Marcus Semien's time as the Mets' starting second baseman may be inching closer to its end. The team's No. 1 prospect, Jefferson Rojas, made waves in the farm system this summer after the Mets traded for him, and now he's adding to his case for an Opening Day roster spot.

Rojas is getting winter league action with the Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Republic, and his elite bat has continued to make an impact. In seven games, he's hit two home runs with an .891 OPS.

Winter league numbers alone certainly aren't the barometer for whether a player makes a team, but taking into account Semien's struggles, one can assume David Stearns is noticing Rojas' play.

The case for Rojas

The Mets' strategy in deciding whether prospects made the team in 2026 was fairly simple. If you play well, you get called up.

A.J. Ewing played in just 12 Triple-A games before his call-up, Carson Benge in 24 before making the Opening Day roster.

Rojas would be the most inexperienced among the group, having played in only six Triple-A games. His production, though, has more than made up for the inexperience.

Rojas earned the promotion after posting a .929 OPS in 29 games with the Double-A Rumble Ponies, and followed up with a 1.037 OPS in 26 Triple-A at-bats. These numbers are hard to ignore, especially for a Met lineup that's looking for middle-of-the-order help.

Defensively, Rojas' primary position is shortstop, but he has professional experience at second base. This includes his winter league action, where he played seven innings at the position in one game and threw out fellow Met Christopher Morel as he was trying to score.

What should be done with Semien?

If Semien doesn't retain his starting role at second base, which is likely given his performance and Stearns not committing to him playing the position in 2027, his role is fairly unclear. The two-time Gold Glove winner is now 36 years old and coming off a season with a -9 Outs Above Average (h/t Baseball Savant), so a utility infielder role is essentially out of the question.

That said, Semien is owed $46 million over the next two seasons, so he's likely not going anywhere. Even in a scenario where Rojas gets the starting job, Semien would probably still get some playing time at second base, perhaps on the short end of a platoon.

The real question is whether his productivity remains the same or gets worse. Based on the answer, the Mets could cut their losses. With Steve Cohen as owner, anything is possible, as he's shown an ability to eat contracts in the past to benefit the team.

A short leash

The impending lockout could have an effect on this decision as well. Will Sammon of The Athletic reported in September that if there were to be a lockout, Rojas would be prohibited from playing in games or engaging in any other activity with the club, as he would likely be on the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.

If this happens, which seems fairly likely, it's hard to imagine he would make the Opening Day roster because of the lost time. Assuming second base is not addressed in another fashion this offseason, Semien would find himself starting again.

At the same time, that's not an excuse for Stearns to sit through the same level of production he saw from Semien in 2026, but it does buy the veteran infielder some time. Still, Stearns would have to act quickly and be ready to give Rojas the opportunity if it presented itself.

The youth movement the Mets are experiencing is obvious and a positive sign for the organization's future. In 2027, the latest product of that movement should be given a chance to flourish at second base.

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