NEW YORK -- The Mets’ trade of David Robertson on Thursday netted them two teenaged prospects with advanced feels for hitting. Although both are far from the Majors and unlikely to contribute for several seasons, the Mets feel confident in the quality of prospects they received.
“We play [the Marlins] so much through extended spring and Complex League ball that they get familiar with our players, we get familiar with their players,” general manager Billy Eppler said. “These are guys that some of our field staff had pointed out, as well. We just did some tracking and were ultimately able to end up with both players.”
Here’s a look at the two newest members of the Mets’ system:
Marco Vargas, INF, Rookie-level FCL Mets
Pipeline scouting report: Vargas looked like the bargain of Miami’s 2022 international class after signing for $17,500 out of Mexico the day before he turned 17 in May. Three weeks later, he reported to the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, where he recorded three multihit games in his first six pro contests. He batted .319/.421/.456 and won team MVP honors. His trade to the Mets came after another impressive start in the Florida Complex League this season, including an .899 OPS in 33 games.
Vargas is an extremely advanced hitter for his age, showing the ability to recognize pitches, control the strike zone and employ the opposite field. With a quick left-handed stroke and good feel for the barrel, he makes a lot of hard line-drive contact. He already has a strong lower half and will focus on adding muscle to his upper body, which could help him produce 15-20 homers per season once he turns on and pulls more pitches.
Though he possesses just fringy speed, Vargas is an instinctive baserunner who looks to steal when given the opportunity. He shows good actions, average range and arm strength at second base, his best position. He spent much of his debut at third, where he made seven errors in 22 games compared to just one miscue in 23 starts up the middle at second and shortstop.
Organizational fit:
Infielders with strong offensive potential are always valuable, and the Mets -- like all organizations -- covet those with high ceilings. Vargas -- ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Mets' No. 6 prospect -- qualifies as a player who has played multiple infield positions while hitting with some thump, as evidenced by his above-average Minor League exit velocities.
“He’s young,” Eppler said. “And he’s really performing well at the level.”
ETA: 2027
Ronald Hernandez, C, Rookie-level FCL Mets
Pipeline scouting report: The Marlins signed their two best catching prospects six months apart in 2021, landing Hernandez with an $850,000 bonus out of Venezuela in January before drafting Joe Mack 31st overall that July. Hernandez has less offensive upside but is a more advanced defender. He slashed .236/.329/.321 in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League while making his U.S. debut at age 18 last season. Hernandez was in the middle of a nice FCL rebound when Miami dealt him to the Mets.
A steady receiver, Hernandez is agile behind the plate and does a nice job of blocking balls in the dirt. He has solid-to-plus arm strength and showed improved throwing accuracy in 2022, when he erased 33 percent of base-stealers. He works hard on his craft, diligently preparing for games, displaying leadership skills and communicating with pitchers in either English or Spanish.
While he hadn’t posted big offensive numbers until this year, Hernandez has a sound swing from both sides of the plate and makes consistent contact to all fields. He has the patience to work counts and should continue to improve offensively as he adds more strength and experience. He could provide 12-15 homers per season once he learns to turn on and lift pitches more often.
Organizational fit:
Once again, it’s the overall caliber of prospect that the Mets coveted here; the fact that Hernandez (No. 17 in the Mets' organization) plays the same position as Francisco Alvarez and Kevin Parada doesn’t much matter. If Hernandez turns into a solid switch-hitting catcher, that will be a very good problem for the Mets to have.
ETA: 2026