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?
Oh hey! For a second year in a row we are writing about Johneshwy Fargas, and that’s not a bad thing! Last year we wrote about how Fargas was one of the few center fielders in camp on an NRI, a position the Mets are thin on (article written on 2/20, so this obviously pending any trade the Mets might make for a center fielder). Fargas was originally drafted by the Giants and has made it up to AA ball and plays in Puerto Rico basically every winter.
In the minors in his career he has hit .255/.311/.342/.673 and in international leagues he has hit .229/.300/.321/.621. That being said, he’s coming off his best winter ever. In 89 PA’s he hit .307/.393/.560. One of the few players we have covered with an OPS over 900 (let alone above .950) in winter ball this year.
There are still a lot of players in front of Fargas right now and honestly the most likely scenario is something has to go wrong with injuries for Fargas to break camp with the team. It looks like he took a step forward this winter with his bat, even though the main asset he brings is his glove. It will be interesting to watch his bat this year in Triple A as he fights his way up the depth chart for when the Mets will inevitably need to dip into the minors at some point this year.
