Mets' Michael Conforto, Yankees' Aaron Judge bring the hammer in spring debut

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The loudest noise heard at JetBlue Park on Friday wasn't one of the airplanes taking off and landing at nearby Southwest Florida International Airport. It was the ball coming off the bat of New York Mets outfielder Michael Conforto on his third-inning home run.

Five innings into the Mets' first exhibition game of the spring, Conforto began making his case to be heard this season. Unfortunately, the way the team is currently constructed, there are three highly paid outfielders ahead of him on the depth chart -- and unIess something dramatic happens, he could be back in the minors on opening day.

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"My job is to go out there and work hard, work on things I know I need to work on. Be a better player at the end of spring," Conforto said after the Mets defeated the Boston Red Sox 3-2. "I wouldn't say I'm really feeling that pressure. I just need to go out there, play the game and have fun. The rest will take care of itself."

That home run off journeyman Kyle Kendrick, though, was pretty dramatic. Of course, the 32-year-old Kendrick didn't pitch in the majors last season and last sported a 6.32 ERA with the Rockies in 2015. But Conforto also singled in his first at-bat -- off Red Sox lefty Henry Owens -- something he rarely did last season, when he put up a .104/.170/.125 line in 48 at-bats against southpaws.

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"It's definitely something I need to work on," Conforto said. "I was happy to get that first one and was happy it was a left-hander starting. That's a good opportunity for me and I'm looking forward to more of them."

Conforto, who turns 24 on March 1, got off to a hot start last season, but his .169 average in May and .119 in June earned him a ticket to Class AAA Las Vegas. But in the minors, he absolutely crushed the ball. He had 54 hits in 128 at-bats (.422) with nine homers and a .727 slugging percentage. Recalled in mid-July, he hit just .209 and the Mets traded for veteran outfielder Jay Bruce at the July 31 deadline.

One thing in Conforto's favor is the fact that he can play all three outfield positions, so if anything happens to Bruce, Curtis Granderson or Yoenis Cespedes, he could easily take over any spot. Performances like this will certainly help.

"He's got to show that he belongs back in the big leagues," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "It's all about confidence. Having a good first day rebuilds that confidence, no doubt."

If Conforto continues to play with confidence this spring, he may not end up getting squeezed out of a roster spot after all.

"He may make the team too," Collins said. "He may squeeze somebody else out of it."

Judge brings down the hammer

The other New York team also has a young outfielder looking for playing time in 2017.

As impressive as Conforto's home run was, the Yankees' Aaron Judge hit a monster blast against the Philadelphia Phillies in his spring debut.

Judge, 24, made his MLB debut last August, and despite homering in each of his first two big league games, his season ended early with an oblique strain and a .179 average.

With free agent Carlos Beltran no longer patrolling right field in Yankee Stadium, the 6-8 Judge could have an opportunity to show off his massive power in a starting role.

Like Conforto, he's definitely off to a solid start.

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