It’s time to decide the 2024 KoST winner!
I’m going to be honest here, folks. The bats this spring have looked very bleak. And that makes deciding a KoST winner pretty difficult. Almost universally, our pool of candidates on the offensive side declined since our last update. We do add one more name to the list in Zack Short, who was an unlikely candidate to make the team and managed to do so, which gives him some KoST potential. Other than that, the standout performers this spring have pretty much all been pitchers. There we add one additional candidate as well in Yohan Ramírez, who is competing with fellow KoST candidate Sean Reid-Foley for the final spot in the bullpen.
Tyrone Taylor – .262/.347/.405 in 42 ABs
Taylor had excellent early momentum as a KoST frontrunner and will make the team as a fourth outfielder, but his production declined in the second half of spring. Still, the overall line is respectable, especially considering what most of the rest of the offense has done this spring.
KoST Points: 1
Total KoST Points to-date: 10
Trayce Thompson – .250/.308/.583 in 24 ABs
Thompson’s decline in production was even more precipitous than Taylor’s, but he still banked some KoST points early to stay in contention.
KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points to-date: 7
Rylan Bannon – .278/.333/.444 in 18 ABs
Bannon only had one at-bat since our last update, but he did get a hit in that at-bat, ending his spring on a high note.
KoST Points: 1
Total KoST Points to-date: 4
Alex Ramírez – .308/.357/.385 in 13 ABs
It was a nice spring training for the Mets outfield prospect, who only logged two additional Grapefruit League at-bats after being reassigned to minor league camp.
KoST Points: 1
Total KoST Points to-date: 4
Ji Man Choi – .189/.318/.324 in 19 ABs
It looked for a minute there like Choi may make the Opening Day roster, but ultimately it is DJ Stewart going north with the team. But Choi did not exercise his opt-out and will provide depth for the Mets in the minor leagues.
KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points to-date: 3
Zack Short – .300/.404/.475 in 40 ABs
Zack Short put together a strong enough body of work in 40 at-bats this spring that he made the team over Mark Vientos. He racked up 12 hits, including a home run and four doubles, drove in eight runs, drew seven walks, and stole three bases. He has played almost every position in the field across three partial seasons in the big leagues with the Tigers and that versatility will make him a useful bench piece for the Mets. He found out his grandmother died the same day that he found out he made the Opening Day roster for his hometown team and that is the type of story that makes you want to pull for him—and possibly even vote for him as a dark horse KoST candidate.
“Zack’s a major league player… he expects to be a major league player and I think he’s happy it’s here.”
– David Stearns on how Zack Short reacted to making the Opening Day roster pic.twitter.com/tNygzZCa1b
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 24, 2024
KoST Points: 4
Total KoST Points to-date: 4
Austin Adams – 5.68 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 12 Ks in 6 1⁄3 IP
Austin Adams saw his ERA balloon since our last update, effectively sinking his KoST campaign, but his strikeout total this spring remains impressive.
KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points to-date: 4
Nate Lavender – 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 7 Ks in 3 IP
Lavender has not pitched in Grapefruit League action since being reassigned to minor league camp, but still has a decent chance at the KoST crown, given how much buzz he generated this spring.
KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points to-date: 7
Cole Sulser – 0.00 ERA, 0.17 WHIP, 10 Ks in 6 IP
Sulser remains one of the small handful of pitchers who maintained a clean sheet for the entire spring. And he has the most strikeouts of that 0.00 ERA crew. Unlike some of the other pitchers vying for bullpen spots, Sulser has a minor league option remaining, so he will begin the season in the minors, but if he continues to look good on the mound, he’ll almost certainly see big league action at some point over the course of the long season.
KoST Points: 2
Total KoST Points to-date: 6
Sean Reid-Foley – 4.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 7 Ks in 4 IP
Though Reid-Foley lost his spotless ERA, he’s still done well enough this spring that he may earn that final bullpen spot.
KoST Points: 0
Total KoST Points to-date: 5
Yohan Ramírez – 1.80 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 11 Ks in 10 IP
Ramírez gets a late KoST shoutout for competing with Reid-Foley for that final bullpen spot. His stuff has looked absolutely nasty this spring and that has generated some buzz. Both relievers are out of options, so the Mets will have to designate for assignment the pitcher that does not win the spot.
KoST Points: 4
Total KoST Points to-date: 4
Well, dear Amazin’ Avenue community, it’s time to decide the KoST winner. I am excited to see how this vote shakes out because unlike a lot of previous years, I would argue there is no clear favorite here. Tell me why you voted the way you did in the comments!
All the feels being back at @CitiField pic.twitter.com/FhjyxGx2nQ
— New York Mets (@Mets) March 27, 2024