Photo by Ed Delany, MMN

According to MMN‘s Michael Mayer, the Mets are in danger of losing INF Shervyen Newton in Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft. Aside from Newton’s talent, one of the reasons why the Mets may lose Newton to another organization is the expansion of rosters to 26 players in 2020 giving teams an opportunity to effectively draft and stash a talented high-end prospect who is really not Major League ready.

Normally, you may not see Newton considered as he struggled in 2019. In his first season with a full season affiliate, Newton dealt with injuries, and he had poor production. In 109 games, he only hit .206/.283/.330 (81 wRC+). The other issue with Newton in 2020 was with his playing on a team with Ronny Mauricio, he was largely moved off of shortstop playing second and some third on days when Mark Vientos did not start.

Even with his struggles, Newton remains a well regarded prospect. MLB Pipeline rates Newton the Mets eight best prospect saying, “Newton should have the power-over-hit offensive profile and necessary defensive skills to be an impactful regular.” It is those types of tools which has led some to believe there is going to be an organization willing to take a chance on Newton. That goes double for rebuilding organizations like the Detroit Tigers or Baltimore Orioles.