Now that the 2023 season is over for the New York Mets, we have been looking back at the year that was. After taking a more general view of the offense, pitching, and coaching staff, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the Mets’ players. This series will take a look at every player on the roster for the Mets at the end of the season from A (Abraham Almonte) to W (Josh Walker). The review will look at their season statistics, stories, and what role (if any) they will have next season. We continue the series today with a look at infielder Danny Mendick.
Player Review: Danny Mendick
2023 Stats:
Minor Leagues: 91 Games, 373 At Bats, .282 Batting Average, 105 Hits, 18 Doubles, 1 Triple, 11 Home Runs, 57 RBIs, 62 Runs Scored, 14 Stolen Bases, 46 Walks, .793 OPS
Major Leagues: 29 Games, 65 At Bats, .185 Batting Average, 12 Hits, 3 Doubles, 1 Home Run, 4 RBIs, 4 Runs Scored, 1 Stolen Base, 4 Walks, .509 OPS, -0.9 WAR
Story: Seeking infield depth, the Mets signed infielder Danny Mendick to a one-year contract with an eye towards finding value with a player who looked promising with the Chicago White Sox before suffering a knee injury. Mendick failed to make the team out of spring training and was assigned to AAA Syracuse, where he spent the first three months of the season before being recalled to the majors in late June when the team needed an extra infielder after trading Eduardo Escobar to the Los Angeles Angels. The Mets didn’t use Mendick much over a 10-day span and sent him back to AAA on July 4.
Mendick was back up with the big club less than three weeks later and he quickly found his way into more playing time after Luis Guillorme and Mark Vientos landed on the injured list while Brett Baty was sent back to AAA Syracuse for a mental reset. After the Mets sold at the deadline, Mendick essentially platooned at third base with Jonathan Arauz in August and hit .196 with a homer and four RBIs in 46 at bats. Mendick did make two mop-up appearances on the mound as well, notably surrendering 8 runs to the Atlanta Braves in 1.1 innings of a game the Mets lost 21-3 on August 12.
When Baty returned to the big leagues on September 1st the Mets sent Mendick back to AAA, where he spent the month before coming back up after Jeff McNeil’s season ended early due to an elbow issue. Mendick got in just one more game, going 0 for 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 30th to wrap his season on a low note.
Grade: D
Mendick was signed to be infield depth and ended up being a de facto starter in August. While the role was not what the Mets envisioned when they signed Mendick last December, he didn’t do enough to seize an opportunity to remain with the big club throughout September.
Contract Status: Free Agent
Odds Of Returning: 0%
2024 Role: None
One of David Stearns’ first moves as the Mets’ President of Baseball Operations was to remove a slew of players from the 40-man roster that included Mendick, who the team outrighted back to Syracuse. Mendick refused the assignment and elected free agency, where he will look to find another team to continue his pursuit of a big league career. The Mets do need infield depth but Stearns clearly felt that he could upgrade on Mendick’s 40-man roster spot so a reunion doesn’t appear to be in the cards.
Check back tomorrow as our Player Review Series continues with a look at catcher Omar Narvaez!
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