With the Mets hopelessly out of playoff contention for this year, it’s not too early to look forward to next year. This projection takes into account free agency, but not trades. Today’s topic are the position players.

First, the current players. All italicized players are impending free agents

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The first thing I notice about this squad is the lack of players touching Free Agency. Obviously the priority of re-signing David Wright, which I think Alderson will do. Using Ryan Zimmerman’s recent six year/$100 million extension as a guide, I think Wright will sign for slightly less than that (six years/$90 million with mutual options for two more years).

The Mets will also probably resign Scott Hairston to a two year deal that values anywhere between $2.5 and $4 million annually. While Ronny Cedeno has been a decent surprise, I can see the Mets’ letting him walk as he’s too much of a luxury signing, and there are plenty of defensive specialists on the market. Shoppach will most likely end up somewhere else as well.

What’s interesting is that the Mets have to make moves if they want their young kids to play. Assuming Hairston re-signs, their five outfielders on the roster today will all be back next year. That means there would be no room for Lucas Duda, no room for Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and no room for prospect Matt Den Dekker, who has had a great year so far in the minors. My guess: Torres gets traded, and Bay gets cut, so the Mets can use Den Dekker and Duda in the outfield next year.

The Mets starting infield is pretty much set as well. Davis and Wright are virtual locks, Tejada has earned another year at SS, and Murphy should be starting over Valdespin (assuming Murphy isn’t used a trade bait for pitching help). Thole isn’t a world-beater at backstop, but since the Mets are not checking in on marquee catchers like Mike Napoli, he should retain his starting spot for 2013.

With two backups needed, the Mets should look outside the organization. They need a backup catcher, and could land of the better ones in the game in David Ross. Ross is an impending free agent, and the current backup for the Atlanta Braves. If the Braves were to let him go, the Mets should jump all over him. Not only does he offer tremendous power, but he calls a decent game and could play against lefties if he were to platoon with Thole.

To replace Cedeno on the roster, the conventional idea would be to pick up another glove-fist middle infielder. But, with Turner’s flexibility, the Mets could afford to sign an power hitting righty to come of the bench. Somebody like a Mark Reynolds (who strikes out a ton but has obscene power) wouldn’t be a poor idea. He’d likely want to look for a starting job, but if the Mets’ can get lucky and sign him to a one year deal worth $4 or $5 million, he’d immediately help the Mets: not only as a bat off the bench, but somebody to spell Davis if he were to enter another prolonged slump.

To recap, here are my predictions