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Three Observations From Mets Spring Training
Feb 12, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (11) takes infield practice during spring training. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Three Observations From Mets Spring Training

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI  |  By Pat Ragazzo  |  Last updated Feb 19, 2026 5:00 PM ET

Port St. Lucie - The New York Mets are rapidly approaching their first game of Grapefruit League play on Saturday as they progress through the first week of full squad workouts in spring training.

The Mets have a lot of new faces at camp this year after a massive roster overhaul this offseason, which included letting Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz walk in free agency, and the trades of Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil.

But change can be good sometimes as the 2025 Mets saw a slow collapse result in the team missing the postseason by one game. For that, president of baseball operations David Stearns brought in names such as Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Freddy Peralta, Devin Williams and Bo Bichette to try and get the club back on track this season.

So without further ado, let's touch on the three observations that I've noticed at Mets camp thus far.

Polanco Taking to First Base

Jorge Polanco was brought in to learn first base, a position he has yet to play at the major league level in his 12 year career. That being said, the veteran infielder looked smooth when fielding ground balls and doing a double play drill during infield practice on Thursday.

Overall, Polanco has looked good with his footwork, athleticism and throwing from first and should be able to make the transition to his new spot after spending his entire career as a middle infielder.

Soto and Robert BFFs

Everywhere Juan Soto has gone in camp, newcomer Luis Robert Jr. has been seen by his side. Yes, they're in the same position group as outfielders, but the pair has formed a special bond after working out together in the offseason. Soto has seemingly taken Robert under his wing.

Robert, 28, has shown off impressive power so far during workouts and the Mets are hoping the center fielder's bat will bounce back after two down seasons in a row. The key with Robert is keeping him healthy, which the Mets plan to do by strengthening his lower body and slowly implementing him into Grapefruit League games this spring. At the very least he brings elite defense and speed, but with Soto by his side, Robert could potentially get back to the 38 homer, .857 OPS player he was back in 2023.

Senga Looking Strong

Last but not least we have starting pitcher Kodai Senga, who is trying to stay healthy and redeem himself in 2026 after back-to-back injury plagued campaigns. Senga looked sharp in his live batting practice session on Thursday and was impressively sitting between 96-97 mph.

The Mets are hoping that Senga can recapture his 2023 form where he went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and was runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year. Like Robert, the key for Senga is his health and the 33-year-old has only made it through a full season once in his three-year big-league career. The good news is that he is already off to a promising start in Mets camp so far.

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This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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