Pedro Beato is due to undergo an MRI on his ailing right shoulder at 4:45 p.m., a day after being pulled from a Grapefruit League relief appearance because of soreness and tightness.

Regardless, Beato probably is slated to open the season at Triple-A Buffalo. As a Rule 5 pick a season ago, he had to remain at the major league level or the Mets had to go through the process of offering the reliever back to the Baltimore Orioles.

Now, Beato officially is Mets property. He became the first person to stick with the organization by lasting the full season on the major league roster as a Rule 5 pick since Kelly Stinnett went wire-to-wire in 1994 after being plucked from the Indians' minor league system. As a result, the Mets now can option Beato the minors without passing him through waivers.

• David Wright (left rib-cage discomfort) does not sound like he is appearing in a Grapefruit League game even early next week. Terry Collins said Wright was due to repeat yesterday's indoor activities in the weight room, and ease into exercises in which he rotates his torso beginning tomorrow.

Collins hopes Wright can begin taking grounders without throwing this weekend, and possibly start hitting lightly flipped balls then too in a cage.

The manager said he is convinced Wright is being forthright in saying he feels OK. "He's been pretty good as of late," Collins said about Wright being honest with how his body feels.

Said Sandy Alderson: "He's progressing, which is a good sign. There hasn't been a setback."

• Left-handed pitching prospect Robert Carson said he came through Tuesday's bullpen session well. He expects to repeat that activity one more time before being cleared to pitch in a Grapefruit League game. Carson suffered an intercostal strain on his right side early in camp.

• Alderson reiterated Johan Santana feels fine today, and noted that today's activity will be limited to things like a massage. Pitching coach Dan Warthen and Santana said the left-hander expects to throw a bullpen session tomorrow, but Alderson suggested he may opt for only long-tossing.

"Tomorrow we'll see how he feels," Alderson said. "It's possible his workload will be tailored to how he feels, but we won't know that until tomorrow."