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The New York Mets are not calling up Luisangel Acuna. At least, not yet.
It’s a dilemma that has plagued front offices for years: Should you call up the big-name prospect in September for a cup of coffee or let him continue to play every day in the minors?
New York had the opportunity to bring up Acuna, their 12th-ranked prospect per MLB.com and the younger brother of reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr., when infielder Jeff McNeil suffered a season-ending wrist injury over the weekend. Instead, the organization called on outfielder DJ Stewart to take McNeil’s roster spot.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza explained to reporters why before the Mets’ game Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.
“[Acuna] was in the conversation but I feel like [Jose] Iglesias is going to get most of the opportunities,” he said. “We need Acuna to continue to play. I think the development is important for him and right now there’s not going to be much playing time.
Carlos Mendoza Did Not Close the Door on Luisangel Acuna for 2024
With the Mets in a tie for the final National League Wild Card spot, the organization’s priority must be winning games. That means determining the best 28-man roster going forward. Mendoza left open the possibility that Acuna could be part of the equation.
“It’s still fluid,” he added. “Who knows what happens a week from now, five days from now, but he’s playing well and the fact that he continues to be in the conversation says a lot about how far he’s come in his development.”
Iglesias, meanwhile, is a perfectly defensible option to keep plugging into the lineup. In 66 games with the Mets this season, he’s hitting .314 with an .800 OPS. He has also played second, third, and shortstop this year, making him a valuable utility player down the stretch.
Iglesias has also punished left-handed pitching, hitting .364 in 72 plate appearances against southpaws this year.
“The same way we’ve been using him — he plays a couple days, two, three days, and then he gets a couple of days off,” Mendoza said on Saturday, per Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post. “He’s been pretty successful with that.”
How the Mets Could Use Luisangel Acuna
As Mendoza said, Acuna has played well at Triple-A Syracuse. He’s hitting .261 in 127 games this year, though his OPS is only .661. For 2024, the Mets wouldn’t bring him up expecting him to tear the cover off the ball.
On a 28-man roster, however, there’s some extra room on the bench. As the Mets fight for a playoff spot and every game takes on extra weight, 90 feet could make all the difference. Teams in the past have brought players up to simply serve as a pinch runner. It’s entirely realistic that could, at least partially, be Acuna’s role.
Acuna has 39 stolen bases and hit six triples this season and both would be team highs on this Mets team by a wide margin.
And like Iglesias, he can play all over the field. He has experience this season playing at second, shortstop, and centerfield, so getting him the occasional start to see what he can do at the plate should not be difficult. He projects to be a better hitter than his Triple-A numbers have shown, and minor league stats are not always the perfect predictor for Major League performance.
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