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Far out of contention, the New York Mets will use the 2013 season’s final 40 games to evaluate which prospects—if any—can be key contributors for the team next season.

After enduring what’s likely to be a fifth-straight losing season, New York is entering a crucial offseason, as the team seeks a return to contention in 2014. General manager Sandy Alderson has repeatedly promised to spend money in free agency, but first must evaluate the talent within his organization.

The front office needs to see how certain players perform before dipping into the free agent market. The Mets will hardly have an unlimited budget, so it’s essential to make good use of their limited resources. Making the right decisions this offseason could very well be the difference between contention and obscurity.

As September approaches, here are three prospects the Mets should be expected to call-up when MLB expands to 40-man rosters.

Rafael Montero, SP

Montero is currently rated as the Mets second-best pitching prospect behind Noah Syndergaard, according to a scouting profile on MLB.com. The right-hander projects as a front-line starter that could be a key piece of New York’s rotation in the not-too-distant future. 

The 22-year-old has succeeded at every level of New York’s farm system since being signed in 2011. In June, Montero was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas after dominating Double-A hitters to the tune of a 2.43 ERA and 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Following his promotion, Montero struggled while pitching in Las Vegas’ hitter-friendly park, but has pitched to an impressive 0.82 ERA during August.

The Mets have a surplus of young starters, but expect them to give Montero a couple of well-deserved starts toward the end of the season. Although he’s likely to start the 2014 season in the minors, Montero could certainly make a September cameo in Queens. 

Matt den Dekker, CF

Juan Lagares has gone a long way towards solidifying his spot on next season’s roster, but look for den Dekker to get an opportunity in center field next month.

den Dekker’s season was derailed when he suffered a broken wrist while diving for a ball during spring training. On June 17, den Dekker returned to Single-A Port St. Lucie and quickly made his way up to Triple-A.

Considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the organization, den Dekker has also shown some pop in his bat since being promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas.

In 45 games, the 25-year-old is hitting .282/.357/.503 with six home runs and 33 RBIs, but some of that success must be attributed to the hitter friendly environs of the Pacific Coast League. den Dekker’s strikeout rate has also dipped under 30 percent.

den Dekker deserves to get a look from the Mets before the end of the season. Sandy Alderson could pursue a center fielder in free agency this offseason, but he should make sure no stone goes unturned inside the organization before taking that step.

Jacob deGrom, SP

deGrom is hardly a top-pitching prospect, but it’s about time the Mets figured out what they have in the hard-throwing right-hander.

The 25-year-old deGrom is the rare pitcher whose numbers have actually improved since his promotion to hitter-friendly Las Vegas. In 12 starts, deGrom is 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA in 68.2 innings pitched. He’s posted strong numbers this season and is ripe for a September call-up.

Unfortunately, deGrom has reached his 140 inning limit for the season, according to MetsBlog, but don’t be surprised if the Mets forgo the limit to afford him a couple of starts with the big club.

deGrom is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft at the end of the season, which means the Mets need to decide if they want to commit to him. Despite a relative lack of experience, look for deGrom to make a few appearances for the Mets in September.

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Tonight’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees has been postponed due to weather. 

Join us for the split doubleheader tomorrow with games at 1:05 PM and 7:10 PM. 

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The New York Mets are headed for their fifth-straight losing season and another summer spent in baseball oblivion.

Despite the recent sweep of the Yankees, the Mets stand at 22-30 and nine games back of the Braves in the NL East through the month of May. The Mets have finished in fourth place in each of the past four seasons and are likely to finish in that same spot this season.

Of course, Matt Harvey has been a bright spot and David Wright remains one of the best third basemen in baseball, but the team is filled with underachievers.

The Mets are certain to be sellers in this season’s trade market as the team concludes a multi-year rebuilding process.

Sure, it’s only the beginning of June, but here are five players the Mets could move before the July 31 trade deadline.

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Ike Davis’ nightmare 2013 season continues to spiral out of control with each at-bat, and he could be demoted to the minors in the near future, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

During Monday’s 2-1 win over the Yankees, Davis struck out in each of his three at-bats with boos from the Citi Field faithful growing louder each time he skulked away from the batter’s box.

Davis’ latest rough outing came after he provided a brief respite from his season-long slump just the night before. In the eighth inning, he lined a two-run single to lift the Mets to a 4-2 win over the Braves and snap a five-game losing streak. It marked Davis’ first two-RBI effort in 26 games since April 19.

Following the game, Davis told reporters that he’d made an adjustment to his swing after watching tape of his at-bats, according to the New York Post.  But Davis’ apparent breakthrough was short-lived as he returned to his whiffing ways against the Yanks.

Mets fans are growing weary of Davis’ presence on the ball club, which has come to epitomize this underwhelming bunch.

Through May 27, Davis has struck out 57 times in 155 at-bats or nearly one-third of his plate appearances. He’s hitting .155/.241/.245 with just four home runs and 11 RBI. At this pace, he’d be lucky to sniff the Mendoza Line by the All-Star break.

That’s not exactly what you expect from a franchise first baseman. Heck, the Mets expect more out of light-hitting shortstop Ruben Tejada.

But wait, there’s more.

Davis’ -0.9 offensive WAR is tied for last with Adam Dunn among 32 qualified first basemen, according to Fangraphs.

To make matters worse, Davis has carried his offensive struggles onto the field. His recent gaffes, like failing to field a ball against the Reds because he felt it was going foul, have cost the Mets games.

Clearly, Mets GM Sandy Alderson is clinging to a belief that Davis can turn it around in the second half of the season like he did in 2012 when he slugged 20 home runs and drove in 41 runs after a slow start.

But, it’s about time for the Mets to send Davis to Class AAA Las Vegas to get his swing back in order. Las Vegas is known for its hitter-friendly ballpark—prospect Zack Wheeler can’t wait to escape the comfy confines—which could provide Davis the confidence he needs to return to his old form.

In fact, much of Davis’ issues stem from a lack of confidence, according to Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog. If that’s the case, New York is an unforgiving place to try to figure it out. Allowing Davis to escape the harsh lens of the New York media could prove positive for the 26-year-old.

The money-conscious Mets aren’t planning to give up on him just yet. Davis and the Mets avoided arbitration this past offseason by agreeing to a one-year, $3.125 million deal. That’s certainly a reasonable number to pay for a first baseman capable of slugging 32 home runs.

The concern over who would replace Ike at first is misguided, however, as the need to repair Davis should be the highest priority. Unfortunately for Ike, that likely means becoming the first player to hit 30 home runs and be demoted to the minors. 

Sandy Alderson said it best after Friday night’s game, according to the NY Daily News: “The goal here is to get Ike back to the player we know he can be.”

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