3 Mets Players Who Won't Make the Team Out of Spring Training But Probably Should

Unless new skipper Luis Rojas makes unprecedented tweaks, the New York Mets lineup for Opening Day is probably set in stone. Even if the order itself isn't complete, Rojas likely has a good idea of what nine players will be featured.

However, the job doesn't end there. The Mets will be forced to make some cuts at Spring Training to trim down their roster to 26 players.

Here are some players who will be optioned down to the minors before the start of the regular season even though they have the ability to make the big league roster.

3. Patrick Mazeika

Mazeika, a former eighth-round pick in 2015, is making the most of his reps at Spring Training. Even though the sample size is just 11 at-bats, the 26-year-old catcher is hitting .364/.462/.909. There's something to be said for that, and the Mets are pretty desperate for a reliable option behind veteran Wilson Ramos. Tomas Nido and Rene Rivera should inspire zero confidence for fans in Queens.

2. David Peterson

Peterson was New York's first-round selection out of Oregon back in 2017, and he's since gone on to thrive in the minors, recording a 3.63 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 247.2 innings. The 24-year-old southpaw has also impressed this spring, surrendering just one run in six innings of work. There's no path for Peterson into the Mets starting rotation, but he could be a valuable asset out of the bullpen.

1. Matt Blackham

Blackham has endured a rash of elbow injuries throughout his career, but he was finally able to put together a healthy campaign in 2019. He's always had nasty stuff but was never consistently available to showcase it. In 40 games between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse last season, Blackham posted a 2.60 ERA, only allowed 31 hits, and fanned 70 batters in 55.1 innings. That's a guy the Mets could use in the 'pen.