New York Mets: 10 Centerfielders they should have on their radar
By Ed Stein
8. Harold Ramirez (25) Marlins
What a steal for the Miami Marlins. Harold Ramirez was a minor league free agent last winter after he was let go by Toronto. He spent eight seasons in the minors with the Bucs and Jays, batting .303. It was his lack of power (34 home runs in 2319 at-bats) which held him back.
After a May call-up to Miami, Ramirez showed all he needed was a chance to play. The Cartagena, Columbia native hit .276 and drove in 50 runs, in 421 at-bats. His on-base percentage, however, was a disappointing .312 and struck out 97 times as a rookie. That should improve going forward as he sees more pitches at this level.
According to our “cousins” at Marlin Maniac, Magneuris Sierra has a good shot at Miami’s 2020 opening day center field job. While not exactly expendable, the Marlins can part with Ramirez. He probably won’t be too expensive either.
7. Mallex Smith (26), Mariners
It was a bit of a surprise when the M’s got Mallex Smith from Tampa in exchange for Mike Zunino before the 2019 season. Especially considering they passed on him during a big three-team trade that included Smith and Seattle the previous winter. Nevertheless, the speedster excelled for Tampa Bay in 2018, batting 296, with a .367 OBP, 40 stolen bases and an American League-leading 10 triples.
Smith couldn’t repeat those numbers with the Mariners in 2018. His slash line was .227/.300/.335/.635. The last number, OPS, was fifth-worst in the Majors among players with 400 or more plate appearances. At one point he was even optioned to AAA. Additionally, his defense was erratic at times.
So why would the New York Mets want him?
Well, there are a few reasons. Last year could have been an aberration. Smith is a Florida native and spent most of his life in the Eastern Time Zone. As someone who moved from Florida to the Pacific Northwest, I can personally attest that it’s a huge adjustment in lifestyle.
Speed, like he has, is rare. Even with a two-week detour to Tacoma, Smith had an AL-leading 46 stolen bases. Maybe, more importantly, he is under team control for another three seasons. Smith is arbitration-eligible this year but won’t break the bank. If he’s more like the 2017-18 version than the 2019 model, BVW gets a diamond in the rough.