Updates on Recent MLB Players and the Mets’ Prospects

PHILADELPHIA — Drew Gilbert, who came over from the Astros as part of the Justin Verlander deal, is now with the Giants. Meanwhile, Luis Angel Acuña, another acquisition involving Max Scherzer, has joined the White Sox. Justin Jarvis, who was part of the Mark Canha trade, is now an independent pitcher. Jeremiah Jackson, acquired through Dominic Leone, is playing with the Orioles. Marco Vargas has hit some rough patches at Double-A Binghamton, while Ronald Hernandez is competing against High-A Brooklyn, and Jeremy Rodriguez, another piece from the Tommy Pham trade, is still at Low-A St. Lucie.

The Mets’ best shot at regaining some major league value from their 2023 trade could hinge on Ryan Clifford’s impressive but inconsistent batting.

Clifford, who plays both first base and outfield, joined Gilbert as a returnee from the Verlander deal. He is among several new additions that brought a glimmer of hope to a franchise that seems to have thrown in the towel for the season.

While adding players like Acuña and Gilbert is a bit of a silver lining, the overall performance of these new faces, including Clifford, hasn’t quite met expectations.

Recently, Clifford represented the Mets in the All-Star Futures Game, highlighting his potential. He’s shown real power, smashing 16 home runs in 86 games. However, the Mets’ farm system has struggled to produce standout players this year, prompting them to send in a player with a .679 OPS. Unsurprisingly, Clifford expressed his surprise at receiving the honor.

His inclusion underscored the mix of promise and current challenges he faces. For Clifford, hitting can be a double-edged sword; his strikeout numbers are troubling, as he racked up 129 K’s this season through 86 games, resulting in a strikeout rate of 36.4 percent—the highest among eligible major leaguers. This lack of contact brought his batting average down to .196.

There was a particularly rough stretch in June for him, reflected in a dismal .099 average and 39 strikeouts in just 93 at-bats.

“June was really tough for me,” Clifford said. He attributed his struggles partly to swing adjustments he made previously that “just weren’t working anymore.”

Last season had been a different story. Coming out of Binghamton for his first experience in Syracuse, he found success. He shifted his mindset to remain more balanced, working on keeping his front shoulder tucked and reducing aggressive lunges—an approach that clearly yielded results.

“It’s all about emotions, I think,” Clifford mentioned, echoing some advice he received from Marcus Semien about their fleeting nature.

Fast forward to now: he’s trying to find a balance between standing still and being aggressive at the plate. In a small sample of games this July, he managed an .816 OPS with two home runs, indicating some positive adjustments.

There’s still hope. If he can finish strong this season, a promotion could be on the horizon, especially as he faces eligibility for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft. Yet, he also epitomizes the series of unfortunate events within the Mets’ organization lately.

Current stats reveal that, according to Baseball Reference War, the Mets’ first basemen rank among the lowest in the league this season, with Clifford entering Sunday at a .648 OPS—his second-lowest performance. The team’s post-Pete Alonso lineup doesn’t seem to be improving with options like Jorge Polanco, Jared Young, Mark Vientos, Brett Batty, and Eric Wagaman, who haven’t proven reliable.

Much like Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, who also couldn’t step up in time, Clifford’s potential to be the answer feels somewhat distant.

However, as the season continues, there might still be time to convert past trade value into future opportunities.

In a recent appearance at Citizens Bank Park, Clifford showed patience, working through a six-pitch walk against fellow left-hander Jamie Arnold. He expressed a readiness to hit, highlighting that he still feels good at the plate, despite being just 22 years old.

“I’m exploring new strategies at bat,” he noted, acknowledging that perhaps the process took longer than anticipated. Yet, he remains optimistic, aiming to build off his July performance.