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Alderson: Mets Were Not Going To Trade Syndergaard This Offseason

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard is the Mets' top prospect -- and one of the top prospects in baseball -- and the organization is understandably reluctant to trade him despite plenty of interest around the league.

On Wednesday, while addressing season-ticket holders at Citi Field, general manager Sandy Alderson went so far as to admit that he never really considered dealing the right-hander.

MLB.com lists the 22-year-old as the 10th-best prospect in MLB.

Last month, it was reported that Alderson refused to part with Syndergaard in a deal for Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond. The GM was also reportedly unwilling to send him to the Rockies in a package for slugger Troy Tulowitzki.

According to WFAN host Evan Roberts, who was at the event, Alderson's statement about not wanting to trade Syndergaard drew an applause from the crowd.

"I've gotta tell ya, I'm not going to applaud it because I would (trade him) in the right deal," Roberts said on the air on Thursday. "Here's the bottom line: If you were gonna trade Noah Syndergaard for Ian Desmond -- and I'm not even saying that trade was realistically out there -- and you told me you are signing Ian Desmond to a five-year contract, I'd make the trade."

The former first-round pick spent 2014 pitching for Triple-A Las Vegas in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

"He's close," 51s manager Wally Backman said in regard to Syndergaard, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "His stuff is probably Cy Young-caliber stuff when he can command all of his stuff."

In 26 starts last season, Syndergaard went 9-7 with a 4.60 ERA. He struck out 145 and walked 43 in 133 innings pitched.

He's expected to make his major league debut this summer, if not sooner.

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