Mets players feel for Conforto as he remains unsigned

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Last December, more than two dozen present and former Mets players filed into the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., to celebrate their teammate Michael Conforto’s wedding. The party, they said, was a memorable one.

Since that time, most Mets have shied away from contact with Conforto, understanding the sensitivity of his situation as baseball’s most prominent remaining free agent. He is the only unsigned free agent that Fangraphs projects for more than a single Win Above Replacement in 2022.

“Obviously a confusing time [for him], probably a frustrating time,” said Conforto’s longtime teammate, Brandon Nimmo. “I’m just wishing him the best.”

Nimmo recently sent Conforto a message telling him as much, but he didn’t receive or expect a reply. Like most Mets, Nimmo understands that Conforto “has a lot on his plate right now.” He simply wanted to offer his support.

“I’m sure he wants to play baseball, wants to be playing somewhere, but he hasn’t gotten the right offer,” another ex-teammate, Jeff McNeil said. “It’s his decision.”

Within the walls of the Clover Park clubhouse, Mets players are as interested as anyone regarding Conforto’s destination. Various reports have linked the slugging outfielder to the Blue Jays, Yankees, Rockies, Marlins and Padres, but no club has struck a deal with Spring Training now halfway complete. Part of the issue is that Conforto declined the Mets’ one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer in November, which means any team other than the Mets would forfeit at least one Draft pick to sign him.

While that has led to some hope from local fans that Conforto might consider a return, multiple people with knowledge of the situation called the prospect of a reunion extremely unlikely.

When the Mets signed Starling Marte and Mark Canha in rapid succession in November, those moves all but eliminated the chance of Conforto coming back to Flushing. The team is comfortable featuring a regular outfield alignment of Canha in left, Nimmo in center and Marte in right, with Dominic Smith, and perhaps even J.D. Davis, filling in on occasion.

“We got two new outfielders that we’re expecting to play a lot of baseball games for us,” general manager Billy Eppler said, declining comment on Conforto specifically (as he would any free agent). “We feel really good about the outfielders that we acquired and brought in, and as we look at the whole construction of the roster … we feel really good.”

In addition to their three starters, the Mets are giving plenty of spring opportunities to outfielders Khalil Lee and Nick Plummer, the organization’s seventh- and eighth-ranked prospects, respectively, who are already on the 40-man roster, and to defensive-minded veteran Travis Jankowski, whom the Mets recently signed to provide additional depth.

While Eppler mentioned earlier this spring that he will never truly unplug from the market, the Mets currently sit a few million dollars under MLB’s fourth and highest Competitive Balance Tax threshold. Owner Steve Cohen has said he’s willing to go over that mark, but don’t mistake willingness for eagerness; the Mets are wary of blowing past the final CBT tier right now, considering they’ll almost certainly add pieces -- and salary -- during the season.

That leaves Conforto to seek his ideal offer elsewhere. Per MLB rules, Conforto will have Draft pick compensation attached to him until July 16 -- the day before this year’s Draft. If Conforto signs after that point, the Mets won’t receive a pick for losing him. Otherwise, they’ll gain a selection just before the third round.

And so the Mets will remain interested observers in Conforto’s future even if they don’t intend to be directly involved in it. Curiosity will persist both outside the Clover Park clubhouse and within, where Conforto was a well-liked and popular teammate over seven years in the organization.

“Would we love to have him? Of course,” Nimmo said. “He’s an amazing player and he’s an amazing clubhouse guy, so I think he brings nothing but positives to wherever he goes.”