New York Mets: Projecting the Mets positional lineup for 2019

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New York Mets. Jay Bruce and Amed Roasrio (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

First Base: Jay Bruce

I’m sure every Mets fan will want to see Peter Alonso here but that might take some more time.

The Mets season is completely over this season and they still don’t want to bring up Alonso who can only benefit from Major league ABs even if he struggles. They clearly don’t think he is ready though.

So for next season, the Mets don’t have many great first base options. Dominic Smith is moving all around trying to find a spot. Wilmer Flores is more of a utility player than everyday first baseman, and he is up for salary arbitration this winter.

Jay Bruce is under contract next season and is slated $19 million dollars. They need to find a spot for him and with a congested outfield it seems like his best option is first base.

Last offseason, Jay Bruce looked to be a great signing. He has had weird foot injuries this season that seemed to have made him struggle this whole season. The Mets will look for him to bounce back in 2019 and his spot to do it in might be at first base.

Second Base: Jeff McNeil

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With a bigger sample size, we will know more about Jeff McNeil but in the 156 at-bats he’s had this season he has not disappointed.

He is hitting .340 with an OPS of .891 with 16 RBIs and only 15 strikeouts to 10 walks.

He seems to have been a spark plug for the Mets. Just with the eye test he looks like a legit MLB player.

There were some questions about his defense but it doesn’t seem like he has struggled much defensively.

With the Mets not having much luck with position player prospects, he seems to have been one that might last a little with the squad.

Look for McNeil to begin the season with the club and continue to provide a spark for the offense.

Shortstop: Amed Rosario

Rosario has been a topic of discussion for a while.

A top prospect in all of MLB, Mets fans were expecting an immediate impact to this lineup.

Now, he has shown flashes since 2017 when he started here, but nothing breath-taking for Mets fans.

In 2017, with 165 at-bats, Rosario only managed a .248 batting average with four doubles, triples and home runs, 10 RBIs and an OPS of .665.

In 2018, he raised his batting average to .253 with 24 doubles, double the amount of homer runs and triples to his 2017 totals, and 46 RBIs.

But, whats most encouraging about his stats is his second half of 2018 he has increased his batting average from .246 to .264, cut his strikeouts down by 25 and his OPS has increased by almost .030.

Hopefully, his uptick in his second half production can carry into 2019 and he can become the prospect he was touted to be.

Third Base: Todd Frazier

Pre Arbitration, the Mets have two third basemen under contract. One of them announced that he will retire as of September 13th and the other is Todd Frazier.

With David Wright retiring and Todd Frazier getting paid $9 million dollars, it seems inevitable that he will be the everyday third baseman.

Battling injuries, Frazier managed only a .224 batting average with 17 homer runs 57 RBIs and an OPS of .713.

Now on a competing for a World Series, Frazier might be a comparable bat that might get platooned based on matchup.

But, the Mets need more than that he needs to be a big bat in the lineup that provides power numbers.

Yet, turning 33 next season his prime years are behind him.

Hopefully, the Mets can strike gold next season and Frazier can have a season like his 2014-2015 days as an All-Star.

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