Drew

Gilbert

Gilbert missed three months of the 2024 season with a hamstring injury and then hit just .215/.313/.393 in 56 games at Triple-A when he returned, so he’s coming off a bit of a lost season. However, he did have 10 home runs in those 56 games, and he has a pull-heavy approach that has led to decent power despite a smaller frame. He makes solid contact and has a good feel for the strike zone, so he could be a 20 home run bat that hits .260-.280 at the MLB level. With a good Arizona Fall league and solid Spring Training, he could push for a spot on the Mets’ Opening Day roster.

Gilbert has gone deep seven times over his last 15 games as he continues to build a compelling case to earn a late-season debut with the Mets. The 23-year-old was shipped to New York as the centerpiece of last year’s Justin Verlander trade and is on the doorstep of making it to the majors.

The Mets’ third-ranked prospect will be making his first appearance since April 6 when he hurt his hamstring while playing for the Syracuse Mets. The 23-year-old was hitting .240/.321/.360 with one home run in seven games. He will likely be back in Syracuse soon and take the rest of the season to get more Triple-A at-bats.

Gilbert picked up the injury while running to first base in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday. The 23-year-old is one of the best prospects in the Mets’ system after coming over to New York in the deal for Justin Verlander. There’s no timeframe for when Gilbert will be able to return to action, but assuming this isn’t a long-term injury, he has a chance to make his MLB debut in 2024.

Acuña, Gilbert, Scott and Williams are the headline inclusions in the first round of spring cuts from Mets camp. Scott has looked extremely impressive this spring and figures to blossom into one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, if he’s not there already in dynasty circles. Gilbert and Williams are the closest to the big leagues among the position players and are among the top overall prospects in the game from a fantasy standpoint.

The 22-year-old outfielder is considered the top prospect in the Astros’ organization and makes for a nice get for the Mets — especially since their hands were likely tied in having to deal with the Astros as that was Verlander’s preferred destination. The Astros’ first-round selection (28th overall) from the 2022 draft, Gilbert has slashed .274/.363/.458 with 12 homers, 38 RBI and 10 stolen bases across 81 games between High-A Ashville and Double-A Corpus Christi this season.

Verlander spent five seasons with the Astros, winning a pair of World Series titles and AL Cy Young Awards in the process, before signing a two-year, $86.67 million contract last offseason with the Mets, which also includes a $35 million vesting option for the 2025 season. The 40-year-old right-hander has pitched extremely well of late, allowing three earned runs or fewer in seven consecutive starts since June 26. He represents an immediate upgrade for Houston’s injury-depleted starting rotation and should benefit from a return to familiar Minute Maid Park. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com adds that the Mets will be receiving top prospect Drew Gilbert, plus at least one additional prospect, in the deal.

Gilbert, the top prospect in the Astros’ system, gets the call to the upper minors after slashing .361/.421/.686 with 15 extra-base hits (six homers) in just 21 games this season for High-A Asheville. The 22-year-old first-round selection from the 2022 MLB Draft might be ready to make an impact in the majors next year, but it’s impossible to rule out a potential late-season cameo.

Gilbert, the Astros’ first-round selection last summer, played only seven games last season before suffering a season-ending elbow/forearm injury when he crashed into the center-field wall during a minor league contest.

He’s still being evaluated. Gilbert -- the Astros first-round pick this summer -- crashed hard into the wall and had to be carted off the field. There should be further information in his status in the coming days.