WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Mets top prospect Amed Rosario was the biggest name in a group of players the club optioned to Minor League camp on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic hit .267 in 30 Grapefruit League at-bats and is still considered to have a bright future in the big leagues.
"I think he's got a chance to be a great player," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He has great poise, plays with energy. He's got tremendous hands and he has arm strength. He didn't show it in the games, but he has big power. He has a chance to be really, really good."
Collins said he doesn't think there's any question that the Mets will see Rosario again before this season is over.
"He needs to shrink the strike zone a little bit," Collins said. "I think he just got caught in being in a big league camp and trying to show everybody what he could do. He is going to be a good player."
Also among the players optioned were outfielder Wuilmer Becerra, right-handed pitchers Chris Flexen, Marcos Molina and Chase Bradford, as well as lefty Adam Wilk.
Becerra has hit .288 over five Minor League seasons. The 22-year-old Venezuelan hit .312 in 65 games for Class A Advanced St. Lucie of the Florida League last year.
A non-roster invitee, Wilk had a good camp with the Mets. The lefty compiled an impressive 1.93 ERA over 9 1/3 innings, striking out seven while walking just two. In brief Major League stints over three seasons with the Tigers and Angels, the 29-year-old has a career mark of 0-3 with a 6.49 ERA.
Bradford made seven Grapefruit League appearances, totaling 7 2/3 innings of work. He gave up nine hits and four runs in that span while striking out six and walking two.
Molina appeared in four games this spring for the Mets, yielding eight hits and seven runs (five earned). He struck out three and walked three in his 7 2/3 innings on the hill.
Flexen did not appear in a game this spring for the Mets, undergoing surgery to remove bone chips in his right knee.