Jacob deGrom signing: How will ace's departure affect Mets' offseason plans?

Major League Baseball's offseason is in full swing, and that means everyone is thinking about the future. In most cities, that means next season; in some, though, it means the bigger picture, the next three to five years. You're either selling wins or you're selling hope, the old saying goes. We here at CBS Sports like to provide as much hope as we can around this time of the winter by evaluating each team's farm system.

Hildenberger was re-signed by the Giants on Monday to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. Hildenberger was limited to just six appearances in the minors last year with four of those coming with Triple-A Sacramento. The right-handed hurler has not pitched in the majors since 2021, when he made two appearances with the Mets. He provides some relief depth for the minors and isn't likely to be a factor for the Giants again in 2023.

Plummer joined the Reds on a minor-league deal Friday. Plummer made his big-league debut last season with the Mets but didn't make much of an impression. He struck out 12 times while grabbing just four hits in 31 plate appearances, though two of those hits were home runs. He'll be fighting for a bench outfield spot in camp.

Means (elbow) said Sunday's he's throwing from 140 feet and expects to throw off a half-mound at the start of spring training, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. The left-hander underwent Tommy John surgery last April and isn't expected to be ready for big-league action until at least July, but it's still a good sign he's ramping up his throwing program. A more detailed return timeline should come into focus as Means increases his throwing intensity over the next couple months.

Entering the 2023 season, the New York Mets have a $335 million payroll, which is the highest in Major League Baseball. Because of the team's spending habits, team owner Steve Cohen has drawn the ire of several other owners from around the league. He's not losing sleep over what other...