Gritty Mendick eager to bring Amazin’ versatility

PORT ST. LUCIE — Danny Mendick played in a baseball game Wednesday. It was not a major league game or even a Grapefruit League game: The Mets scrimmaged against Team Nicaragua.

But there was no more excited player on the field than the Mets second baseman.

“Oh, my gosh. It’s been eight months I think,” Mendick said, accurately, a few hours before a few hours before the Mets’ 2-0 loss at Clover Park. “I’m a baseball player. I just want to get out there and play.”

When he last took the field, for the

White Sox on June 22, 2022, Mendick crashed into teammate Adam Haseley while chasing a fly ball. Mendick wound up on the ground with a torn ACL that ended his season and brought him to free agency.

The Mets pounced on the do-everything utilityman.

For Mets fans who know little about Mendick (who essentially is a righty-hitting version of Luis Guillorme), his all-out sprint to catch that fly ball last June — which was grabbed by Haseley — is a nice snapshot of what kind of player he is.

“I play hard. I’m going for the ball,” said the 29-year-old, who played parts of four seasons with the White Sox after he was a 22nd-round pick. “We just didn’t have enough communication and we collided. But if I had to go back and do it, I still go after that ball the same, 110 percent.”

Mendick is known for his grit and his glove, capable at each infield spot and even has been used in the corner outfield. He lacks pop but has solid contact skills, batting .289 in 106 plate appearances last year.

Buck Showalter said the Mets “probably” would play Mendick everywhere, though the Mets manager added that Mendick would be spared from shortstop early on as he fully builds up his body.

➤ Showalter said Brandon Nimmo would make his Grapefruit League debut “hopefully [this] weekend.” Nimmo has been ramping up slowly. Starling Marte, recovering from offseason groin surgeries, still is expected to debut Friday.

Showalter said he is not concerned about the slow spring starts for the two outfielders.

“The track records they have, the preparation — we got a lot of games left,” Showalter said.

➤ Showalter signaled the Mets likely will issue cuts from major league camp after the split-squad doubleheader Friday.