Jose Reyes & Devin Mesoraco — Deep League Wire

It’s an all Mets edition of the deep league waiver wire! I could hear the excitement through my computer screen.

Jose Reyes | 2B/SS/3B NYM | CBS 5% Owned

You’re not going to believe this, but Jose Reyes still plays! I didn’t even realize he amassed 561 plate appearances last year. Pretty amazing since he didn’t enter the year as a starter, but rather a super utility player. He entered this season as one too, but Todd Frazier just landed on the DL and figures to miss a couple of weeks with the dreaded hamstring strain. So Reyes should garner the majority of the at-bats at third base, though perhaps Wilmer Flores plays there some as well.

Reyes is already 35, so his most valuable fantasy skill, his speed, is more difficult to count on. That said, he has already attempted three swipes in just 38 plate appearances (and a pathetic .184 OBP!), so he surely seems still willing to run. That’s a good thing for his future fantasy owners. The other thing you worry about when a hitter ages is a deteriorating ability to make contact. That has happened here so far over a small sample (career worst Contact% and SwStk% marks), but he has somehow managed to maintain a strong strikeout rate. That might not last, but even some regression would result in a much better than average strikeout rate.

Though he was never exactly a power hitter, he always flirted with double digit homers, so he has never been a complete zero there. Since he has a bit of power and posts a good strikeout rate, he just needs a bit of BABIP luck to actually be a positive contributor there. He’s an ideal short-term add for those needing MI or even CI help, even in leagues as shallow as 15-team mixed.

Devin Mesoraco | C NYM | 2% Owned

Sticking with the Mets theme, the team traded Matt Harvey rather quickly after surprisingly designating him for assignment on May 4th. In return, the team acquired a one-time top prospect who broke out offensively in 2014, but whose career has been ravaged by injuries. I guess he fits in quite well given the Mets catchers’ health records!

Mesoraco has been healthy all season, but has only recorded 45 plate appearances and has done nothing with them. This makes him a pure “close your eyes and cross your fingers” recommendation. We know injuries have crushed him. We also know that he was once a pretty good offensive prospect, with solid plate discipline, and real power potential. Those skills paid dividends in 2014, but never again. Though you could argue that he did earn some positive value back in 2013 in deep leagues.

He now has the best opportunity he has had in a while to play every day and turn his career around. The Mets have no one else worthy of giving at-bats too, which is why they made this desperation move to begin with. Fantasy owners in deep leagues in dire need of a second catcher (I’m sure that’s many of you) should absolutely take a shot here like the Mets are doing. There’s little downside and we know what the ultimate upside is, even if the likelihood of him achieving it is infinitely slim.





Mike Podhorzer is the 2015 Fantasy Sports Writers Association Baseball Writer of the Year. He produces player projections using his own forecasting system and is the author of the eBook Projecting X 2.0: How to Forecast Baseball Player Performance, which teaches you how to project players yourself. His projections helped him win the inaugural 2013 Tout Wars mixed draft league. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikePodhorzer and contact him via email.

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feslenraster
6 years ago

Reyes? not even if you’re in a 20 team league, unless every real healthy body has gotten hurt.

grabinski84
6 years ago
Reply to  feslenraster

He had 15 HRs and 24 SBs last year. That would play in a 10-team league. Simmer down.

hebrewMember since 2016
6 years ago
Reply to  grabinski84

he’s also hitting 50% of his batted balls on the ground this year, compared to last. He has double the IFFB rate, and half the walk rate. As someone who’s watched the Mets every day all season, he looks absolutely toast.

wobatusMember since 2024
6 years ago
Reply to  hebrew

Did you watch every day last year? ‘Cos he started off just as badly. He’s only had 42 plate appearances and his line is .125/.167/.200.

Last year his first 70 PAs he was at .095/.186/.127. With a higher GB rate this year, sure (50% to 43.5%), but a higher LD% too (14.7% to 8.7%) and a higher hard hit %.

Both samples are small, but the 42 PA this year is tiny. After that first 42 PA he went .267/.333/.452. But he still wasn’t all that good until the second half last year, when he went .288/.356/.472 in 238 PA, for a 121 wRC+.

Not that I suggest he get a huge amount of PAs. I’d rather see what Wilmer can do. or shift Cabrera to 3rd and bring up Cecchini to play 2b. He’s hitting again this year (and better on the road than in Vegas). They may not trust his D. Guillorme is more versatile and maybe they don’t wanna mess with Cabrera’s hot start.

Pirates HurdlesMember since 2024
6 years ago
Reply to  feslenraster

Got to think it will be Wilmer, who is once again posting above league average offense.

Jon
6 years ago
Reply to  feslenraster

No chance in the world that anyone like Reyes or Mesoraco would be available in my league, a standard 12-team NL-only.

Best catchers available right now look like Bandy and Mathis. Best overall hitter is probably Charlie Culberson or Alex Blandino. I’d kill to get Reyes for free.

feslenraster
6 years ago
Reply to  Jon

Mesorasco I could understand, he actually still carries potential. And catching position is rather weak. Reyes stinks.

Jon
6 years ago
Reply to  feslenraster

All I’m saying is that my league is as standard as it gets in terms of # of teams and rosters (12 teams, 14 hitters, standard positions – i.e. not unusually deep) and there is just no chance that Reyes would be a free agent. Any way you cut it, he is one of the top 168 hitters in the NL. For what it’s worth, CBS has him projected to be the 112th best hitter the rest of the way.