Still with a sizeable list of needs to fill, the New York Mets are already lining up their next move after acquiring second baseman Robinson Cano and closer Edwin Diaz.
Multiple reports have indicated that new Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has re-entered negotiations with the Miami Marlins for a trade involving All-Star catcher, JT Realmuto.
The catcher’s position is among New York’s top areas of needs considering Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki have proven time and again that they are not capable of being reliable, everyday starters.
Realmuto would not only provide the Mets with a long-term option behind the plate, but it would give the organization their best catcher since Mike Piazza.
At 27 years old, Realmuto is picked up his first All-Star appearance last year and is one of the more athletic catchers in the game. Over his past three years, he’s averaging .286 with 16 home runs and 62 RBI. He’s coming off a 2018 campaign in which he slugged a career-high 21 home runs with 74 RBI in 125 games.
Talks have thrust back into motion after it was initially believed that the Marlins would not be trading Realmuto to a fellow NL East rival. The Atlanta Braves. along with the Mets, have shown previous interest.
The Derek Jeter-owned franchise will be asking for a handsome return for one of the game’s best catchers, who is under team control through the 2020 season.
The general notion is that the Marlins will be looking for a package headlined by a young, MLB-ready talent, whether that comes in the form of outfielders Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, or shortstop Amed Rosario. Mike Puma of the New York Post has since reported that including Conforto in the deal would be “unlikely.”
Dealing either Nimmo or Rosario would be a sizable loss, though losing Nimmo might be felt more. The 25-year-old is coming off a breakout season in which he ranked fourth in the majors with a .404 on-base percentage. Rosario showed his upside during the second half of the season, but the 23-year-old is still a work in progress at the plate.
It would cost more than just one of those players though as the organization’s top prospect and shortstop Andres Gimenez, along with another top-tier minor-leaguer, would likely have to be included.
Should the Mets deal either Nimmo or Rosario, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities for Van Wagenen to continue his aggressive tendencies by going after the likes of Bryce Harper or Manny Machado to fill the gaps while upgrading the offense at the same time in a huge way.
