New York Mets team chairman Sandy Alderson appeared on a special edition of Mets Hot Stove Wednesday night and told the SNY crew that he expects to have serious contract extension talks with the outfielder. Michael Conforto.
Sandy Alderson expects to have serious contract extension talks with Michael Conforto and hopes they can keep Conforto for the long term. #Mets
– Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) December 16, 2020
Alderson also added that he hopes to keep Conforto and keep him in the long run.
“I’m sure we’ll have those talks,” Alderson said. ‘I hope it’s not just about metaphors for fruit and vegetables. I expect we will have serious talks. “
The 28-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, where he will earn $ 11 million before entering the free market for the first time in his career in 2022. As a client of super agent Scott Boras, Conforto is expected to receive a significant payday as he has grown into one of the shining young stars around the game of baseball in recent years.
In a shortened 2020 season, Conforto posted a bWAR of 2.3, hitting nine home runs and driving in 31 RBI’s. He also was seventh in the National League with a .322 batting average, recording an on-base percentage of .415 and a slugging percentage of .515. Conforto recently earned the second team All-MLB award and will receive the Thurman Munson Award in February.
Ahead of the Covid season, Conforto set a career high in 2019 with 33 homers and 92 RBIs. This also comes after he made his first All-Star appearance, hitting 55 homers and driving in 150 RBI’s from 2017-18. Even more impressive is that Conforto has come back even stronger after shoulder surgery in late 2017.
Conforto was a first-round pick of the Mets in 2014 from the state of Oregon. He then raced through the minor leagues to make his MLB debut 13 months later in July 2015, helping the Mets in their pennant.
Conforto would make Major League history a few months later and become the first rookie since Andruw Jones in 1996 to hit two homeruns in a World Series game.
“I think Michael likes to play in New York. He’s been a great player since we raised him and I hope he stays with us, ”said Alderson.
Expanding Conforto and making him a long-term franchise player should be a priority for the Mets before he becomes a free agency next year. It is certainly a promising sign that Alderson expects this to be on the organization’s agenda for the foreseeable future.
