This former New York Mets top prospect is back on the market after opting out of his Spring Training contract with the Yankees.
With less than a week before Opening Day, Spring Training rosters are starting to sort themselves out. However, one former top New York Mets prospect returned to the open market on Friday.
As first reported by Robert Murray of FanSided, Dominic Smith has opted out of his minor league deal with the New York Yankees. Smith was allowed to opt out of his contract if he wasn’t added to the team’s 40-man roster by the end of the day.
Smith is in a different situation from other veterans who had the same opt-out clause in their deals. The 29-year-old is not an Article XX(b) free agent, as he did not finish last season on a major league team despite having the required six years of MLB service. Pitcher Jose Urena is the only Mets player currently under an Article XX(b) minor league deal.
Smith, a former first-round pick by the Mets, had a productive Spring Training for their cross-town rivals. In 12 games with the Yankees, the outfielder/first baseman slashed .297/.289/.568 with three home runs and 12 RBI. He split last season with the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds, compiling six home runs and a slash line of .233/.313/.378 across 93 games.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees are in the market for a right-handed DH to replace the injured Giancarlo Stanton. The top of the Yankees lineup is left-handed heavy, and bringing in another right-handed bat makes sense for them until Stanton can return. The Bronx Bombers were also linked to former Mets DH J.D. Martinez earlier in the spring.
Mets fans may be wondering if a reunion with Dom Smith makes sense for the team, as he is a proven big-league hitter and would be able to fill in as a left-handed backup first baseman to Pete Alonso. Although he never lived up to his draft capital, Smith could be an interesting depth addition as a player who is familiar with the organization and can hold his own at the dish.
In 447 games with the Mets, Smith has a .246/.308/.424 slash line with 46 home runs, 179 RBI, and a 99 OPS+; he also has 19 home runs, 37 doubles, and 84 RBI across 224 games at Citi Field. With catcher Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil both starting the season on the Injured List, the Mets could be in the market for a reliable bat to anchor the bottom half of their order.
