Amed Rosario Closes In On Majors

Amed Rosario (Photo by Mike Janes)

NEW YORK—The Mets have Asdrubal Cabrera under contract for 2017, with a team option for the following season. But don’t look for that to be a major impediment to 21-year-old shortstop Amed Rosario reaching the majors when he is deemed ready.

“He’s moved pretty quickly and steadily and excelled at each level—knowing when we did this Cabrera deal last year that the timing would work and we wouldn’t have to rush him,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “And if he’s ready, Asdrubal can probably move to one of the other spots if we need to.”

Rosario highlighted the list of prospects added to the organization’s 40-man roster in November. He hit a combined .324/.374/.459 with five home runs and 19 stolen bases with high Class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton in 2016.

“Like when Jose (Reyes) was young, we watched him and you dream about everything he could do,” Ricco said about Rosario. “When the power comes, he’s going to be a complete player at an up-the-middle position for a long time. All that is a lot to like. It’s just at-bats and playing time.”

Ricco said the Mets also are excited by Rosario’s approach to this offseason, which has included participating with the team’s voluntary strength and conditioning program headed by Mike Barwis at the organization’s complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

“The thing, I think, that also excited us was he decided against playing winter ball because he wanted to work on just getting stronger,” Ricco said. “He recognizes that’s really what he needs as opposed to playing more in the offseason.”

The Mets also added righthanders Chris Flexen and Marcos Molina, outfielder Wuilmer Becerra and catcher Tomas Nido to the 40-man roster. Molina returned from Tommy John surgery to log 16.2 innings in the Arizona Fall League. Becerra had season-ending surgery on July 20 to repair the capsule in his right shoulder.

NEW YORK MINUTES

• Tim Teufel, who was removed as third base coach by the Mets, will remain with the organization as a roving minor league infield instructor.

• Lefthander David Roseboom finished the Arizona Fall League season with a 0.79 ERA and .108 opponent average, albeit with eight walks (one intentional) in 11.1 innings.