LOS ANGELES — The Mets are paying attention to the market for Cuban defectors, but it remains unlikely a star of Yasiel Puig’s magnitude will be arriving at Citi Field anytime soon.
Even so, the organization, according to sources, will in the coming days take a look at Roberto Carlos, a 28-year-old shortstop who left the Cuban national team in Mexico in November 2012.
Carlos, a switch hitter, departed the U.S. last year after a stint playing independent baseball and settled in the Dominican Republic, hoping to gain more exposure.
For the Cuban national team in 2012 — he previously used the name Roberto Carlos Ramirez — he batted .339 with four homers and 49 RBIs, but there are concerns he has not played at a high competition level over the last two years.
A source familiar with the player said Carlos may have “slipped through the baseball cracks” because he didn’t have representation after defecting from Cuba.
The Mets are looking to upgrade at shortstop, and need options if they fail for a second straight offseason to land somebody in the major league free-agent or trade market.
As it stands, the team is auditioning Wilmer Flores at shortstop, but hasn’t given up on Ruben Tejada. The organization also is high on Matt Reynolds, who entered Thursday batting .339 for Triple-A Las Vegas, but there are concerns whether he can play the position on an everyday basis.
Flores, who is best suited to play a corner-infield position, hasn’t embarrassed the team at shortstop, but also hasn’t hit enough to convince the Mets he’s part of the long-term solution.
The most logical solution is dealing with the Cubs for Starlin Castro, Addison Russell or Javier Baez, but the Mets also are reluctant to part with their young pitching to address the lineup issues.
On the Cuban front, the Mets are interested observers in the Rusney Castillo sweepstakes, but have not pursued the 27-year-old outfielder (the Tigers, Giants and Red Sox are reportedly the favorites to land him). But general manager Sandy Alderson indicated the money it will take to sign Castillo is not the issue. The expectation within the industry is Castillo will get a multi-year deal in the $50 million range.
“I think it’s a matter of there might be some scouting differences of opinion, and kind of where we are and what we’re going to do in the immediate future, so there are lots of issues involved,” Alderson said.
How involved are the Mets with Cuban defectors?
“We scout them now, so it’s not as if we’re not aware of what is going on,” Alderson said. “It’s not like we’re not aware of who is out there.
“We are not looking at that market necessarily to solve our problems. But you need to be active in all the player-acquisition markets — participate and be aware that you have those as options.”