The Mets obtained Cole Mathis from the Cubs for David Peterson on June 25, 2026. Plagued by injuries since getting drafted in 2024, the Mets have assigned him to play in the Arizona Fall League, his second consecutive season in the AFL.
A two-way player in college, Cole underwent Tommy John surgery a short time after getting drafted by the Cubs in 2024. He was then shut down in May 2025 with a right elbow sprain. He saw time in the AFL in 2025, for the same reason as he is going this year, to make up for time missed during the season.
Cole started off 2026 showing the power projected when drafted, 10 HRs, 39 RBIs in 39 games for the Cubs. However, he hit the IL again and only saw action in 13 games for the Mets.
Though listed as a Third Baseman, his time there has been limited due to his arm injuries. He has only seen 10 of his 81 minor league games at 3B, half of those since coming to the Mets. Per MLB.com: "Though the Cubs announced Mathis as a third baseman when they drafted him, he spent just one game there in college and most scouts think he lacks the quickness and athleticism to handle the hot corner. He has a chance to be an average first baseman but won't cover a lot of ground at either corner."
MLB.com: "In addition to donning a different Fall League hat from his last go-round, Mathis also displayed his new-look stance. It features a more pronounced crouch from the right-handed batter’s box, an adjustment that helped him pummel the ball en route to a 28.6 percent line-drive rate, 14th out of 204 hitters in the High-A Midwest League with 110 or more plate appearances on the circuit this year, according to FanGraphs."
MLB Pipeline has him as the Mets #13 Prospect with Scouting Grades of Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45;
Baseball America has him as the #16 Mets Prospect with Scouting Grades of Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 40 | Arm: 50;
At the time of the trade to the Mets, Baseball America said Cole Mathis: "has performed well when healthy". Hopefully he can stay that way this Fall and next year for the Mets.
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2 comments:
Trading an enigma like David Peterson, what more could the Mets have expected? It would be a wild exercise to try to predict Peterson’s free agent deal this winter.
As for Mathis, he didn’t do much with the Mets but he was always injured. Move him up this spring and let’s see how he handles the challenge. I wouldn’t put him in the top 20 and honestly, I’d give him the Reimer treatment and put him only at DH and let him work in one thing well with stressing his body physically.
Good points Gus. Mathis was a worthwhile gamble for Peterson.
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