After undergoing shoulder surgery in September 2017, Conforto was initially expected to miss at least the first month of 2018. He pleased fantasy managers when he pushed through his rehab and missed only the first five games, but in hindsight, a longer recovery time would have been beneficial. Though he avoided setbacks with the shoulder, Conforto struggled to regain power in the first half and delivered a .150 ISO, 116 points lower than his 2017 mark. Fortunately, he seemed to be all the way back in peak form from mid-July on, raising his hard-hit rate nearly five percentage points en route to a .895 post-break OPS. With no injury concerns clouding his 2019 outlook, Conforto looks poised to keep his career on an upward trajectory. The fact that a compromised version of Conforto actually performed better against lefties (122 wRC+) than he did while ostensibly healthier the year before (94 wRC+) offers additional reason to be bullish.

Conforto was establishing himself as one of the game's most exciting young outfielders before a torn posterior capsule in his left shoulder ended his season in August. He hit over .300 in three separate months of the campaign and boosted his walk rate for the season to 13 percent. As a 24-year-old, Conforto ranked 30th in barrel rate with 7.5 Brls/PA (min. 190 batted-ball events), which resulted in a .557 xSLG and .276 ISO. His HR/FB rate was inflated to a great extent at 27.3 percent, and his struggles against lefties continued (.212/.284/.444), but Conforto looks like the real deal against righties and there is hope that he will improve with more exposure to southpaws. Unfortunately, Conforto may not be ready for the start of 2018 after undergoing surgery on his shoulder in September. Expect the Mets to give Conforto another chance to play every day once he's healthy.

Conforto has potential as he's exhibited solid plate skills in the minors with extra-base power. However, these have yet to translate to the major league level, in large part due serious deficiencies against lefty pitching. After a strong April (1.118 OPS), Conforto struggled the next two months (.519 OPS) was demoted in late June. He was recalled just after the All-Star break, hitting well initially but ultimately landing back at Triple-A Las Vegas in August. There was some hope that Conforto's early scuffles were a result of a sore wrist but his failure to produce in his second big league stint suggested otherwise. He returned for the final month, hitting a meek .236 in 38 at-bats with one homer. It doesn't help that Las Vegas is one of the best hitting environments in the minors, artificially boosting numbers, and expectations. Conforto's 2017 role is unclear, but he'll try to win a job in the outfield or first base this spring.

Yoenis Cespedes receives a lot of the credit for the Mets' second-half offensive surge, but Conforto's contributions cannot be overlooked. After his July 24 arrival from Double-A, Conforto quickly emerged as a valuable source of power, smacking 23 extra-base hits in 174 at-bats, while maintaining a near-league-average contact rate. Sure, he may have benefited from limited exposure to left-handed pitching (14 at-bats), and the average could fall if he moves into an everyday role in left field with Michael Cuddyer retired, but Conforto did not have dramatic lefty/righty splits in his two minor-league seasons. In fact, he had slightly better numbers against lefties (.904 OPS) than against righties (.897 OPS) with Binghamton prior to his callup. Given what he did in his first exposure to big-league pitching, his age and handle of the strike zone, there is reason to think he will continue to thrive with a full season's worth of at-bats near the middle of the Mets' lineup.

Conforto was drafted as a bat-first outfielder with the 10th overall pick in 2014 out of Oregon State. He won’t be ranked highly on national prospect lists as he profiles as a left fielder, but the impact potential on offense is real. He slashed .331/.403/.448 with three home runs in 186 plate appearances at short season Brooklyn, and figures to start 2015 at Low-A. Entering his age-22 season, Conforto has a chance to move fast. Considering defense won’t be a primary focus and given his hit and power tools, which both project as plus, he could get to Double-A by the end of the season, with a chance to debut with the Mets in the summer of 2016. At his peak, Conforto could provide a .285 average with 25 home runs, so he should be targeted in the early rounds of dynasty leagues this year.