The Mets are staring at a deadline where the real work may be less about moving Freddy Peralta than figuring out which prospect haul makes the deal worth it. According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, multiple teams believe they can unlock something in Peralta, and that kind of confidence can push a seller into a strong return if the market gets aggressive.
For New York, the goal is straightforward: turn an underperforming player into something close to the value it once cost to get him. That’s the kind of outcome that can soften the blow of selling, even if it also confirms where the season is headed. With the deadline closing in, the Mets’ scouts have the job of sorting through the names and deciding which young player matters most.
Among the possible targets, Tampa Bay Rays catcher Caden Bodine stands out as the best and most realistic fit. The Mets already have interest around the league in catchers such as Francisco Alvarez, who can’t play good defense, and Luis Torrens, who can’t hit all that much.
Bodine is one of two top 100 catcher prospects in the Rays system, and the appeal is obvious: add another young catcher now and sort out the logjam later. If that becomes a future problem, so be it.
The Chicago White Sox could offer Tanner McDougal, a pitcher who isn’t their top farmhand but still looks like a major get. He’s already in Triple-A and seems close to being ready to contribute consistently by next year. If teams truly believe they can fix Peralta and still contend, the Mets should expect to be pushed toward players like this.
Chicago Cubs prospect Jonathon Long brings a different kind of value. He’s farther down the list than some of the other names, but he has plenty of Triple-A experience and has been hammering baseballs. A right-handed slugging first baseman, Long would need company in a deal, but he fits a clear Mets need and gives the package real shape.
The San Diego Padres could dangle Kash Mayfield, a 2024 first-round pick who is still several years from the majors. That kind of timeline makes him the sort of prospect a team can use creatively in a bigger trade for major league help.
Arizona’s David Hagaman also enters the conversation. He came over in last year’s Merrill Kelly trade and has put together a strong season in High-A. The Diamondbacks’ system isn’t especially deep, so if Peralta’s market really is as strong as reported, they’d likely need to add more.
Milwaukee’s Blake Burke is another first base name worth watching. FanGraphs helped surface him here, and the numbers jump off the page: 29 home runs in Double-A and a .281 average. The Mets need first base depth, and Burke would give them exactly that.
Texas Rangers left-hander Dalton Pence has been effective too, posting a 2.77 ERA in Double-A this season. He’s the kind of arm that could make a package feel worthwhile, especially if the Rangers wind up missing the playoffs.
Then there’s Philadelphia’s Ramon Marquez, who would almost certainly come with a premium attached simply because he’s a Phillies prospect. He owns a 1.83 ERA this season, along with a 3 BB/9 rate and 14.3 K/9. That’s the sort of profile that can make a trade partner hesitate, but it also explains why he belongs on the Mets’ radar.
One notable omission from Sammon’s reporting: the Los Angeles Dodgers. They appear focused on Clay Holmes if they can’t land Tarik Skubal first.
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Interim manager Andy Green is still backing Polanco to turn it around, pointing to the hitters track record and the belief that a good stretch is still coming. The problem for the Mets is that they are already operating as sellers ahead of the trade deadline, and with Polancos contract hanging over the roster, there is not an easy escape hatch if the production does not improve soon. [Read more 🡒]