Shortstop prospect Matt Reynolds has been a hot topic of conversation this spring, and why shouldn’t he be? He’s hitting .378 with two home runs, six RBI and a pair of doubles in 17 games this March.
His bat has been fantastic and he’s looked solid at shortstop, specifically in turning double plays. By all accounts, he’s earned himself a place on the Opening Day roster. Except there’s one problem–the Mets don’t have any room for him.
There really hasn’t been a shortstop competition this spring. Sandy Alderson has repeatedly said Wilmer Flores is the shortstop, at least to start the season. In fact, early in Spring Training, Alderson identified Flores as a “central player” on this roster.
The one chance Reynolds did have to make the team was injury, and for a brief moment it looked like a possibility when the news came out that Flores was in a walking after last Sunday’s game. However, after an X-ray revealed that Flores had nothing but a bruised foot, Reynolds chances to make the team dwindled.
Many have wondered if Daniel Murphy’s hamstring injury impedes his ability to start the season, if Reynolds may get a shot there. It’s possible, since Sandy Alderson said he or Daniel Muno had been candidates to replace Murphy if he starts the season on the disabled list.
Still, Reynolds is most comfortable at shortstop, and he is clearly viewed as the alternative to Flores there. He does have work to do defensively, so if Murphy is ready, it’s sensible to send Reynolds to Triple-A to start at short everyday, and iron out the kinks in the event he needs to be promoted.
Even so, it’s a shame, really.
It’s hard to argue Reynolds’ bat isn’t big league ready, considering what he did last year in Binghamton and Las Vegas and what now doing in camp. He’s been hitting lasers all spring, which includes his impressive performance off the bench Thursday night against Washington, when he went 2-for-2 with a home run, RBI double and a sac fly, driving home three runs in the Mets win.
But, if Murphy is ready, there’s just no place for him to play everyday right now, so it’s senseless to bring up Reynolds just to sit on the bench. If and when that changes, and Reynolds is healthy and producing in Las Vegas, there’s no reason to expect anyone else to get the call.
Just Mets 