Five observations from New York Mets spring training

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Twelve months ago, the Mets arrived at spring training flashing a record-breaking MLB payroll that totaled, after taxes, north of $350 million. A lot has changed since, including a new general manager leading the front office and a new skipper in the dugout. The club's total active payroll has been slashed, and the fan base's expectations for the upcoming season have plummeted.

After spending like drunken sailors these past couple of winters, Mets owner Steve Cohen and new GM David Stearns took a more pragmatic approach in free agency this offseason. Sure, Cohen and the Mets were reportedly in the mix for Yoshinobu Yamamoto before the Dodgers signed him to the largest ever contract for a pitcher. But, other than their attempts at signing a couple of premium Japanese stars, it was a quieter winter for the Mets. They made the necessary moves to fill holes on their roster and, then, it was pencils down. 

So, here are five observations from Mets spring training as the Amazins enter the 2024 season with a dimmer spotlight on the present and a larger interest in the future.

1. Another Acuña in MLB?

Luisangel Acuña, the younger brother of reigning NL MVP Ronald, is one of the biggest reasons the Mets are optimistic about their future. He was acquired by New York in the summer trade that sent Max Scherzer to the reigning champion Texas Rangers last year. The infielder, who turns 22 this month, has settled into the Mets organization with a spring training locker that is nestled next to Francisco Lindor. Incidentally, it's Lindor's looming shadow that has shifted Acuña's development from shortstop to second base. Long term, second base figures to be Acuña's home and his double-play partner could be Lindor as soon as this season. 

"With my brother, there's not that many people that can compare," Acuña recently said. "My brother is a talent that you see every 100 years. I'm going to continue to go out there, I'm going to continue to compete, and do what I do."

The 5-foot-8, 181-pound Acuña lacks the bombastic nature and grand stature of his older brother, but their batting stances are so similar that they're actually easy to be mistaken for. Acuña is quiet, soft-spoken, and still gaining confidence after reaching Double-A at just 20 years old and enjoying success in the 2022 Arizona Fall League. Now, there's a chance he could begin the season at Triple-A and work his way onto the major-league roster this season. Defense is the part of Acuña's game he said he's most proud of, and home run power might not be his strength, but he has wheels, strong bat-to-ball skills, and comes from a baseball-rich family that suggests a bright future ahead.

2. Mendoza focusing on relationships

The Stearns-Mendoza era is officially underway. After months of speculation about whether Stearns would go back to Craig Counsell as his manager, Mendoza was the GM's final choice, and he appears to be fitting right in at Mets camp. Mendoza sharpened his strong leadership skills after spending the past four seasons as Aaron Boone's bench coach for the Yankees. Amid more turnover, Mendoza stepped into a Mets clubhouse that was openly upset about the firing of Buck Showalter at the end of last season and has so far managed to create a positive and welcoming atmosphere at spring training. Players said they appreciate that Mendoza is open, honest and passionate about the Mets being competitive so long as he's in the skipper's seat. 

Mendoza said he will spend the majority of spring training focusing on building strong relationships with his staff and players. He believes a deep connection with his players is the foundation of a successful manager. There will, of course, be a learning curve for Mendoza as a first-time skipper. But, so far, Mets players have seamlessly transitioned to yet another new face leading the helm. Mendoza is the organization's fifth manager in six years.

3. The trumpets are back

The familiar sight of Edwin Díaz throwing menacing heaters has returned to the Clover Park grounds. One can only imagine how loud the stadium will be when that same sight — and sound of Timmy Trumpet's "Narco" — returns to Citi Field. The Mets closer is checking off all his benchmarks as he prepares to take the mound for the first time since sustaining a torn ACL during the World Baseball Classic last March. Díaz only recently started to field his position and cover bases, but after throwing his first live batting practice in a year, he said he felt "100 percent ready" to pitch. All signs indicate he should be fully healed and rehabbed for Opening Day.

Díaz's infectious good energy and preeminent competitive drive was missing from the Mets' DNA last season, and it will be fascinating to see what kind of year he has after missing all of 2023. Díaz still has a lot to prove after he signed a five-year, $102 million contract that was, at the time, the richest in the sport's history for a reliever. Díaz injured his knee while celebrating Team Puerto Rico's win just four months after he signed that lucrative contract.

4. Polar Bear in the room

One way or another, Pete Alonso will be the biggest storyline of this Mets season as he approaches free agency at the end of the year. The situation isn't exactly frosty between the Polar Bear and the Mets regarding a possible contract extension, but the two sides do appear to be far apart. Stearns indicated he expects Alonso to explore the market next winter and Cohen recently said he hopes the first baseman will have an enormous year and make the decision harder for him. 

Alonso has matured a lot since his breakout 2019 season, when he set a new rookie home run record with 53. In the years leading up to his final season of team control, Alonso has expertly handled the large and pestering New York media market and has adapted a more disciplined plate approach for his own success on the field. He has grown into one of the game's most threatening sluggers and has set up further incentive to obliterate baseballs in his walk year by deciding to donate $1000 to animal shelters for every home run he hits this year. Alonso has been accustomed to noise since his MLB debut, but it will be interesting to see how much of it he can shut out in the most important season of his career to date.

5. New vibes at Port St. Lucie

Overall, the Mets are exhibiting a calmer, more relaxed vibe at spring training this year. That simply wasn't the case under their former manager, Showalter, who liked to put out a tight schedule full of specific drills, workouts and timings at this time of year. It's not like players didn't enjoy the way Showalter handled his responsibilities. In fact, his attention to detail and decades of experience managing had also been a breath of fresh air for this franchise at the time of his hiring. Regardless, Showalter's intense preparation coupled with the club's greater expectations to succeed made for edgier, borderline tense, spring training atmospheres these past couple of years. 

Now, under Stearns and Mendoza, the vibe at Mets camp is noticeably more laid back. Perhaps the lowered expectations for this 2024 squad will work to its advantage. The Mets could very well pull off a magical season when nobody is expecting them to.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.