Top OF prospect Crow-Armstrong soaking it all in
the major-league experience that they have, and their defensive capabilities are something that I think anybody could take a look at and learn something from,” Crow-Armstrong said. “They’ve been super generous, and obviously they’re incredible people to talk to about the game and the defensive part of the game too.”
Crow-Armstrong, who is expected to make his MLB debut in 2023, doesn’t have to worry about breaking bigleague camp and making an Opening Day roster. He can focus, instead, on improving his game and mostly, he said, “shut my mouth and listen.” Crow-Armstrong hails from Harvard-Westlake High School in the Los Angeles area, where Dominic Smith grew up. Smith reached out to Crow-Armstrong this offseason and they practiced together.
Much like his peer, 19-yearold right-handed pitching prospect Matt Allan, Crow-Armstrong is extremely confident in his abilities and is very mature for his age.
“There’s a lot of talent there defensive-wise,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said of Crow-Armstrong. “I’ve been on his field a few times, and I’ve been throwing
BP and I turn around and I see him make an outstanding catch. He’s been making diving catches in BP. We have to tell him to take it easy sometimes. He’s confident in his abilities.”
PILLAR SEES WIN-NOW MINDSET
Pillar said he was attracted to the Mets because it’s obvious the team won’t settle for anything less than the World Series. Team president Sandy Alderson and acting GM Zack Scott officially signed Pillar to a one-year deal this month to provide veteran outfield depth behind Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith.
What Pillar has seen from the talent and energy at Mets camp so far has convinced him that his teammates are going to do something special this year.
“This is an extremely talented group of guys,” Pillar said. “You got some of the best players in the world. You got arguably the best shortstop in the game. You got the best starting pitcher in the game. We got a bullpen full of guys that are very talented. It’s just something that gets me up in the morning early and gets me excited to come to the field.
“I can’t think of — maybe aside from spring training in 2016, where I was coming off a team that went to the ALCS — that I’ve been this excited for spring training. With the talent we have here and the support we have coming all the way from the top of ownership... our expectations are to win.”
UNCLE STEVIE PAYS ANOTHER VISIT
A day after his wife, Alex Cohen, introduced herself to Mets players around camp, club owner Steve Cohen visited Clover Park on Saturday for the second time this spring. Cohen spent his afternoon with team president Sandy Alderson — perched on the terrace of a two-level building in the center of the backfields.
“Looking forward to seeing his presence more and more in camp,” Rojas said of Cohen.
The Mets brass checked out Taijuan Walker’s live batting practice session from directly behind home plate and watched Francisco Lindor tattoo a home run beyond the center field fence. Cohen said he’ll stick around camp this weekend before he heads back to his “day job,” where he moonlights as the CEO of hedge fund Point72 Asset Management in Stamford, Connecticut.