Lord Tylor and Options

Morning Dose: Wednesday, March 5

☀️ Good Morning:

Tylor Megill is used to being overlooked despite his massive frame.

In fact, it wasn’t a given for the Long Beach native to even become a starting pitcher. Some who knew him in high school might have viewed him as a better water polo player (imagine a lanky Megill coming after you in the pool).

Having initially caught a scout’s attention while catching for his older brother during an evaluation session, Tylor eventually found his way to the majors with the Mets where he has flashed high-end potential but has failed to put it all together into a consistent package over 67 major-league games.

Perhaps that is about to change.

Megill made his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday, pitching 2.2 innings of one-run ball. He was far from dominant — the Cardinals only whiffed on one of their 24 swings — but his velocity was an easy 96 mph and he checked all of the boxes for a first spring start, offering himself as a legitimate contender for an early-season rotation spot.

The 29-year-old is hoping to build off a strong finish to his 2024 season when he pitched to a 2.32 ERA over his final six starts, outings that were critical down the stretch in his team’s run to the playoffs.

🗣️ “[I] feel good. Don’t feel like I’m trying [for velocity] too much,” Megill said following his outing on Tuesday, a 6–1 loss to the Cardinals. “Mechanics feel well. Body feels well. Ball’s coming out well. So overall, feel good.”

☕️ Grab your coffee for your morning dose of Mets Fix!

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Brett Baty has appeared in 519 professional baseball games between the majors, minors and Fall ball. He has played 3,402 of those innings at third base, and not a single one at second, until yesterday.

The former first round pick swapped positions with Luisangel Acuña on Tuesday, starting at second while Acuña manned third. Baty collected another hit at the plate, his eighth in 18 at-bats this spring (.444), while showcasing his adjustment to tracking the ball from the other side of the diamond on defense.

ROSTER CRUNCH: After losing Nick Madrigal to a shoulder injury, the Mets must decide who gets the final bench spot alongside Tyrone Taylor, Luis Torrens and Starling Marte (assuming he is healthy and still on the team).

• Taylor gives the team outfield depth.

• Torrens is the backup catcher.

• Marte is the right-side of a platoon with Jesse Winker.

That leaves an obvious need for a utility infielder, someone who could spell Jeff McNeil at second, or even Francisco Lindor at short, while offering enough versatility to play a few more positions.

Enter Brett Baty, the new utility man?

🗣️ “If I’m the utility man, that’d be awesome,” Baty said, via SNY. “Any spot on this team to help the team win, I’m for.”

It’s too bad Baty wasn’t right-handed. If David Stearns could find a new home for Marte, which he is reportedly still trying to do, it would open the door for a right-handed bat alongside Winker at DH. That would give Baty plenty of opportunities at the dish, while limiting his exposure in the field. In a pinch, he could spell McNeil at second as he continues to learn the position.

Despite it feeling like we live in a simulated world, we operate in reality, and since Baty isn’t right-handed, the presence of Winker limits the team’s options. It makes you wonder if Stearns had the choice again, knowing Alonso would in fact return, if he would have passed on Winker as a depth piece for the lineup in favor of providing roster flexibility for Baty.