Brodie Van Wagenen moving closer to being named Mets GM

Brodie Van Wagenen is all but the Mets’ next general manager.

The powerful agent, a co-head of CAA’s baseball division, had an agreement in principle with the Mets on Saturday, according to an industry source, to fill the seat vacated last summer by Sandy Alderson. The Post’s Joel Sherman first reported the agreement.

All that remained was for the 44-year-old Van Wagenen to finalize contract language before the deal became official.

The earliest the Mets would announce Van Wagenen’s hiring is Tuesday, provided the World Series is finished. If the World Series returns to Boston, the Mets would wait until Wednesday or Thursday to hold a press conference at Citi Field.

It’s expected Van Wagenen’s title will be “general manager” as the No. 1 official in the Mets’ front office. It’s also expected that assistant general manager John Ricco and special assistants Omar Minaya and J.P. Ricciardi will remain in place.

Van Wagenen was the pick over the Rays’ senior VP of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, who made a strong impression on the Mets, according to sources. Brewers senior adviser Doug Melvin was removed from contention earlier in the week.

But Van Wagenen’s familiarity with the organization – his clients include Jacob deGrom, Yoenis Cespedes and Todd Frazier – ultimately might have given him the edge. But Van Wagenen also faces a conflict of interest in moving from agent to general manager.

Of biggest significance will be how he handles deGrom, whose future with the organization has become an issue. The ace right-hander is under club control through the 2020 season, but the Mets could look to give him a contract this offseason.

Van Wagenen will move from deGrom’s negotiator to a club executive trying to get the best deal for the Mets.

Van Wagenen’s selection also indicates the Mets will try to compete for the postseason in 2019 instead of launching a rebuild. According to an industry source, a big reason former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington never became a serious candidate for the job was philosophical differences with team owner Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon. Cherington wanted to go with a rebuild and the Wilpons want to compete for the playoffs next season.

Van Wagenen would face the challenge of negotiating with agents who have become his adversaries over the years. Among them could be Scott Boras, who earlier in the week pointed out the conflicts of interest facing Van Wagenen. Boras said he has received multiple opportunities to run organizations over the years, but each time declined out of respect to his clients.

Others the Mets initially considered for the job included MLB executive Kim Ng, Cardinals director of player development Gary LaRocque, Nationals special assistant De Jon Watson and Tigers VP of player development Dave Littlefield.