Photo by Ed Delany, MMN

The New York Mets have acquired Houston Astros CF Jake Marisnick in exchange for prospects Kenedy Corona and Blake Taylor. With Marisnick, the Mets have a right-handed hitting defensive outfielder who can replace the role once assumed by Juan Lagares.

Corona, 19, was a 2019 international free agent signee out of Venezuela. He began the 2019 season in the Dominican Summer League, and he would finish the season with the Brooklyn Cyclones as a member of their New York-Penn League Championship team. In 63 games, he hit .301/.398/.470 with 14 doubles, four triples, five homers, and 29 RBI. He would also steal 19 bases in 24 attempts.

Here’s Kenedy Corona, traded by the #Mets to the #Astros today, homering against Jeremy Hellickson in the GCL this summer: pic.twitter.com/YLBVB3n9ur

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) December 5, 2019

Taylor, 24, was one of the players acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Ike Davis trade. After some injury and control issues, the Mets converted Taylor to a reliever, and he had very good results. In 40 relief appearances for St. Lucie, Binghamton, and Syracuse, Taylor was 2-3 with a 2.16 ERA, 10 SV, 1.095 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9, and a 10.0 K/9.

Due to this performance and a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League, the Mets added Taylor to the 40 man roster to protect him from minor league free agency. Taylor and left-handed relievers like him should prove to be more valuable in 2020 as he has fairly platoon neutral splits.