Mets' Guide to the 2014-15 Free-Agent Hitting Market

With all the young pitching depth the New York Mets have right now, it's no secret that they will be targeting hitters this offseason.

Under general manager Sandy Alderson's watch, the Mets have spent the past five seasons rebuilding the farm system with an infusion of young talent that is now developed enough to hopefully have a significant impact on the team's future. With many of these young players now on the major league roster, it's up to Alderson and the rest of the front office to use free agency and trades to fill in the remaining holes.

Although the Mets lineup this past season certainly was not the very best in the league, it's not like a complete makeover is needed. Barring any unforeseen trades occurring, the Mets should continue to have Travis d'Arnaud catching, Lucas Duda at first base, Daniel Murphy at second base, David Wright at third base, Juan Lagares in center field and Curtis Granderson in right field.

Many of those players are on the younger side and have a lot of potential, while Wright and Granderson are veterans with proven track records of success.

This leaves shortstop and left field as the two particular positions that the Mets will need to address this offseason. There are some internal options for both positions, but the Mets should still be able to find good upgrades somewhere, whether it be from a trade or through the free-agent market.

Let's take a look at what the shortstop and left field free-agent markets should look like and which particular free agents would be the best possible fits for the Mets.

Shortstop

There are four notable shortstops who should become free agents this offseason: Asdrubal Cabrera, Stephen Drew, Jed Lowrie and Hanley Ramirez.

At 28, Cabrera is in what should be the prime of his career, but he is coming off two consecutive seasons with a batting average under .250. However, he is a switch-hitter, which always provides additional value.

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Drew is a few years older at 31, but his career success is at a similar level to Cabrera's. The left-handed hitting shortstop did not hit particularly well this past season with just a .162 average, but he still has some power and was part of the 2013 World Series champion Boston Red Sox team. For a cheaper price, Drew could be someone for the Mets to keep an eye on.

Lowrie himself is coming off a down year this season, but the switch-hitter has shown some power in the past with 16 home runs in 2012 and 15 home runs in 2013. He should not be the Mets' biggest shortstop target this offseason, but he is another guy the team could look into as a "Plan B" or a "Plan C." Lowrie likely will not command a particularly high salary, so he could certainly be a fit with the Mets.

But clearly the biggest prize among free-agent shortstops is Hanley Ramirez, who is one of the most elite shortstops in all of baseball. However, he has not played for a full season in the past two years, and as a result, injury risk will likely become a greater concern for him as he gets older.

But Ramirez is only 30, which means that he will almost certainly ask for a massive contract. This would be quite a high-risk, high-reward scenario for the Mets to consider, but as a big-market team, the Mets absolutely have to at least try to see what Ramirez would want and make a serious offer unless the amount of money and years he wants are too much.

Many teams will inquire on Ramirez this offseason, but the Mets need to be in the middle of it and make every effort to sign him and solidify the shortstop position for the first time in the post-Jose Reyes era. But in the event that Ramirez does not become a Met, the team should then look into signing Cabrera or Lowrie. Both infielders would be good fits within the Mets and Citi Field.

Left Field

Just because left field is the spot in the outfield that the Mets really need to fill does not mean that they should and will only target players who played the majority of their time in left field. All outfielders should be considered in free agency for any spot in the outfield.

Five particular outfielders stand out from the rest of the crowd: Melky Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Michael Cuddyer, Nick Markakis and Mike Morse.

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Cabrera is coming off a solid season that included a .301 average, 16 home runs and 73 RBI. He has played well in the past few years, and the Mets could certainly consider him among the outfield free-agent candidates.

Cruz led all of baseball this season with 40 home runs and also had 108 RBI. However, he is 34 and spent the majority of the year as a designated hitter, so it seems like Cruz would be better suited for an American League team that has the DH option.

But if playing the field is not a big concern for Cruz, the Mets should definitely go after him and should be able to afford a one-year or two-year contract for him. He certainly would be worth the money after the great season he just had.

Unlike Cruz, Cuddyer and Markakis are both veterans who play very well both at the plate and in the field.

Cuddyer will be 36 before Opening Day but has hit 10 or more home runs in each of the past six seasons. He also hit .332 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI this season in just 49 games.

Health obviously would have to be a big concern for Cuddyer at this point in his career. If some of the better outfield options don't work out in free agency, Cuddyer could be worth a one-year deal, but the Mets should not risk a multiyear contract on him.

Markakis has spent his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles, so it will still be somewhat surprising if the Orioles let him walk into free agency without getting him to sign an extension. But if it happens, the Mets would likely rank Markakis as one of their most desired free-agent targets.

Markakis can hit for both average and power, draws his fair share of walks and does not strike out much. He has hit 10 or more home runs in every season in his career thus far and has also played in 150 or more games in seven of the past eight seasons. This kind of reliable durability could be just what the Mets need in the outfield: a proven hitter who is successful and does not get hurt.

Morse should be viewed as more of a platoon outfielder who would get starts against left-handed pitching. At 32 (33 by the next Opening Day), Morse may be past his prime already, but he should be someone who the Mets could look into if their hopeful pursuits on Cruz and Markakis do not go too well.

On a one-year or two-year deal, Morse could certainly provide some much-needed right-handed power that the Mets clearly lack aside from David Wright. His power would definitely fill such a big need within the Mets lineup, and it's a shame they missed out on signing him last offseason. Morse batted .279 this past season with 16 home runs and 61 RBI.

All of these outfielders could really be intriguing options for the Mets. Clearly, Cruz and Markakis should be the top priorities if the Orioles do not extend them. But if neither of those pursuits end up working out, Cabrera would probably be the next player to target. Cuddyer is a high-risk option due to his age, and Morse should be an alternative option later on, but he still could be quite useful for the Mets next year.

Conclusion

A 2015 Mets lineup that includes Hanley Ramirez and Nelson Cruz may sound like a pipe dream to some, but until any official moves are made in free agency, there's no reason for fans to not be optimistic in hopes that the Mets make big moves and turn the team into a real postseason contender next year. Let's hope that Alderson and the Mets find ways to get the players they want!

All statistics shown are courtesy of MLB.com.