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Which 15 Players Should The Mets Protect In An Expansion Draft?

By Tim Dierkes | May 28, 2020 at 9:53am CDT

In a few weeks, we’ll be running a two-team mock expansion draft here at MLBTR – just for the fun of it!  Currently, we’re creating 15-player protected lists for each of the existing 30 teams.  You can catch up on the rules for player eligibility here.

The American League results are in!  Click here to see who’s protected and who’s available for each AL team.

So far, we’ve covered the Marlins, Braves, Cardinals, Pirates, Brewers, Reds, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Rangers, Mariners, Athletics, Angels, Astros, Twins, Royals, Tigers, Indians, White Sox, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles.  The Mets are up next.

First, we’ll begin by removing free agents Jed Lowrie, Rick Porcello, Yoenis Cespedes, Justin Wilson, Michael Wacha, Marcus Stroman, Jake Marisnick, Wilson Ramos, Brad Brach, and Dellin Betances from consideration.  The latter three have 2021 options, but we will consider them free agents for this exercise.  Robinson Cano and Jacob deGrom will make the protected list by virtue of their no-trade clauses.  We’ll protect a total of a dozen players out of the gate:

Robinson Cano
Jacob deGrom
Pete Alonso
Jeff McNeil
Noah Syndergaard
Michael Conforto
Amed Rosario
Brandon Nimmo
J.D. Davis
Steven Matz
Edwin Diaz
Seth Lugo

That leaves three spots for the following 12 players.  Be sure to check out the Mets’ contract statuses here.

Tyler Bashlor
Jeurys Familia
Robert Gsellman
Luis Guillorme
Walker Lockett
Tomas Nido
Corey Oswalt
Jacob Rhame
Paul Sewald
Dominic Smith
Drew Smith
Daniel Zamora

With that, we turn it over to the MLBTR readership! In the poll below (direct link here), select exactly three players you think the Mets should protect in our upcoming mock expansion draft.  Click here to view the results.

Create your own user feedback survey

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2020 Mock Expansion Draft MLBTR Originals New York Mets

Tigers Notes: Gardenhire, Wilson, Draft
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View Comments (46)
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46 Comments

  1. rclap

    5 years ago

    Besides Smith that’s not a very strong group to leave unprotected. Besides Gsellman, it’s mostly relievers who shuffle between triple a and the pen.

    1
    Reply
  2. davidk1979

    5 years ago

    Not a lot of guys I’d protect after the guys you list up top and I know Cano wouldn’t get claimed but I wouldn’t protect him. This all said, we’re like five years away from expansion so who knows.

    Reply
    • sidewinder11

      5 years ago

      They don’t have a choice in protecting him since he has a no trade clause

      Reply
      • davidk1979

        5 years ago

        Ahh thanks for the great info

        Reply
  3. Deleted Userrr

    5 years ago

    Might not be a popular opinion but I’d be compelled to leave Syndergaard unprotected. I’m not convinced that am expansion team would be all that interested in a one-year rental coming off Tommy John surgery.

    1
    Reply
    • king beas

      5 years ago

      If the expansion team didn’t select an unprotected syndergaard I’d be more than shocked

      Reply
    • Stevil

      5 years ago

      That’s fair, but if he looks like his normal self at any point, they could hit him with the QO if he wasn’t interested in an extension.

      The reward would far outweigh the risk, in my opinion. That’s assuming he doesn’t suffer a major setback, of course.

      1
      Reply
    • I give no fox

      5 years ago

      Is he a FA next year? I thought they removed those players from the pool of protectable players. Even so, an expansion team would absolutely take him because he would have value as a trade chip

      1
      Reply
      • Deleted Userrr

        5 years ago

        FA after 2021. He’d be a one year rental as of next offseason when this hypothetical expansion draft takes place.

        1
        Reply
      • nymetsking

        5 years ago

        he’d have some value, sure, but he’ll likely not be back until June/July. That wouldn’t leave much time to prove he’s healthy. Combine that with the recent trend towards low returns for rentals (which will likely be even worse as teams value low cost players), and it won’t be much.

        Reply
        • nymetsking

          5 years ago

          That said, I think with the remaining players, you do keep him, but I’d consider Smith more of an automatic than Thor given the TJ and remainder of the contract.

          Reply
    • DarkSide830

      5 years ago

      i would agree if there were better options, but i struggle to find three good players from the rest of the list.

      Reply
    • All American Johnsonville Dogs

      5 years ago

      An expansion team would certainly be interested in syndergaard.

      Is it a gamble? Sure. But the team stands to collect either prospects or a draft pick if he returns from TJS, which isn’t a career killer like it used to be.

      Picking up syndergaard gives a new franchise a chance to set themselves up for the future.

      1
      Reply
  4. king beas

    5 years ago

    As a Mets fan I’m offended sewald was even out on the list of people to possibly protect he’s the worst pitcher I’ve seen take the mound for them in years

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      5 years ago

      better than Jacob Rhame IMO

      Reply
      • king beas

        5 years ago

        Rhame stinks but sewald is 30 is 1-14 in his career with an era over 5 I don’t see how anyone could be worse than that. I’d rather see them allow a fan to take the mound before sewald or rhame get another chance they’ve had more than enough chances it’s over get rid of them

        Reply
    • Canosucks

      5 years ago

      Agree but Sewald was ruined by Mickey Mouse who told him to throw a slider 99% of the time?

      He almost ruined Steven Matz to make him hit able off right handed batters which in priors years he had much better numbers; and I still like Matz.

      Bashlor, Oswalt and Lockett are much worse than Sewald; to me all four should go!

      God help the Angels!

      Reply
  5. asaw780

    5 years ago

    Woof. Do we have to protect 3? Smith, and then I guess Gsellman and Familia.

    Reply
    • nymetsking

      5 years ago

      I’d say no on Familia; due to his contact I doubt he’d be picked.

      Reply
  6. Metsfan9

    5 years ago

    Wow not a lot of good options. Definitely Dom Smith then Gsellman or Familia and maybe Guillorme or Nido (because of defense ability). I also think Drew Smith could be a long shot possibility.

    Reply
    • Canosucks

      5 years ago

      No need to protect Familiar, yes I spelled it correct :), no one will pick up that contract.

      Reply
  7. wikkidiwilliam

    5 years ago

    None. Just let them all go and start over.

    2
    Reply
  8. RodKanehlJesseGonder

    5 years ago

    Not much to protect outside of Dom Smith. I would add Gsellman and Guillorme. Don’t care in the least if the others are lost. Will a skinny Familia pitch better?

    Reply
    • dugmet

      5 years ago

      Maybe. His upside and potential contributions exceed Guillorme’s potential so I’ll stick with Family Guy.

      Reply
  9. angt222

    5 years ago

    Dom Smith, Gsellman & Guillorme. See if Familia and his contract get taken off your hands.

    Reply
  10. dugmet

    5 years ago

    Pretty obvious choices.

    Reply
  11. DarkSide830

    5 years ago

    besides the two Smiths thar list is garbage

    1
    Reply
  12. bad bruce

    5 years ago

    On behalf of all Mets fans, please take Familia.

    Reply
  13. PapiElf

    5 years ago

    Daniel Zamora
    Jacob Rhame
    Dominic Smith

    Rhame is really unpopular but who else is there. Gsellman? He’s just a Familia 2.0. Smith is coming off TJS. Bashlor and Sewald are awful. Lockett doesn’t look like anything special. Guillorme and Nido were the last two standing for me and both of those guys will be AAAA players.

    Reply
  14. Phiilies2020

    5 years ago

    Dom Smith, Gsellman, Familia. Has to be.

    As much as I hate to admit it, the Mets have a good team on paper but i still do t think they are on the Braves level.

    Nats will benefit from the DH with all their aging vets but i still think they will be a .500 or slightly above team.

    I see the Phillies in that boat as well.

    1
    Reply
  15. Tmandolfan

    5 years ago

    As a Phillies fan I still consider the Mess an expansion team.

    Reply
    • SBNY

      5 years ago

      Really. From a Phillies fan. This is the team that selected Mickey Moniak with the 1st pick in the draft. Yes they could have had Pete Alonso. But they have Rhys Hoskins. They have peaked and will continue to be irrelevant.

      Reply
    • HobokenMets

      5 years ago

      What are you, 80?

      Reply
  16. Rangers29

    5 years ago

    I kept:

    DomSmith
    Familia
    Lockett

    Despite the precedent I have set of not taking aging players on somewhat large contracts, Familia will be my exception (mostly because there is not a lot to choose from). He’s been a really good reliever for us, but he just had a down year. He could be a force in the Mets pen if he bounces back. Dom Smith is obvious, he’s gonna be 1st base if Alonso is DH. Lockett just has the most upside of any of the other guys on the list.

    Reply
    • Canosucks

      5 years ago

      I get the first 2 but Lockett has no upside; he is just BAD and will never be a MLB pitcher.

      I would keep Drew Smith or Zamora over Lockett.

      1
      Reply
    • phenomenalajs

      5 years ago

      Well, I’m not a fan of making the DH permanent in the NL. I see it happening this year if there is a season, but not remaining afterwards. For this year, it would help Cespedes more than Dom Smith. I still would protect Dom along with Gsellman and Familia. I could see protecting Nido as they have no other catcher with major league experience on the roster under contract after this year, but if skinny Familia performs at the level he did five years ago, he’s staying.

      Reply
  17. mlbnyyfan

    5 years ago

    Why hasn’t Dom Smith been traded yet. Alonso probably at first base for the next decade or more. I don’t think Smith is a great defensive outfielder so why keep him. Maybe the Mets hoping the DH comes to NL permanently

    Reply
    • All American Johnsonville Dogs

      5 years ago

      What could the Mets possibly receive that would make it worth trading Dom? There aren’t too many teams looking for a 1B/DH/OF

      Ideally, the mets can find a way to fit him into the lineup.

      Davis at 3B, McNeil at 2B, Dom in LF, Conforto in RF, Nimmo in CF, Alonso at 1B.

      Cano being on the roster makes it practically impossible, but if the DH comes to the NL Smith is a prime candidate to handle DH duties.

      Reply
  18. MetMan00

    5 years ago

    Smith, Gsellman, and Cowbell Man and call it a day.

    Reply
    • phenomenalajs

      5 years ago

      You’d protect Cowbell Man but leave Mr. and Mrs. Met unprotected?

      Reply
  19. WalterNYR

    5 years ago

    Too bad they cant trade one of their spots for future considerations

    Reply
  20. bjhaas1977

    5 years ago

    Cano makes no sense being protected. Zam ,Giselle ,and The double Smith Twins .

    Reply
  21. curtism88

    5 years ago

    Why would you protect Cano?!?!

    Reply
    • phenomenalajs

      5 years ago

      No trade clause

      1
      Reply
  22. mlbnyyfan

    5 years ago

    Maybe they are required to protect Cano. If they are not they can protect someone more worthy. If they have an expansion draft why would new team take Cano

    Reply
  23. Selkies

    5 years ago

    I went with…
    Dominic Smith, 1B/DH(?)
    Robert Gsellman, RHP
    Tomas Nido, Catcher

    If they had a catcher ready for the majors in the system, I would have almost certainly kept Guilmerro (sp?)

    Reply

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