Juan Lagares

Lagares could make center field feel enormous. His throwing arm and fearless routes earned him a Gold Glove, and his defense gave the Mets a chance to win even when the bat was still developing.

Lagares reached the Mets with a reputation for defense before the bat had caught up. That was enough to make him valuable on teams that often needed every saved run. He took fearless routes in center field, covered huge ground, and threw with enough strength to make runners reconsider trying for an extra base.

In 2014 he won a Gold Glove and became the kind of player pitchers trusted even when his offensive numbers were uneven. The 2015 pennant team used him alongside Yoenis Céspedes and Curtis Granderson, and his defense helped protect a staff that had been assembled to miss bats but could still give up hard contact. Lagares did not need to hit cleanup to matter.

Injuries and a changing roster eventually reduced his role. The Mets hoped his bat would develop into a full-time answer, but the defense remained the part everyone remembered. Fans still talk about his catches because they looked urgent and slightly dangerous, like the ball had no right to stay in his glove. He gave the club a few seasons of real center-field excitement during a difficult transition.