5. Yoenis Cespedes
2016 Projected Stats: .285/.331/.549, 37 HR, 106 RBI, 97 R, 6.5 WAR
Not many saw the pure explosion in production from Yoenis Cespedes upon his arrival in New York, and he’s one of the main reasons the Mets made it to the World Series. While he’s stuck in center field, his offense will more than make up for any defensive miscues. A full season with the Mets should signal another boost in production.
Cespedes finished the 2015 season with a .291 average to go along with a .870 OPS and a career-high 35 home runs. The 30-year-old also knocked in 105 RBI while scoring 101 runs. Despite his relative inability to draw walks, Cespedes only struck out 20.9 percent of the time and managed to boost his isolated power to an impressive mark of .251. He also stole seven bases, proving that his athleticism extends beyond his cannon of an arm.
With Michael Conforto and Curtis Granderson locked into the two corner outfield spots, Cespedes was forced into playing center field for most of his time in New York – and that will once again be the case in 2016. A -14.0 UZR/150 in center field doesn’t bode well, so a potential move to left or right field could be in order if things get out of hand.
But with his powerful bat, Cespedes will remain an imposing force in the middle of the Mets lineup.