Hitman asks…

Should the Mets fail to acquire another power bat in the OF, what are the chances of Cesar Puello challenging (and winning) a spot come Spring Training? For now, lets say that the Mets retain Ike Davis. Should Davis get his head on straight, I believe another slugger around Davis like Puello in the lineup might benefit Davis just like the presence of Puello benefited another struggling hitter this past season, Cory Vaughn.

Brian replies…

While Puello is an excellent prospect, there are two reasons why he won’t win a job out of spring training. The first reason is the Mets do not have enough space for him in the outfield. The amount of money spent on Curtis Granderson and Chris Young guarantees them significant playing time, and Juan Lagares is the favorite in centerfield due to his performance last year. The front office also appears to be high on Eric Young Jr. as well.

The other reason is that under Sandy Alderson, the Mets generally promote prospects at a very slow pace. So, it would be uncharacteristic for the Mets to have Puello skip Triple-A, and advance straight to the majors. The Mets are going to want him to get more at-bats and experience with Las Vegas before they promote him to the big leagues.