Adeiny Hechavarria

New York Mets: Adeiny Hechavarria Year in Review

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It feels like a long time since Adeiny Hechavarria was in a New York Mets uniform, but he actually spent about two thirds of the season in Queens. The Mets parted ways with Hechavarria in a controversial way and it led to him signing with the rival Braves.

Hechavarria was brought in prior to the season to add some much needed depth to the Mets infield. He is known for his defensive ability and would not have any pressure to produce with the bat. Hechavarria’s deal included an opt-out which could be used if he was not on the major league roster by May 1.

Hechavarria or Smith?

On May 1, the organization decided to call-up Hechavarria and send down Dominic Smith in a move that drew a lot of criticism. He was used mainly to pinch hit and as a defensive upgrade, but was plugged into an everyday role once Robinson Cano got injured.

He filled the role adequately and even flipped out three home runs along with 12 RBIs during Cano’s stint on the IL. When Cano returned, Hechavarria was relegated back to bench duty. For the rest of his time as a Met, he only .179 with a .286 slugging percentage.

The Cheapness Never Ends

Hechavarria was due $1 million if he was on the major league roster for 100 days and the Mets designated him for assignment on August 7, less than a week before he would reach the century mark. He moved on to the Atlanta Braves and made the Mets regret their decision to cut him. Hechavarria hit over .300, supplied big hits against his former team and was happy to move to a winning team.

Grades:

Hitting for Average: D-, His primary job was not to hit, but it was not to hit this poorly either

Hitting for Power: D, Five home runs is actually a good mark, but then again…juiced balls

Defense: C, Solid job all around. He was able to play three of the four infield spots

Speed/Baserunning: C, Not a base stealer but did swipe three bags and has above average speed

Intangibles: B, nothing special in the clubhouse, but was not bad either

Overall: D, expectations very low for him, but they were only met on defense. Exceeded expectations as a Brave

The Yankees can go one of two ways at shortstop, does it involve Didi Gregorius?

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

After the rejection of Didi Gregorius’ qualifying offer of $17.8 million, the Yankees now have to make a decision on the shortstop position. They can go several ways this offseason.

Either they elect to move Gleyber Torres into a permanent role at short or look into potential free agents to fill the void. However, the idea of re-signing Gregorius isn’t a bad one by any means. Not only is he loved in the Yankees clubhouse, but he’s been efficient on offense and defense for the club over his tenure.

Coming off Tommy John surgery, Didi finished the 2019 season with a .238 batting average, 16 homers, and 61 RBIs. His season was highlighted by his defensive quality and ability to pull balls over the short right porch at Yankees stadium. A Grand Slam in the ALDS against the Minnesota Twins attests to his value in clutch situations and overall production.

The 2019 season wasn’t Didi’s best, though, as coming off a significant injury undoubtedly played a part in his momentum. He seems to be 100% healthy and ready to return to a full-time role in 2020. The question for the Yankees is, do they bring him back on a multi-year deal or let him walk and move Torres into his natural position, where he struggled earlier in the year.

Torres’ progression makes the most sense, considering he’s the future at shortstop, but having DJ LeMahieu available for one more year makes that switch a bit less pressing. Ideally, LeMahieu would play his preferred second-base, and Gleyber would begin his tenure at short, but Gregorius offers a lot more than just production in the field — he’s an icon for the fan-base and leader on the team.

There isn’t much talent on the free-agent market for the Yankees:

The current shortstop market is stripped clean of any skill greater than or equal to Gregorius’. Adeiny Hechavarria, Jose Iglesias, Jordy Mercer, or Chris Owings headline the top options behind the lefty hitter.

Ultimately, it boils down to a decision in the infield — is Torres ready to make the jump to short? If he is, there’s no need for Didi on the roster, but if Cashman prefers quality depth, the answer should be simple. Signing him to a one-year deal in the $13-14 million range could be the answer, as the Yankees likely believed he would accept the qualifying offer, which was too expensive for the value he brings to the team.