The Mets have acquired Astros CF Jake Marisnick in exchange for prospects Blake Taylor and Kenedy Corona.

Marisnick, who is known for his defense, hit .233/.289/.411 in 120 games for the Astros in 2019. He is a career .227/.280/.380 hitter in seven seasons with the Marlins and Astros.

The 28-year-old Marisnick is projected to make $3 million via arbitration in 2020, after which he is eligible for free agency.

"Jake is an elite defender who is an incredibly smart base runner," Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said in a press release announcing the trade. "Among our offseason plans was to improve defensively and he is one of the best in the game."

Marisnick played only center field in 2019, and was worth 5 DRS in 733 innings. He has been a plus defender in center field every year of his career, and was worth a career-best 12 DRS in center field in 2018.

Looking at the more advanced numbers, Marisnick ranked near the top of the league in 2019 in outs above average, sprint speed, and outfielder jump.

"The vibe around the Mets when we were watching them last year from Houston, they looked like they were playing with some hunger and some passion," Marisnick told MLB.com's Anthony DiComo after learning of the trade. "I'm excited to come in and add to that."

Van Wagenen spoke earlier this offseason about his desire to improve the team's defense and the hope of playing Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo in the corner outfield spots regularly.

If Marisnick plays regularly in center field, it will push Conforto and Nimmo to the corners while potentially making playing time harder to come by for J.D. Davis.

If Marisnick splits time in center field with Nimmo, it could mean Davis starting regularly in left field.

Either way, the acquisition of Marisnick likely means the Mets won't be acquiring CF Starling Marte from the Pirates.

Popular in the Community