Now, the Mets have turned Peralta into a trio of prospects who are not at the top of a great Rays system, but each offer some upside that the Mets front office can dream on.

Did the Mets Get Enough in Return for Freddy Peralta?

The New York Mets were never going to get two top 100 prospects back for Peralta, but it was fair to wonder if they could pull a rabbit out of their hat and get one back. That is not the case in this deal.

Aiden Smith, based on MLB Pipeline’s rankings, was painted as the headliner, but he might be my least favorite prospect coming back in the deal.

Back in 2024, Smith looked the part of a top prospect, hitting .288/.401/.473, with a 143 wRC+ in 97 games in A-Ball. Drafted out of high school in the fourth round by the Mariners, Smith signed over slot for $1.2 million and took off in his first pro season. At the trade deadline, he was dealt to the Rays in the Randy Arozarena trade.

In his two years in the Rays organization, Smith has struggled, particularly this season, where he has hit just .215/.283/.410, with 10 home runs in 49 games. The power is nice, and his speed translates well on both the base paths and in the outfield. There is upside here, but plenty of downside as well.

Smith could become an above-average defensive center fielder in the big leagues, with the ability to hit for power and steal bases. The problem is that he is running a strikeout rate north of 30% and is not making nearly enough contact.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Émilien Pitre is a contact-oriented second baseman who doesn’t hit for much power. The 23-year-old is having a lot of success this year, posting a .308/.438/.447 slash line split between High-A and Double-A. He has walked over 18% of the time, and he struck out just over 10% of the time.

Finally, Gary Gill Hill is the pitcher the Mets get back in the deal, a 21-year-old right-hander who pounds the strike zone as well as a prospect in the minors. Fifteen of Gill Hill’s starts have come in Double-A this season, and across 81 1/3 innings pitched, Gill Hill has only walked 14 batters (4.1% walk rate).