Mets 1B Pete Alonso and RHP Marcus Stroman have the production, voice, age, and confidence to be on- and off-field leaders for their team in 2020.

Both players are capable of motivating teammates. Both are capable of intentionally and unintentionally antagonizing opponents and members of the media. And both have, and will continue to, fire up fans.

Respectively, for all of the above reasons, both have become appointment viewing -- not just because they might say something colorful or act in bold way, but because their talent and work ethic outweigh their words and personality.

Baseball America released its Top 100 international prospect signings of 2019, and the Mets have landed the best pitcher on that list in their eyes. 

Venezuela's Robert Dominguez is a very intriguing prospect with a fun backstory to read. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, you'd think Dominguez was this hard-throwing righty that would blow away his opponents. However, it wasn't until recently that he tapped into his full potential. 

Dominguez was able to sign with a major league team in 2018 after turning 18 on Nov. 30 of last year. But he decided to wait and continue maturing in his game. It was the best move, as he was beginning to throw 93 mph by the summer, and teams started tossing offers his way. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The designated hitter possibly coming to the National League by 2021 or 2022 would be great news for the Mets, who currently have a handful of players who could be better off in that role than they are playing the field.

Looking back through the Mets' history, which players would have made the most sense to fill the DH role had the NL adopted it along with the AL in 1973? This is not an exhaustive list, so feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section.

Gary Sanchez is unquestionably one of, if not, the best catchers in the game of baseball, but the Yankees have still made sure to build their catching depth behind him this offseason.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees have signed former Met Josh Thole to a minor-league deal worth $600,000 if he makes it to the majors. 

Already this offseason, the Yankees have agreed to minor-league deals with Chris Iannetta and Erik Kratz, both of whom have plenty of major-league experience.

The following are insights, ideas and notes gathered from recent conversations with team sources, rival executives, reporters, front office assistants, and talent evaluators...

Is Mookie Betts ever going to get traded?

According to a variety of reports, it seems the Dodgers and Padres are the teams involved in talks with the Sox.

My quick survey of insiders points to Betts being on the Red Sox come Opening Day.

The Dodgers are viewed as a better fit because they have more attractive big league talent to deal and Boston still wants to contend in 2020. The Padres, on the other hand, prefer to put the emphasis on prospects in exchange for moving salary and that is not necessarily Boston's goal.

Ron Darling, Edgardo Alfonzo, and Jon Matlack will be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 17, the team announced Tuesday.

"On behalf of ownership, I was thrilled to wholeheartedly approve the Hall of Fame Committee's recommendation for Jon Matlack, Ron Darling and Edgardo Alfonzo into the 2020 class," Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said in a statement. "This group combines Mets eras from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. Matlack was a fierce lefty who was a rock in the rotation and helped the 1973 Mets to the NL pennant. Ron's steady brilliance was capped with the '86 world championship. He allowed just three earned runs in 17.2 innings during the World Series vs. Boston. Fonzie is always someone Mets fans wanted at the plate with the game on the line. He thrived in those situations. His monster years in 1999 and 2000 were a huge reason for our success."

In addition to the inductions of Darling, Alfonzo, and Matlack, Al Jackson -- who passed away in August -- will be honored with the Mets Hall of Fame Achievement Award.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

There was buzz before the 2019 season that the DH could soon be implemented in the National League, with some speculating that the DH coming to the NL could've been one of the reasons why the Mets were comfortable taking on five seasons of then-36-year-old Robinson Cano.

Now, the buzz is back, with Jim Bowden of The Athletic reporting Monday that there is a "growing belief" among some general managers that the DH could come to the NL as soon as 2021. While the NL adding the DH as soon as next season is possible, SNY's Andy Martino believes it could be more likely to happen for the 2022 season.

Either way, unless the Mets trade Cano between now and then, they will be one of the teams to benefit the most from the NL adopting the DH. But the positive ripple effects for the Mets wouldn't stop with how it might impact Cano. Among the scenarios...

As Luis Rojas takes over as the new Mets manager, the team is currently seeking a replacement for his old role as quality control coach, SNY's Andy Martino pointed out on Tuesday. 

Rojas served as the Mets' quality control coach in 2019. The role was created to be the channel between the front office and the coaching staff regarding issues like analytics, game prep and overall team strategy. Serving in that role was a main reason why GM Brodie Van Wagenen and the rest of the organization was comfortable in promoting Rojas. 

It's unknown at the moment who the Mets could be targeting for the position, but the search is underway. 

The Mets did not interview Dusty Baker during their first managerial search that resulted in the Carlos Beltran hire, and they did not interview Baker (or any other external candidates) during their second managerial search that resulted in the Luis Rojas hire.

Now, Baker has reportedly landed a gig.

The 70-year-old is expected to join the Astros as their new manager, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

While the Mets seemed to be a match with the Pirates for a Starling Marte trade, Pittsburgh and New York ultimately never reached a deal.

In fact, the two sides were never close to one recently and talks died down weeks ago, SNY's Andy Martino reported Monday, echoing what he reported last Friday.

After the Pirates sent Marte to the Diamondbacks on Monday, reportedly for two prospects, Martino explained why the Mets didn't pull the trigger.

The Mets have interest in trading for Pirates CF Starling Marte. Here's the latest...

Jan. 27, 2:04 PM:

The Diamondbacks have acquired Marte from the Pirates in exchange for two prospects, according to multiple reports.

Baseball Prospectus has three Mets on their new top 101 prospects list for 2020, with INF Ronny Mauricio (No. 48), C Francisco Alvarez (No. 88) and INF Andres Gimenez (No. 90) making the cut.

RHP prospect Matthew Allan literally just missed the cut, with BP writing that he would've been No. 102 had the list extended that far.

OF Jarred Kelenic, who was traded along with Justin Dunn to the Mariners last offseason in the deal that brought Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano to the Mets, was No. 7 on BP's list.

Pitcher Robert Whalen announced on his social media on Monday that he is returning to the Mets. 

The Mets originally selected the righty in the 12th round of the 2012 MLB Draft, but in July 2015, he was traded in a package deal to the Atlanta Braves. The deal landed the Mets veteran infielders Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe. 

At the time of that trade, Whalen was the Mets' No. 18 prospect in their system, according to MiLB.com. 

The Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Erasmo Ramirez to a minor league deal, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.

As a player not on the 40-man roster, Ramirez will receive a non-roster invitation to spring training.

Ramirez, 29, spent most of the 2019 season in Triple-A, where he had a 4.74 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 124.1 IP (24 starts, three relief appearances). 

Weeks stand between the Mets and Spring Training. But before the team takes to Port St. Lucie, Florida, the organization welcomed in 2020 on Saturday at Citi Field with the inaugural Mets Fan Fest.

From second-year general manager Brodie Van Wagenen and recently hired manager Luis Rojas to players such as RHP Jacob deGrom and 1B Pete Alonso, here's a glimpse at how the Mets looked forward to the upcoming season.

Sunday's news of Kobe Bryant's tragic death in a Calabasas, Calif., helicopter crash had ripple effects across the sports world. Among the nine people killed in the crash, which included the 41-year-old Bryant's 13-year-old daughter Gianna, was 28th-year Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli.

Altobelli, 56, was on board Bryant's helicopter with his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa, who were among the crash victims. Altobelli's brother Tony, Orange Coast College's sports information director, confirmed the news to CNN.

Orange Coast College assistant Ron La Ruffa told CNN that Altobelli "routinely" flew with Bryant to attend their daughters' basketball games. The helicopter Altobelli was on reportedly had been headed from Calabasas to the Bryant-owned Mamba Academy in nearby Thousand Oaks, California.

While much of the attention on the Mets recently has been centered around the team looking into outfield help, they ended up adding some infield depth on Saturday.

According to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, Eduardo Nunez is joining the Mets as a non-roster invite to spring training. 

Nunez, 32, is a 10-year major-league veteran. Debuting with the Yankees in 2010, Nunez played his first four seasons in pinstripes. As a utility player for the Yankees, Nunez played in 270 games, slashing .267/.313/.379 with 10 home runs and 76 RBI.

MLB Pipeline released its first Top 100 prospect list for the 2020 season, and four players in the Mets organization made the cut.

Shortstop Ronny Mauricio leads the way as the 62nd ranked prospect in baseball, with catcher Francisco Alvarez just behind him at number 63. Shortstop Andres Gimenez also made the list at number 84, while last year's first-round draft pick third baseman Brett Baty rounded out the Mets' group at number 93. 

The Mets have as many prospects on this year's list as they've had in the last three seasons combined.

After putting together one of the most impressive rookie seasons in MLB history, Pete Alonso is ready for more.

Speaking at Mets Fan Fest on Saturday, Alonso discussed what areas of his game he can still improve on heading into his second big-league season, how anxious he is to get back on the field with his teammates, and more.

Additionally, Alonso gave his strong endorsement of Luis Rojas as the Mets new manager.

Here are three takeaways from Alonso's media session on Saturday:

Pete Alonso is one of a number of Mets players that new manager Luis Rojas has previously managed in the minor leagues.

Alonso explained that he vouched for Rojas to become Mets manager, and was more than excited when the 38-year-old got the job.

Speaking about what Rojas brings to the table as a manager, Alonso recalled one of his favorite Rojas stories from their time together with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Edwin Diaz's struggles in 2019 are well-documented.

During his first season as a Met, the 25-year-old pitched to a 5.59 ERA and a 1.379 WHIP. He converted just 26 saves in 33 opportunities and was often plagued by the long ball.

Still, Carlos Beltran was ready to enter 2020 with Diaz set as the team's closer.

Steven Matz made a career-high 30 starts in 2019, but sandwiched in between those starts was a pair of relief appearances in early July. 

With the additions of Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha, there appears to be a logjam in the rotation with six pitchers vying for five spots, but Matz is clear he'd prefer to have the ball every fifth day.

"I enjoyed being in the bullpen down there, but at the end of the day, I really love starting. I want to be a starter."

For the last six years, Brandon Nimmo's name has been floated on and off in various potential trade scenarios. This offseason, his name has popped up as the Mets and Pirates have discussed a potential deal for Starling Marte.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, Pittsburgh's ask remains big as they seek big league and minor league talent in exchange.

Nimmo was asked Saturday about how he deals with the rumors.

Suffering through shoulder and Achilles injuries, Dellin Betances threw just two-thirds of an inning as a member of the Yankees last season.

But the hard-throwing right-hander is confident he can hit the ground running as a member of the Mets in 2020.

"This offseason, I've spent a lot of time working on my body," Betances said Saturday at Mets Fan Fest. "I've thrown three bullpens already, so I feel good throwing off the mound. I'm doing more running now than I was earlier in the offseason. I'll be ready to go for this year and I'm definitely excited."

There is a secret weapon for Mets reliever Edwin Diaz when it comes to him potentially rebounding in 2020.

"Once I started throwing this offseason and putting in the work, I was kind of able to pick up on a few different things," Diaz explained Saturday through Mets translator Alan Suriel about how he has worked on correcting his mechanics. "I had a few friends who were able to kind of pinpoint what exactly was going on."

One of those friends? Former Met and Hall-of-Famer Pedro Martinez.

With Spring Training around the corner, the 2020 season is coming soon. Near the end of what has been a busy offseason for the Mets, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen set the stage before the team heads to Port St. Lucie, Fla.

During the Town Hall portion of Saturday's Mets Fan Fest at Citi Field, Van Wagenen and new manager Luis Rojas -- introduced on Friday -- took the stage with SNY's Gary Cohen to recap the offseason and preview the spring.

Here are five takeaways from Van Wagenen's comments...

Brodie Van Wagenen said Friday while introducing Luis Rojas as the 23rd manager in Mets history that a number of players had reached out on Rojas' behalf.

"The players knew him, the players trusted him, and he understands exactly what we're trying to accomplish in spring training this year -- because he's helped build our program," Van Wagenen said. "That was a big part of it."

We found out Saturday that Pete Alonso was one of the players that reached out.

"I talked to him," Alonso said Saturday at the Mets Fan Fest about his communication with Van Wagenen. "I just -- I asked him, 'Well if we're gonna get someone externally, are there gonna be any changes?'"

Coming off a season in which he threw a career-high 160 1/3 innings, Steven Matz is already excited to get back to work. He spent last week at the University of Michigan, throwing a bullpen and working with Wolverines pitching coach (and former candidate for Mets pitching coach) Chris Fetter. 

Using high resolution cameras and working with Michigan's kinesiology department, Matz and the man who eventually landed the Mets pitching coach job, Jeremy Hefner, were able to break down the left-hander's work in great detail.

"That was something that [Mets vice president] Allard Baird reached out to me about back in October. We thought it would be beneficial. Jeremy Hefner met me out there. That's the way the game's going. You have all this technology now and it's another thing you can use to improve."

Jacob deGrom won his second straight Cy Young award in 2019, becoming the first Mets pitcher to accomplish that feat. But he doesn't seem content to stop there.

"I always set personal goals going into a season," deGrom said Saturday at the SNY Mets Town Hall at Mets Fan Fest. "I guess the goal is to be the best pitcher I can be. I'd like to win another Cy Young. But like I said, personal goals are great. And any time you can achieve 'em you feel like you're helping the team be the best it can be. ... The main goal is a World Series for me."

DeGrom mentioned the desire for a third straight Cy Young in his typical, wry fashion. He did the same thing before the 2019 season when mentioning his desire for a second straight Cy Young. He then went out and won it.

Luis Rojas saw something in Jacob deGrom before he rose through Major League Baseball as arguably the game's best pitcher.

While deGrom was still in the minors, his earlier days with the Mets' lower-level affiliates included two stints under Rojas, who served as the manager of the Single-A Savannah Sand Gnats from 2012-14.

With deGrom coming off Tommy John surgery in 2012, he started his climb up the Mets' farm system with Rojas in Savannah, and the season there soon put him on the path to the big leagues.

From the minors to the big leagues, Luis Rojas has seen Pete Alonso's meteoric rise with a firsthand perspective.

Before he was introduced Friday as the Mets' new manager, Rojas got his start through the organization's minor-league affiliates, which included the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies from 2017-18.

Rojas crossed paths with Alonso, who played for the team during both seasons before heading to the Triple-A level midway through 2018, and Rojas saw the early signs of what Alonso eventually became.

Amed Rosario has known Luis Rojas since the Mets shortstop debuted as a professional in 2013, but their relationship grew even stronger in 2015, when Rojas served as manager in Port St. Lucie as Rosario began his rise through the team's farm system.

With the two reunited in Queens five years later, Rosario is thrilled to have Rojas as his skipper once again.

"I'm really excited to have him as my manager because I think about the memories I had with him in the minors," Rosario said through a translator at Mets Fan Fest on Saturday.

The Mets got some good news within the division earlier this offseason when Josh Donaldson elected to leave the Braves (and spurn the Nationals) to sign a multi-year deal with the Minnesota Twins.

No such luck this time around with Ryan Zimmerman, though.

According to a report from Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, Zimmerman is returning the Nationals on a one-year deal. The deal is has a base value of $2 million, but can be pushed up to $5 million with incentives.

In his latest mailbag, Matthew Cerrone answers questions about a potential Mookie Betts trade, Luis Rojas, and more...

Are we getting Mookie Betts or not? The Padres seem to want him more. ~ Anthony Rosato

Boston's goal in trading Betts has been to significantly reduce payroll and get below the luxury tax threshold. The rumored deal between the Padres and Sox would send Wil Myers to Boston, which wouldn't cut enough money. Therefore, the sticking point between the two sides is likely David Price, who Boston has been trying to package with Betts because it's the biggest cost saving possible.

For the Mets, though, sending just Jed Lowrie to Boston could work for both sides.

After his introductory press conference on Friday afternoon, Luis Rojas spoke to SNY's Steve Gelbs about his emotions on becoming the manager of the Mets.

"It's a birth of emotions," Rojas said. "I'm going crazy with the situation right now. The New York Mets manager, it's something that I've dreamed.

"When things unfolded for me to be a coach, and I landed with this organization in 2006, I saw how everything was so detailed," Rojas said. "My dream was to manage the New York Mets at one point. I knew it was going to take a lot. I was always proud to be a coach in the organization, I was always proud to be a manager in the minor leagues. And I was even more proud when I was on the coaching staff last year, but this is still a dream come true for me. And I'm willing to look forward and compete with the rest of the guys on the staff in this season."

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen stood alongside new manager Luis Rojas after introducing him to the media on Friday, going into detail about why he was chosen for the job to replace Carlos Beltran.

"His communication not only to the players, but you'll learn his communication with you will be genuine," Van Wagenen said. "And certainly from a management standpoint, the ability to know that when we speak to Luis, it's gonna be the truth."

After Rojas' press conference was over, Van Wagenen went 1-on-1 with SNY's Steve Gelbs and provided further explanation on the choice of Rojas.

In recent days, the Mets have once again been linked in trade talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates centered around outfielder Starling Marte.

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen spent most of his availability on Friday answering question about the team's new manager Luis Rojas, but he was also asked about the team still looking to trade for an outfielder.

"At this point we feel very confident in the group we have," said Van Wagenen. "We're excited about the guys that we have invited to camp. We're excited about the returning players that we'll have back on the roster, and we think we've added some key pieces from the outside that will help us this year. 

"We don't want to disrupt what we have. We do have the chemistry I spoke of. We have a culture where people buy into one another and they believe they can pick each other up. I don't see a deal that's going to disrupt that environment, and if there's an opportunity to continually improve our roster we'll explore it, but our aggressiveness is focused on getting ready for spring training with the players that we have."

The Mets introduced Luis Rojas on Friday as the 23rd manager in franchise history, with Rojas replacing Carlos Beltran less than three months after Beltran took over.

Amidst the strangeness of a second new manager press conference in the same offseason, Rojas spoke at the podium -- answering questions in both English and Spanish -- before taking part in multiple scrums with local reporters.

Throughout it all, Rojas was both direct and reflective, mentioning on numerous occasions how getting this job was his "dream."

With the Red Sox in a state of flux this offseason, there's long been a thought that the team might look to deal superstar right fielder Mookie Betts.

The Mets, meanwhile, would seem like a strong fit for Betts, as the team looks to solidify their outfield and add another big bat to go along with Pete Alonso in the lineup.

Could Betts end up in the National League this season after all?

The Mets announced Luis Rojas as the team's 23rd manager in Thursday evening.

The team had been working to finalize a multi-year deal with Rojas, and the deal is now official.

The 38-year-old Rojas has been a member of the Mets organization since 2007, managing on different minor-league levels before joining the big-league staff as quality control coach in 2019.

Luis Rojas will meet the media on Friday at Citi Field when he is officially introduced as the new Mets manager.

When news came out Wednesday that the Mets had chosen Rojas to replace Carlos Beltran, the reaction was mostly positive -- Rojas has been with the Mets since 2007, has terrific credentials, and is viewed by many as a rising star.

But one of the main concerns some had revolved around how Rojas would handle the media on a daily basis. He'll get his first test on Friday. Here are five (of many) questions Rojas should be asked...

Do you still need to earn the respect of the players?

Despite having already managed a vast majority of the players on the roster while in the minors -- including Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Dominic Smith, and many others -- there is a thought that Rojas may need to work to earn additional respect now that he's in the big league manager's chair.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Here's a weird question. Was Carlos Beltran ever the Mets manager?

What we mean is, when the franchise lists its all-time skippers, will Beltran be included despite the fact that the team hired and parted ways with him before he ever saw game action?

The question has implications both trivial and meaningful for Luis Rojas. Is he about to become the 22nd or 23rd manager in franchise history?

During the past two weeks, I reached out to current and former players, coaches, scouts and league executives to learn who on the Mets is most likely to take a big step forward in 2020 compared to 2019.

The following three players were mentioned most...

1) Amed Rosario

Rosario hit .287 with a .323 OBP, 15 home runs, 30 doubles and 19 stolen bases, while producing 2.7 WAR in 2019, according to FanGraphs.

As soon as he started to get himself stable and performing well in the field, he also began swinging at fewer pitches out of the strike zone, while swinging at more pitches in it. Not surprisingly, he also started making more and better contact overall, while also reducing how often he struck out.

Mets outfielder Michael Conforto, who has been one of the most valuable outfielders in baseball since making his Major League debut in 2015, has been ranked among the Top 10 right fielders in baseball by MLB Network's The Shredder. 

The 26-year-old Conforto, who hit .257/.363/.494 with 33 homers, 29 doubles, and 92 RBI in 151 games in 2019, came in at No. 9 on the list.

Conforto was one spot behind Joey Gallo and one spot ahead of Nicholas Castellanos.

The Mets announced Wednesday that they're finalizing a deal that will have Luis Rojas will take over as manager for the 2020 season.

The praise amongst Mets players such as Marcus Stroman, Pete Alonso and Dominic Smith, among others, has been great to see. As many have said, the hiring of Rojas seems incredibly popular amongst players. Thus, this level of response is not surprising.

I understand there are some questions about Rojas being a first-time big-league manager, and there was buzz that there was some doubt organizationally if he was ready to be a big-league manager when he interviewed in October for the job. Do not be mistaken though, Rojas is an incredibly qualified person for this job. He is a baseball lifer with the bloodlines from the Alou family, which is one of the most respected families in baseball history. While he may not have big-league managing experience, you are talking about a guy who has managed in the Mets organization since 2007 with the Mets Dominican Summer League team. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The more you hear about Luis Rojas, the more reason there is to believe he could be a good major-league manager. But is he ready in 2020? Will his inexperience cost the Mets in a win-now season? How will he react to being grilled daily about every significant decision he makes?

So many questions that nobody can answer until the games begin, and it's the great unknown that makes this such a huge gamble for Brodie Van Wagenen, especially with the expectation of a change in ownership that could raise the stakes even higher for the GM this season.

To me, it's the reason it made more sense to go get a proven commodity like a Buck Showalter or a Dusty Baker, especially after the Carlos Beltran hire backfired on the Mets and added a level of chaos that begged for credibility in the manager's office. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the wildly different takes on Luis Rojas that have surfaced during a week of reporting rolling around in my head, it was hard to form an opinion on the Mets' managerial choice. 

Then, during SNY's breaking news coverage, Keith Hernandez summed it up in a way that finally made sense: "I'm going to need at least 24 hours to digest this."

Keith was on the right track there. Our only amendment to his take is that we might need even more time -- 24 weeks maybe? -- to formulate an informed take on the news.

While the Mets have reportedly discussed Jed Lowrie in potential trades throughout the offseason, New York and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen are pleased with the infielder's progress entering 2020.

After a 2019 season in which he only played nine games due to injuries, Lowrie is making strides ahead of his second season with the Mets.

"We were pleased with his progress on where he's at physically," Van Wagenen said, according to Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News. "We did some testing to measure his strengths (and) he's progressing to the point where we're optimistic of having him participate in a meaningful way in (Spring Training) games."

The Yankees signed former Mets LHP Luis Avilan to a minor-league contract with a major-league Spring Training invite, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Avilan, 30, went 4-0 on the 2019 season with a 5.06 ERA and 30 strikeouts to 14 walks in 45 games.

He logged his first seven MLB seasons with four different teams, joining the Mets after spending 2018 on the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, pitching to a 2-1 record and 3.77 ERA.