2021 Mets King of spring training: final poll

The time has come, my friends. It is time to crown the 2021 KoST! I have not added any new names to our list of candidates for this final post, which leaves us with ten candidates — a nice even number if you ask me. It’s a diverse field with prospects, non-roster guys, and fringe guys alike and there is no single standout that I think will run away with the title. I am very excited to see who the community will pick this year! Let’s review our field, complete with final 2021 spring training stats.

Mark Vientos - .500/.700/.833 in 6 ABs

Mark Vientos hasn’t logged any at-bats since our last update and suffers from having the smallest sample size in the group, but KoST is a contest that deals in small sample sizes and Vientos’ 1.533 OPS still sits atop the Mets spring training leaderboard. The young Mets prospect certainly made his impression in limited Grapefruit League play this spring.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 8

Luis Guillorme - .313/.421/.375 in 32 ABs

Guillorme’s legendary 22-pitch plate appearance gained him admission to this list of KoST candidates, but his bat has him sticking around and rising up the ranks. He has the best batting line among candidates with significant spring training playing time and is the only KoST contender with a double-digit hit total (10). His six walks are also tied for second-best on the team. He has scored three runs and driven in one. Some may quibble with his presence among this field, but he may well earn a significant number of regular season at-bats based on his spring training performance, which built on his strong 2020 campaign.

KoST points: 2
Total KoST points: 8

Drew Ferguson - .455/.538/.545 in 11 ABs

Drew Ferguson notched an at-bat in yesterday’s final spring training game and was retired, which drops his overall batting line slightly, but much like Vientos, he impressed in limited action. His 1.084 OPS ranks third on the team behind Vientos and Pete Alonso. He finishes the spring with five hits, two walks, and three runs scored.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 7

Albert Almora - .222/.243/.444 in 36 ABs

Almora is one of the only players in our list of candidates, along with Guillorme, to amass a significant number of at-bats since our last update. Unfortunately for him, however, his batting line has declined since last week. However, his seven RBIs remain fourth-best on the team and he is in an exclusive group of six players in the “multiple spring training home runs” club. He has collected one additional hit since our last update, bringing his total for the spring up to eight. Coming into spring, his status was somewhat unknown due to the Mets’ acquisition of Kevin Pillar (who also performed well this spring), but he managed to snag a spot as a fifth outfielder and for that reason he deserves a place in the KoST Konversation.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 5

Jake Hager - .188/.188/.563 in 16 ABs

Jake Hager certainly takes the cake for the strangest small sample size batting line in our field of candidates. He was retired in his two at-bats since our last update, which means he only has three hits all spring, but two of them are home runs that together drove in five runs. It’s unfortunate that his newfound power during the first week of spring dissipated quickly, but being among only six players with multiple home runs this spring — and having by far the smallest number of at-bats in that group — is still a feat worthy of mentioning.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 5

Johneshwy Fargas - .286/.375/.500 in 14 ABs

Fargas’ last at-bat of the spring came on March 19 and therefore his batting line is unchanged since our last update, although he did appear on March 28 as a defensive replacement. A darling of last year’s abbreviated KoST content, Fargas has amassed an impressive campaign in a small sample size yet again this spring, collecting four hits, two walks, and a stolen base in 15 Grapefruit League games.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 3

Patrick Mazeika - .364/.429/.455 in 11 ABs

Mazeika’s most recent spring at-bat was also on March 19, as the Mets began to focus on putting their regular lineup out every day. The third catcher on the 40-man roster, Mazeika’s ability to hit was not what was in doubt as much as his defensive ability behind the plate. If he has proven himself to the Mets in that regard in limited play — and it is unclear whether he has — his superior performance to non-roster invitee Caleb Joseph this spring with the bat may earn him the first call if something were to befall James McCann or Tomás Nido.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 3

Bruce Maxwell - .273/.429/.364 in 11 ABs

Maxwell, another catcher, is a surprising member of this KoST field. He has only appeared in one game since our last update and was retired in his only at-bat in that game, so that drops his final batting line, which is still very respectable in limited play.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 3

Ronny Mauricio - .357/.357/.357 in 14 ABs

Mauricio has had two at-bats since our last update and unfortunately he was retired in both of them, but his batting line remains pleasingly symmetrical. 2021 probably won’t be the last time we see the young short stop in big league camp, so I am simply considering this a KoST debut for him with more to come.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 2

Trevor Hildenberger - 2.70 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 9 Ks in 3 1⁄3 IP

Alas, since our last update, Hildenberger’s spring training scoreless streak has ended. Prior to March 29, he was unscored upon and all of his outs had come via the strikeout, which is what earned him his place among this list of candidates. But in a heartbreaking turn of events, he surrendered a game-tying home run in the 9th inning of the Mets’ final spring training game. That made me sad because Hildenberger is exactly the type of quirky dark horse KoST candidate I find myself rooting for (yes, even though he is a pitcher). Still, his nine total strikeouts are tied for fifth on the team in half as many innings or less than anyone ahead of him or tied with him.

KoST points: 0
Total KoST points: 2

With that, let’s decide our winner!