When general manager Brodie Van Wagenen sorted through the Mets' managerial candidates, Carlos Beltran stood out for five reasons.

The Mets introduced Beltran during Monday's press conference at Citi Field in New York, where Van Wagenen thoroughly broke down why Beltran -- another first-time manager -- stood out among the rest of the pack.

Beltran, who played for the Mets from 2005-11 as a four-time All-Star outfielder and spent the past year as a special advisor to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, brings a unique balance that Van Wagenen was unable to find elsewhere.

"We were impressed by the many strengths of the candidates," Van Wagenen said. "Many of these candidates will ultimately make very good managers as they go forward -- we have no doubt about that. The decision wasn't easy, but there are five things that stood out about Carlos throughout the process.

1. He's poised.

"As you've seen, Carlos can command a room when he walks in. He has presence. He has patience. Very least, he's got confidence."

2. He's trustworthy.

"When we began this process, it was important for all of us in the ownership group and the baseball operations department to feel like we could exhale when we walked into the manager's office. We didn't want to inhale in anticipation of the conversations. Instead, we wanted to feel comfortable, we wanted to feel welcome and we wanted to feel partnership with the manager. We can trust Carlos and that goes a long way."

3. He has a 'growth mindset.'

"That's a cliche and a very common sentence in the marketplace today, but it particularly applies to Carlos. Carlos is a learner. Carlos knows what he doesn't know and he's willing to acknowledge it. Most importantly, Carlos has a curiosity to learn more and to grow. He's evolved -- he used that word quite often during our process of the interviews. He's evolved as a player, he's evolved as a husband, a man, a parent and when think he can apply all of that knowledge to us going forward."

4. He's committed to beating his opponent.

"Why do I say that and why do I make that a point? Everybody wants to win -- there's no doubt about that. Most coaches show up every day with the belief that they can try to get the best out of their players. Carlos has those two attributes, but he also takes it a step further. Carlos wants to beat his opponent. He looks at the little things. He looks for tips. He looks for any weaknesses that he can exploit in game planning. He did it as a player and we know that that's going to be a key part of his success as a manager."

5. He has an unrivaled appreciation and understanding of players.

"So let's talk about that. Carlos' hiring is a signal and an affirmation that is clear and loud to this organization's core tenets of being a players-first organization first here. Carlos Beltran will be a players' manager. Over the course of his career, Carlos won the Rookie of the Year Award, three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers and was named to nine All-Star Games -- five of which were here with the New York Mets.

"Additionally, Carlos played in 65 postseason games -- over seven different postseason runs. And in 2017, Carlos became a world champion. Over the last year, Carlos worked for the New York Yankees as a special advisor. In this role, he served as an important bridge between the front office, the coaching staff and the players. Carlos has an extremely high baseball IQ. He has an appetite to collaborate and he's a mentor, and he's a communicator from the 25th man on the roster to the first. From our veteran players to our minor-league prospects, he cares about improving each player in that clubhouse.

"When we put all this together, Carlos' experience, combined with his personal attributes, will give him instant credibility in our clubhouse with the players. It will give him instant relatability to the players in our clubhouse. Carlos has lived what our players are living right now. Carlos has traveled where our players hope to travel over the course of their careers. He has faced and he has overcome adversity, amidst the highest of high expectations and the most intense pressure in sports."

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