Three players with huge potential for the 2026 Mets
Plus, Tobias Myers has already cracked the Opening Day roster, per Carlos Mendoza
What’s Up with the Mets? 🌴
The Mets hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the construction of a new player development complex in Port St. Lucie (MLB.com)
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that RHP Tobias Myers will be on the Opening Day roster, either as a starter or as an option out of the bullpen
RHP Luis García will be a “big part of the bullpen” this year, while veteran RHP Craig Kimbrel will have every chance to make the roster after impressing in camp so far, Mendoza said
The Mets hosted their annual spring training clinic on Wednesday for members of the Special Olympics Florida (MLB.com)
What I’m Reading 🗞️
The Mets’ additions of Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco show a focus on improved clutch hitting in 2026 (SNY)
Could a six-man rotation be possible in 2026? (SNY)
Hall of Famer Carlos Beltrán is really excited about the Mets’ athleticism (NY Post)
OF Carson Benge sat down for an in-depth one-on-one with Steve Gelbs (SNY)
Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
ICYMI: Rich hosted a solo podcast episode to A all of your burning Q’s on Spring Training 🔥
SUBSCRIBE: YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
I’m all in on Luis Robert. Jr, plus other spring training musings ✍️
Okay, it is time to open up my spring training notebook once again.
Inside, you’ll find some thoughts on why I’m becoming more and more excited about Luis Robert Jr.’s ceiling by the day, Steve Cohen’s calculated captaincy announcement, and the importance of Francisco Alvarez and Tobias Myers this coming season.
Let’s dive right in…
The sky’s the limit
I’ll be totally honest; I wasn’t all that sold on Luis Robert Jr. when he was linked to the Mets in the past. I wasn’t even totally sold on the idea when New York finally swung a trade for the outfielder this offseason. Hitting under .230 with less than 20 home runs in consecutive seasons tends to muddy the outlook on a player.
However, I’ve always been aware that, at 28 years old, Robert Jr. still has a high ceiling and still has time to live up to at least some of his potential. And, the more I read and hear this spring training, the more I’m starting to be all in on his potential impact in 2026.
Yes, it is absolutely true that Robert Jr. has to stay healthy. That’s an obvious given. And it is also true that the outfielder will need to get off to a fast start in order to convince Mets fans and experts that he’s not the same player we saw struggle on a bad White Sox team over the last couple of years.
With all that said, I think there’s one crucial aspect at play that could really benefit Robert Jr. in Queens, and that’s the fact that he doesn’t have to play any special kind of role here. He’s not the standout star, and neither is he the lone bat expected to produce day in and day out. The Mets have the likes of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Bo Bichette who can carry the team on any given day.
Instead, Robert Jr. will have the luxury of being able to fly under the radar slightly and just turn up to the ballpark every day and play his game. Nothing more, nothing less. He can instead focus on doing the things that led to a breakout year in 2023 - 38 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.
On a team full of other stars and elite hitters, Robert Jr. can concentrate on working on his craft every single day, as well as striving to be a multi-faceted threat for this ballclub. He has shown an ability to make highlight-reel plays in the field, while the Mets being proactive with the player’s ramp-up routine could lead to an improvement on the 33 bases he stole last year on bad legs.
More help and less responsibility could be the ingredients Robert Jr. needs to be a real game-changer in the bottom of the order, and I for one can’t wait to (hopefully) watch his renaissance story unfold this year.
Cohen’s smart and timely announcement
Timing is everything. And I think there’s a very specific reason as to why Mets owner and CEO Steve Cohen made his no captain declaration when he did.
After all, Cohen made it clear that he hasn’t wanted a captain of the team from day one of his ownership, yet it has taken until now to make that public. That’s no accident.
Following the offseason overhaul, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto were probably the leaders in the clubhouse when it came to being named team captain. Lindor has always been the obvious choice, but Soto is here for the long haul and maybe feels he deserves the honor given that he’s the face of the franchise, and will be for a long time to come.
However, and whether you choose to believe all the reports or not, there appears to be at least some smoke when it comes to there being issues or friction between the two stars of the team. At the very least, it is quite clear that Lindor and Soto go about their business in very different ways. And, as Lindor put it, you don’t have to be best friends with everybody in the clubhouse.
Lindor and Soto having just a working relationship is no big deal. But why risk potentially adding to the fire over something as trivial (in baseball) as naming a captain? And that’s why I found Cohen’s comments to be both smart and well-timed. He clearly doesn’t want to risk upsetting either Lindor or Soto by naming the other captain, thus blowing up the new clubhouse dynamic. Therefore, it is just easier to not have a captain.
Again, Cohen has never talked about this before, and I get the impression if Soto wasn’t on the team, Lindor would have been named captain by now. Likewise, when Lindor’s contract is eventually up, I wouldn’t be at all shocked if Cohen goes back on his word and gives Soto the captaincy. In any case, I firmly believe this is Cohen’s way of trying to keep the peace between his two stars and ensuring that we aren’t talking about possible clubhouse issues this time next year.
Plus, this is baseball, not hockey. Having a captain in baseball really isn’t a big deal, especially for the Mets considering that they have a number of potential leaders in that clubhouse now. The only reason the Yankees have a captain is because they put a lot of import on that kind of thing. But not having a captain won’t impact the Mets in any kind of way. As Cohen said, it will be up to the leaders in that clubhouse to govern the whole team and address any issues themselves.
Stepping up
We talk a lot about potential X-factors and, given all the question marks facing this team, there are a lot of players who have the ability to step up and take on even bigger roles for this team in 2026.
Francisco Álvarez is the obvious candidate. We have this same conversation every single year, I know, but a healthy and locked-in Alvarez will be even more important for the Mets this year with Pete Alonso no longer in town.
We know the talent is there with Álvarez. He was a former No. 1 prospect for a reason, and he showed exactly what he’s capable of at the end of the 2025 season. He also hasn’t come close to the 25 home runs he hit in his rookie year. However, a change in approach and, again, staying healthy, could lead to a real power surge in 2026. And, with Alonso no longer on the team, Alvarez arguably represents the best chance of replacing some of that lost power.
If Alvarez can get close to the kind of production he showed in his rookie year, in addition to coming up with big hits in big moments, then that will help to soften the loss of Alonso as well as deepen the lineup that has a lot of potential but also a lot of question marks.
Likewise, Tobias Myers could be this year’s X-factor for the pitching staff. Myers was always going to fall off the radar given that he was the add-on in the Freddy Peralta deal, but it is apparent that the righty is highly valued by the front office. He’s also impressed in camp so far, so much so that he’s already a lock to make the Opening Day roster. Whether that’s as a starter or as a weapon out of the bullpen remains to be seen, but the point stands that Myers will have every opportunity to play a significant role in 2026.
Versatility is always a valuable weapon in sports, and Myers’ ability to start one day while being able to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen on another will be huge. With a tantalizing splitter that acts as a lethal swing-and-miss pitch, Myers has the potential to help this pitching staff win games in a multitude of ways. Owning a stellar 1.62 ERA over 18 appearances as a major league reliever, Myers could be best-suited to being a high-leverage option out of the bullpen to start the season. But, if injuries hit the rotation, then it is clear Myers has the stuff, the ability, and the high ceiling to slot into the rotation and be an effective starter with a lot of upside.
If the Mets are going to bounce back in 2026, they will need a collective effort across the board. And Alvarez and Myers could be the difference when it comes to just how good this team could be this season.
Around the League 🚩
Bruce Meyer was named the interim Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (Official)
C Mitch Garver and the Mariners are in agreement on a minor league deal (ESPN)
Yankees 3B Ryan McMahon will get some work at shortstop during spring training (NY Post)
Braves RHP Spencer Schwellenbach underwent surgery to remove loose bodies on Wednesday, while RHP Hurston Waldrep will undergo the same procedure on Monday (MLB.com)
Seeing the main interview with Robert it seems he has some awe about him right now which to me is a good thing and while we shouldn’t expect ‘23 numbers out of him there’s part of me that thinks it’s more than possible that he now believes he has to play up to the level of Soto and Lindor to be excepted by them. I’m not saying he would be shunned but I think he wants to feel he can play up to their standards and that should lead to a 25+HR & 30+ SB. If he continues his good glove caliber CF and plays 140/50 games? Sky’s the limit for this guy. Read the Sherman Post article and his old White Sox coaches say he’s a guy who cares and the talent is for reals.
I like where we are. This team is going to compete.