New York Mets: An early look at a 30-man roster and Taxi Squad

Infielders

• Pete Alonso – Riots would ensue if the Polar Bear wast out of the lineup, for anything other than an injury. There is no reason to believe he won’t pick up where he left off in 2019.
• Dominic Smith – He’ll make most of his starts in left field, but Smith will also be a defensive replacement at first base.
• Robinson Cano – A healthy Cano will split his time between second base and designated hitter.
• Jeff McNeil – All hail the “Flying Squirrel,” one of the best pure hitters in the game. If Rojas is smart, he knows its time to limit Cano’s exposure in the field.
• Amed Rosario – Last year, he finally “got it.” Rosario has to build on that momentum. He’s an All-Star waiting to happen.
• Jed Lowrie – Switch hitter who can play anywhere in the infield. They need him to be the guy with the .270/.347/.420/.767 slash line that he was in the three seasons before signing with the Mets in 2019.
• J.D. Davis – Third base is his best position, but left field is where he’ll spend the most time.
• Luis Guillorme – Light hitting utility infielder, who won’t hurt his team in the field.
• Matt Adams – In a typical season, the eight-year MLB veteran wouldn’t make this team. An expanded roster makes him a left-handed power bat off the bench.

It’s Pete Alonso’s world, and we just live in it. New York Mets fans can count on seeing him hit long balls for a long time. Amed Rosario and Jeff McNeil are also mainstays of the lineup. Rosario at shortstop and McNeil could be at any of several positions. Dominic Smith and J.D. Davis will also see time at more than one position.

Jed Lowrie didn’t take any at-bats in spring training games. If he can play, Lowrie is a versatile piece for Rojas to utilize. If he can’t, Lowrie becomes the Mets version of Jacoby Ellsbury. Luis Gillorme is the defensive insurance policy in the middle infield. Finally, Matt Adams is on the team to be a pinch-hitter and may make an occasional start.