Mets Acquire Cedric Mullins from Orioles

The Mets have secured their new center fielder.

David Stearns and his team are finalizing a deal with Cedric Mullins from Baltimore, as confirmed on Thursday.

According to reports, the Mets will be sending three pitching prospects to the Orioles: Anthony Nunez (ranked 14th in the Mets’ system), Raimon Gomez (30th), and Chandler Marsh, who is currently unranked.

This transaction remains informal and is pending a physical.

Mullins, a 30-year-old veteran left-handed hitter, has impressed this season with a .738 OPS, alongside 15 home runs and 14 stolen bases across 91 games. He is known for his strong defensive skills and speed in center field.

With Mullins joining the team, Jeff McNeill is likely to transition back into the infield, while Tyrone Taylor, sporting a low OPS of just .553, might find himself with less playing time.

Interestingly, the Mets opted for Mullins instead of pursuing Harrison Bader, who ended up with the Phillies, or Lewis Robert Jr., who was traded just ahead of the deadline.

Stearns has acknowledged that the center field position has been a weak point for the Mets, as their collective OPS in that area stands at only .602—one of the lowest in Major League Baseball. Given their ambitions for the World Series, making upgrades is definitely a priority.

Interestingly, the Mets seem to have opted for a strategy leveraging their existing depth rather than shelling out for higher-ranked prospects. In this instance, they traded Nunez, a former position player turned reliever, who has had a solid season with a 1.58 ERA over 60 innings across High-A and Double-A.

Gomez, just 23 years old, possesses a massive arm that hits 104 mph but has struggled with control, posting a 4.63 ERA this season. Meanwhile, Marsh, undrafted in 2024, has excelled as a multi-inning relief option with a respectable 2.57 ERA in 42 innings this year.