Minor League Mondays: Could Drew Gilbert Play Himself Onto The Major League Roster?

The New York Mets have a big question mark on their roster in center field. The loss of Jose Siri to a fractured tibia in his left leg has left Tyrone Taylor as the everyday center fielder and the team in search of other options, such as using Brandon Nimmo there for the first time since 2023 and having Jeff McNeil try the position during his minor league rehab assignment.

While those would be decent short-term options, another longer term play could be if prospect Drew Gilbert can earn a big league opportunity with a strong start at AAA Syracuse. Gilbert is the focus of this week's edition of Minor League Mondays.

Mets' prospect Drew Gilbert has a chance to play his way onto the big-league roster.

The Mets acquired Gilbert in 2023 as one of the key pieces in the Justin Verlander trade and he had a hot finish to that season. 2024 was a lost year for Gilbert, however, as hamstring injuries limited him to just 62 games and he hit just .205 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI and a .684 OPS in 229 at bats. Gilbert also didn't fare much better in a cameo in the Arizona Fall League, leading the Mets to slow play his start to 2025. After a delayed start to spring training, the Mets assigned Gilbert to Low-A St. Lucie for a rehab assignment. Gilbert crushed the baseball there, batting .375 with two home runs and six RBI, leading the Mets to push him back to AAA Syracuse to start his regular year.

Things have gone well for Gilbert in his first few games with Syracuse as well as he has three hits in his first nine at bats. Sunday's game was also a highlight for Gilbert, who delivered a big single early in the game and threw out a runner at the plate as well.

Gilbert, who was a Top 5 prospect in the Mets' system in the immediate aftermath of the trade, is currently sitting at 11th on MLB.com's list of the team's top prospects. Scouts have liked Gilbert's contact skills and energy in the field, impacts that were limited by his injuries in 2024, but if Gilbert is fully healthy he could be a spark plug when the team needs it. Expect the Mets to let Gilbert get comfortable in center field for Syracuse before they consider him as a potential call-up. McNeil's return will likely allow the Mets to roll with their current options, which could also see LuisAngel Acuna get reps in center, but if Gilbert hits well for Syracuse he could force their hand in the next month or so. The Mets' hot start also reduces the urgency for Gilbert to come up and save the position, which is important since he needs to get used to being a full time center fielder again. The addition of Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo's long-term contract essentially blocks the outfield corners for the next five years, meaning Gilbert's cleanest path to the bigs is in center, where Taylor and Siri profile better as reserves than everyday players. It would be surprising if Gilbert isn't a big leaguer by the summer and given a shot to be the every day center fielder at that point. Gilbert could hit lower in the order and give the Mets a second leadoff hitter out of the nine hole, which could help them turn the lineup over more efficiently. Either way, Gilbert looks to be the next guy from this wave of young position players to earn a big-league opportunity.