford, outfielder A.J. Ewing, third baseman Jacob Reimer and starting pitcher Blade Tidwell. The case of Gilbert is curious since the Mets have had a need in center field for a while but have not given him a look at the major league level, suggesting that he is someone President of Baseball Operations David Stearns may not believe is a long-term answer for the team.

Drew Gilbert chatted with Mark Rosenman earlier this month.

If the Mets believe Gilbert's ceiling is as a fourth outfielder, it may make sense why they have left him in the minor leagues this long - as a way to preserve his trade value. Gilbert is the kind of young player that is close to the majors that a seller could want, making him a player to watch in a deal for either a top-flight rental or a player with more club control. The Mets also have to add Gilbert to the 40-man roster this year to avoid losing him in the Rule V draft, so if the Mets don't acquire another center fielder at the deadline (or move Gilbert for a different player) he may get a crack at the big league level before long.

Clifford has been on a power tear for Binghamton but there are questions about where he fits long-term with the Mets, who have to make a decision about Pete Alonso's future after this season, when the Polar Bear will presumably opt out of his two-year deal. If Alonso stays in New York, which is the expectation at the moment, Clifford's best path to the majors is blocked, meaning the Mets either have to plan on him being a DH or shop him for a piece that is a better fit.

Reimer has risen up prospect lists this year and has played a strong third base in the minors, but the position is loaded with candidates currently playing at the big league level. If one of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio or Mark Vientos seizes the gig in the second half (or if Stearns believes one of them can grab the job), Reimer could be a player who gets moved, especially if it helps the Mets land a starting pitcher who could headline their rotation.

Tidwell and Ewing are interesting cases as intriguing prospects with big league futures who are behind other minor leaguers at their respective positions (Tidwell falls behind the Mets' top three starting pitchers in the system while Ewing is in the middle of the diamond position glut with Williams, Benge, Gilbert and others). If the Mets do end up swinging a bigger trade, these are the types of players who could be a significant part of a return package.

Anyone outside the Top 10 in the Mets' system (minus Pena, who is a special case) would be the type of player who gets moved in a deal for a typical rental, like a set-up reliever or a center fielder like Cedric Mullins. The Mets would largely prefer to move players further away from the majors since they are going to be less helpful for a team trying to win now than a player who is at least at AA, who could be a factor as soon as next season.

Don't be shocked if there are names you don't recognize in deadline deals since most major outlets don't devote a ton of coverage to the lowest levels of the minor leagues. While that teenage right-hander in the Florida Complex League may not seem like a big deal now, sellers are hoping that getting that player into their system can lead to a gem down the road.

In short, unless the Mets are making a big splash for an ace, don't expect any sort of Pete Crow-Armstrong sticker shock with the prospect names being moved. Some of the prospects in the back of the Mets' organizational Top 10 could be moved in the right situation, but Stearns seems more likely to pursue the types of pieces that will have acquisition costs like Gregory Soto instead of the infamous Javier Baez trade Zack Scott made in 2021.