There is no question that the most valuable assets the New York Mets acquired at the trade deadline came in the deals for their co-aces. While Max Scherzer’s deal to Texas brought back the Mets’ top prospect in Luisangel Acuna, the organization also did quite well in landing two talented young outfielders from the Houston Astros in the Justin Verlander trade. This week’s edition of Minor League Mondays will focus on the one closer to the majors, outfielder Drew Gilbert.
The Astros took Gilbert in the first round of the 2022 draft out of Tennessee and he quickly became the organization’s top prospect. Gilbert was off to a strong start this season, hitting .360 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in 21 games for High-A Asheville to quickly earn a promotion to AA Corpus-Christi. The success continued there for Gilbert, who adjusted to the higher level of competition by hitting .241 with another six homers and 20 RBIs before getting dealt to the Mets. New York opted to assign Gilbert to AA Binghamton and he has taken to the Eastern League nicely, hitting .338 with another four homers and 16 RBIs in 20 games for the Rumble Ponies.
Scouts are high on Gilbert, who is currently the Mets’ second-best prospect according to MLB.com, due to his aggressive approach to all aspects of the game. Gilbert doesn’t strike out much but can get a bit homer-happy, although he does have enough power to produce 15-20 home runs a year as a pro along with plenty of extra base hits. There is also plenty of evidence that Gilbert will be a plus defender thanks to his above-average speed and throwing arm, giving him the ability to stick in either center field or a corner outfielder as a major leaguer.
Most experts also believe that Gilbert will become a fan favorite due to his fiery play and aggressive approach to the game. One frequent comparison that has been made is to former New York Yankees’ outfielder Brett Gardner, who was a productive regular in the Bronx for over a decade. If the Mets can get that kind of production out of Gilbert it would give them a solid building block for the future.
The Mets will likely let Gilbert finish this year in Binghamton before inviting him to spring training in 2024 so the big-league coaching staff can get a closer look at him. That would probably lead to Gilbert starting next season at AAA Syracuse, where he would be just one step away from the major leagues. The Mets would likely look to get a stop gap for left field in order to try and compete for the postseason in 2024 but Gilbert could force his way to the majors with a hot start to the season.
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