The New York Mets could trade some of their young talent for this reason

In addition to the aforementioned quartet, six of the Mets' top 10 prospects according to MLB.com are projected to reach the majors by the end of 2026 or earlier: infielder Jett Williams, first baseman Ryan Clifford, and outfielder Drew Gilbert, as well as pitchers Jonah Tong, Nolan McLean, and Brandon Sproat.

That list doesn't even factor in someone like Blade Tidwell, who was a Top 10 prospect in the Mets' system last season that made his big league debut earlier in the season. The problem is that those 11 players would account for almost half of the Mets' 26-man roster, which is already pretty full with key contributors.

Assuming the Mets retain Pete Alonso, four everyday position spots would be locked in for the long haul with him, Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Brandon Nimmo. Jeff McNeil is also under contract for 2026 with a team option for 2027, and with none of the position players mentioned being catchers, the Mets would have just three spots (center field, third base, and designated hitter) to use these players.

Things aren't much better on the pitching side, where the Mets could enter 2026 with a full rotation of Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, and Frankie Montas if the latter doesn't opt out of his deal after missing the first half of the season. Tylor Megill could also be a factor as a sixth starter, making it tough for the younger players to find job openings when they are ready.

One option to solve this dilemma is a consolidation trade, where David Stearns combines two or three of his top prospects to acquire a top player at a position of need with multiple years of team control. Miami's Sandy Alcantara, who is under control through 2027, would be one such addition that fits the bill.

A longer term play could be to hang onto as many top prospects as possible in case the Pittsburgh Pirates decide trading Paul Skenes is a more viable roster building strategy than simply spending money to improve the team around him. It would take a godfather package to pry Skenes out of Pittsburgh, but the Mets would have a stacked offer to make if they hold their prospects until then.

There are 40-man roster concerns after the 2026 season, however, which would see a lot of the team's biggest prospects (notably Williams, McLean, and Clifford) need to be added to it to avoid exposure to the Rule 5 Draft. This coming winter, Gilbert is the most notable prospect that needs to be added to the roster.

The Mets will also run into problems with options for the existing major leaguers, as Vientos is already out of options while Mauricio and Acuña will each have just one left entering 2026. Major League Baseball's system is designed to prevent teams from simply hoarding young talent, and the Mets are getting close to having to decide who they want to really keep as core players going forward.