Including a few deals prior to Monday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Mets completed eight trades that sent out eight players in exchange for 13 new players.
The big ones included trading Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays, dealing Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to the Chicago Cubs, and sending Luke Weaver to the Pittsburgh Pirates. After the deadline passed, president of baseball operations David Stearns met with reporters via Zoom to discuss what was accomplished during the busy day.
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“We’re excited about the players we’re bringing in,” Stearns said after thanking the traded players. “We think we added a tremendous amount of talent to our organization that will help us going forward. Believe it was the right thing to do given where we are in this season to make these decisions, these are not easy decisions.
“Our goal is to move the organization forward in the best way possible to ensure that we have a far better season next year and each season beyond.”
Stearns added that the players acquired fit the varying molds they are looking for and make their farm system stronger.
“First and foremost, we have a tremendous amount of talent all throughout our system,” Stearns said. “Different shapes and sizes, different positional groupings, arms and bats, really good defenders. So overall, we believe that we’ve added to our system. We’ve added players that will help us in New York and overall strengthen the quality of our farm system.”
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Of the prospects acquired by New York, infielder Jefferson Rojas from the Cubs is the highest ranked by MLB Pipeline at No. 63 overall. The 21-year-old is right-handed and has split time mostly between 3B (56 games) and SS (26 games) this season in Double-A. He’s hitting .270 with an .800 OPS and has 15 home runs, 19 doubles, and 57 RBI over 91 games.
“Really exciting, well-rounded player,” Stearns said. “Has experience at all three positions on the dirt, has the ability to play all three. A very well-rounded offensive profile. Young for his level. Has really done exactly what you would want to see a player do, who was a very well thought of amateur on the international market and has really just performed and progressed throughout his development.
“All of our reports are extremely hard-worker and is going to fit in very well to our organization.”
Another top prospect acquired was SS Sammy Stafura from the Pirates, who attended Walter Panas High School in Cortlandt Manor, NY and coincidentally grew up a big Mets fan. Stafura, 21, was ranked as the Pirates No. 9 prospect and owns a .276 batting average with a .960 OPS in High-A, blasting 20 home runs for 54 RBI, plus 20 stolen bases.
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“I think the first thing that jumps off the page with you with Stafura is the defense,” Stearns said. “He’s got tremendous defensive ability. He’s a very good baserunner. Can impact the game in a variety of different ways, can help you win ball games in a variety of different ways, and clearly has power as well.
“When you begin to talk about a power-hitting infielder, who we believe can play shortstop at a high level, that’s a player with a pretty high ceiling.”
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