Jarrod Dyson is an intriguing potential platoon partner for Juan Lagares

With Michael Conforto potentially out to start the year, the Mets find themselves lacking outfield depth. As things currently stand, this would mean Juan Lagares would be the everyday center fielder, with Yoenis Cespedes and Brandon Nimmo manning the corners until Conforto returns.

I already wrote a piece about why Lorenzo Cain could be a great fit for the Mets. But realistically, there is a good chance he may be out of the Mets’ price range. If the team is looking to bolster its outfield depth without paying a premium, then Jarrod Dyson may be a great option.

Like his former Royals teammate, Dyson is primarily a center fielder derives a lot of his value from speed and defense. For a team like the Mets that is relatively lacking in those departments, his skills are exceptionally useful. He has an impressive +55 DRS for his career in center field and has never stolen less than 26 bases in a full season in the big leagues.

Like Juan Lagares, Dyson has managed to produce value despite having a below average bat. He has put up two 3+ WAR seasons: 2014 and 2016. What makes him the most ideal fit for the Mets, though, is that he is left-handed. His career platoon splits complement Lagares’s almost perfectly.

If Lagares and Dyson were utilized as a platoon in center field, the Mets have the potential to get plus defense with a wRC+ in the 90s from the position, which almost any team would envy. Even once Michael Conforto returns to the lineup, Brandon Nimmo can provide backup at all three outfield positions and has already proven himself to be a good lefty bat off the bench.

Dyson is 33 years old, and there is always some trepidation about signing an older player very reliant on defense and speed. But his skills have showed no signs of decline as of yet; he had a +10 DRS in center field last season for the Mariners and stole 28 bases. And unlike Cain, it is unlikely Dyson will command a long-term contract. MLB Trade Rumors predicts the speedy lefty will get a two-year, $12 million contract. Given how hard the position player market has crashed this offseason, that number may even drop.

If the Mets are looking to find a bargain in the outfield, Jarrod Dyson is an ideal platoon partner for Juan Lagares and a player they should consider.