Mets will give Michael Conforto time in right field during spring training

In spring training, the Mets will give Michael Conforto time in right field during spring training, as Sandy Alderson told Jared Diamond. Conforto played all 56 of his games with the Mets last year in left field and has no prior experience manning the other side of the outfield.

While never lauded for his glove, the 2014 first-round amateur draft pick played promising defense during his major league debut. He certainly impressed enough at the plate to command a starting gig, hitting .270/.335/.506 with nine home runs.

As for the rest of the outfield, Curtis Granderson will turn 35 before Opening Day, but he has played in all but a dozen games in his two seasons with the Mets. If anything, the left-handed-hitting Granderson would take a breather against southpaws, against whom Conforto received just 15 major league plate appearances last season.

With Yoenis Cespedes back on board, Conforto could again be relegated to the long end of a platoon. Last year, Cespedes slid over to left, his natural position, while Juan Lagares manned center, when the Mets faced a left-handed starting pitcher.