Mets outfielder Alexander Canario is not expected to break camp with the major league club, reports Mike Puma of The New York Post. The 24-year-old is out of minor league options, so he’ll likely be removed from the 40-man roster in the next day or two. Puma indicates the Mets expect to place Canario on waivers. Alternately, they’d have five days to explore trade possibilities if they first designate him for assignment. If they couldn’t find a trade partner, they’d need to waive him.
Canario’s out-of-options status could lead to him bouncing around the league. It facilitated his move to the Mets in the first place, as the Cubs designated him for assignment and traded him to New York for cash in February. That wasn’t a great landing spot for Canario. The Mets already had Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, Jose Siri, Tyrone Taylor and Starling Marte essentially locked onto the MLB roster. Canario provided injury insurance during camp, and a potential fifth outfielder if the Mets lined up a late-offseason Marte trade.
Neither happened, so there wasn’t really a path for Canario no matter how well he played this spring. (Speedster José Azocar, who is also out of options, finds himself in a similar situation.) The righty-hitting Canario hit .306 in 17 exhibition contests. He connected on three home runs and drew seven walks, but he also punched out in 15 of his 43 plate appearances. It’s the same three true outcomes profile that he has displayed throughout his minor league career. Canario drilled 18 homers with a robust 11.3% walk rate in only 64 Triple-A games in the Cubs’ system last offseason, but his 30.4% strikeout rate meant the Cubs weren’t willing to carry him on the MLB roster.
Assuming he’s indeed waived (or traded for a nominal return) this week, Canario could attract interest from a team with less outfield depth. He owns a .252/.345/.521 line in parts of three Triple-A campaigns. He’s best suited in right field but can handle center in a pinch. Any claiming team would need to carry him on the MLB roster or again send him into DFA limbo, of course. If Canario goes unclaimed on waivers, the Mets would keep him in the organization without carrying him on the 40-man.
