Could Jose Abreu Be Wearing a Mets Uniform Next Season?

Could Jose Abreu follow the footsteps of this man?

Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Abreu has decided to defect from Cuba and attempt to continue his young baseball career in the MLB.

There has been a bunch of speculation has to where Abreu will sign and end up after he officially hits the open market this off-season. One of the teams is the New York Mets.

They are looking for a big bat that can provide power to their lineup and he plays a position that they could use a stable guy at. Plus, Sandy Alderson will have money to spend this off-season.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Abreu (I had no clue who he was), he is a 26-year-old power hitting first baseman who put up some ridiculous numbers in the Cuban league.

In 2011, Abreu had a .453/.597/.986 line with 33 HRs and 93 RBIs in 293 PA’s. The following season Abreu put up a .394/.542/.837 line with 35 HRs and 99 RBIs in 384 PA’s. He is everything the Mets are looking for in a first baseman. But will Sandy Alderson take the risk and go out and get Abreu?

The likely answer seems no, especially because Alderson rarely wants to spend big money on one guy. It’s seems like this could be a different case though.

It is well documented that the Mets are looking for an impact bat in the offseason to help their lineup for 2014. Some of the names thrown around are Giancarlo Stanton and Carlos Gonzalez. Now to acquire a player like that, the Mets would have to part ways with a very good package of prospects.  They could go the free agent route and sign a guy like Shin-Soo Choo or Jacoby Ellsbury, but that would require Alderson to pay guys who are in their 30s big time contracts (which he isn’t known for) and forfeit the Mets first round draft pick. Both of those options come with some high risks.

In the case of Abreu, the Mets would just have to offer him a contact, which would be around the size of a deal that Ellsbury, Choo, Stanton or Cargo would command. The upside: an under-control, young first baseman that won’t cost the Mets a draft pick or force them to unload their prospect system. It seems like the perfect scenario for the Mets.

While Abreu might not want to play for the Mets, he is a perfect fit for them and he is a guy they should target this offseason. He’s 26, plays first, hits home runs, gets on base and will allow the Mets to use their prospects to fill other important needs. A perfect option has been presented to Alderson acquire a big time bat but keep the future intact.

The Mets can really make a splash and show they are for real in 2014, while adding a huge bat to their lineup. It’s just up to Sandy Alderson to pull the trigger.