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Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized<\/p>\n
Coming off a strong spring training, youngster Elian Pe\u00f1a<\/a> will headline the 2026 St. Lucie Mets Opening Day roster. The 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic, inked to a $5 million signing bonus in January 2025, slashed .292\/.421\/.528 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 221 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year. He stole 21 bases in 25 tries. He walked the same number of times (36) that he struck out.<\/p>\n The team will be managed by Luis Rivera<\/a>. One of the new coaches in the Mets system will be in Port St. Lucie, former big leaguer Jimmy Nelson<\/a> as the assistant pitching coach.<\/p>\n Catchers<\/p>\n Francisco Toledo<\/a> \u2013 The 20-year-old will be making his full season debut.<\/p>\n Julio Zayas<\/a> \u2013 Another 20-year-old making his full season debut. He had a .769 OPS last season for the FCL Mets.<\/p>\n Chase Meggers<\/a> \u2013 He was signed to a minor-league contract as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Oregon last July and went 16-for-58 (.276 batting average) in 19 games for St. Lucie.<\/p>\n Infielders<\/p>\n Elian Pe\u00f1a \u2013 He had two three-homer games in the DSL and showed smooth hands and good footwork at shortstop, per a scouting report<\/a> on Baseball Savant. The evaluators believe he has \u201clegitimate five-tool impact potential across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n Eddinson Paulino<\/a> \u2013 The 23-year-old hit 13 home runs in 360 plate appearances and posted a .626 OPS for Double-A New Hampshire (Blue Jays) last season. The Mets signed him as a minor-league free agent after Toronto opted not to put him on its 40-man roster.<\/p>\n Sam Robertson<\/a> \u2013 He went 10-for-58 for St. Lucie after the Mets took him in the 17th round of the 2025 draft out of Northwest-Shoals (Alabama) Community College.<\/p>\n Kevin Villavicencio<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 The 22-year-old posted a .605 OPS in 83 games at St. Lucie last year and then a .590 OPS in 63 games in the Mexican Pacific Winter League.<\/p>\n Randy Guzman<\/a> \u2013 He hit 10 homers in 75 games combined last year between St. Lucie and Rookie Ball. \u201cHe\u2019s up there to hack,\u201d per a Baseball Savant scouting report<\/a>. \u201cWhen he runs into a ball, he really runs into it with his strength.\u201d His 90th percentile exit velocity at Low-A was higher than Konnor Griffin<\/a>\u2018s in the same league. The Mets signed him for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic in September 2022.<\/p>\n Outfielders<\/p>\n Sam Biller<\/a> \u2013 He went 4-for-17 at St. Lucie after the Mets signed him as an undrafted free agent in August. He hit 13 home runs and posted a .978 OPS in 58 games at the University of Connecticut last year.<\/p>\n Simon Juan<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 He hit .222\/.290\/.340 with seven homers and stole 17 bases in 98 games at St. Lucie last season.<\/p>\n AJ Salgado<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 He hit .312\/.418\/.581 with 12 home runs in 64 games at UCLA last year and the Mets signed him as an undrafted free agent. He then went 19-for-72 with a home run and six steals in 23 games at St. Lucie.<\/p>\n JT Benson<\/a> \u2013 The 24-year-old will be making his affiliated ball debut.<\/p>\n Cam Tilly<\/p>\n Pitchers<\/p>\n RHP Luis Alvarez<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 The reliever struck out 30 and walked 15 in 23 1\/3 innings (5.40 ERA) at St. Lucie last season<\/p>\n RHP Frank Camarillo<\/a> \u2013 The 2025 13th round pick will be making his pro debut.<\/p>\n LHP Nicolas Carreno<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 The 19-year-old from Venezuela pitched to a 6.85 ERA in 22 1\/3 innings at Rookie Ball last year, then gave up one earned run in six innings at St. Lucie.<\/p>\n RHP Felix Cepeda<\/a> \u2013 The 25-year-old pitched for the Sioux City Explorers in the American Association last year.<\/p>\n RHP Joe Charles<\/a> \u2013 The 25-year-old had 49 strikeouts in 35 1\/3 innings last year for Florida State University.<\/p>\n RHP Jose Chirinos<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 He posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 56 1\/3 innings pitched at St. Lucie last season.<\/p>\n RHP Jorge De Leon<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 He struck out 27, but walked an alarming 24 in 18 2\/3 innings pitched to a 6.27 ERA for St. Lucie last year.<\/p>\n RHP Ryan Dollar<\/a> \u2013 The 2025 undrafted free agent signee will be making his pro debut.<\/p>\n RHP Joel Lara<\/a> \u2013 The 19-year-old reliever from the Dominican Republic struck out 42 in 34 innings (3.71 ERA) at Rookie Ball and St. Lucie last year.<\/p>\n RHP Tyler McLoughlin<\/a> \u2013 The 2025 10th round pick pitched in only two games last year.<\/p>\n RHP Ernesto Mercedes<\/a> \u2013 He pitched to a 3.38 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 42 2\/3 innings at St. Lucie last season.<\/p>\n RHP Elwis Mijares<\/a> \u2013 The 20-year-old from Venezuela gave up four earned runs in 12 2\/3 innings at Rookie Ball last season.<\/p>\n RHP Christian Rodriguez<\/a> \u2013 The reliever struck out 41 and walked 31 in 40 2\/3 innings pitched (4.20 ERA) combined at St. Lucie and in Rookie Ball.<\/p>\n RHP Joe Scarborough<\/a> \u2013 The Mets took him in the 19th round of last year\u2019s draft out of Jacksonville State University in Alabama, where he struck out 14 in 18 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n RHP Cam Tilly<\/a> \u2013 The highest drafted player on the St. Lucie roster will be making his pro debut.<\/p>\n RHP Omar Victorino<\/a> \u2013 He pitched to a 3.97 ERA in 65 2\/3 innings combined last season at St. Lucie and in Rookie Ball. He struck out 52 and walked 40.<\/p>\n LHP Conner Ware<\/a> \u2013 The 15th round pick from last year will also be making his pro debut.<\/p>\n RHP Caden Wooster<\/a> \u2013 The Mets signed him as an undrafted free agent last year out of Santa Clara, where he pitched to a 7.24 ERA over 27 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n The St. Lucie Mets will kick off their season on Thursday vs the Palm Beach Cardinals in Jupiter.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/cam-tilly-1024x576.webp.webp\")
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