Each year at 213 we look through the Non-Roster Invitees to spring training and get to know them a bit. Are they in camp to get a look at big league hitting/pitching to aid their development? Are the Mets just trying to get a better look at a future rookie? Are they a veteran trying to get back to the major league level? What can we expect from them this season?
Yesterday I made a sassy joke that the Mets have too many corneroutfielders in camp. Which is still true, so today’s NRI is for their only Centerfielder in camp not on the 40-man roster (at least when this article was originally written on 2/21), Johneshwy Fargas.
Fargas was drafted by the Giants in the 11th round of the 2013 draft (which coincidentally was the same round and draft that yesterday’s NRI preview player was selected in, Ryan Cordell). Fargas will be 25 this season and has played in pretty much every level except AAA since being drafted and has played in the Puerto Rico league almost every off-season. (Worth noting the Mets have already added him to Syracuse’s roster).
He’s coming off of a solid year in AA ball, his last year where he was going to be the average age of the league, hitting .249/.325/.334, which is right around his career minor league line of .255/.331/.342. He’s always hit worse in the Puerto Rico Winter League, this year hitting .207/.258/.293, which is a dip in OBP and a bump in power from his career winter hitting line of .213/.280/.272.
The Mets didn’t make this signing because of his bat. They made this signing because they are thin at center, especially defensive types. While I don’t expect to see Fargas at Citi Field this year, he’s way too far down the outfield depth chart, grouped with Cordell and Parker right above Tebow, it’s the Mets so just never know.
