NEW YORK — David Ross? Carlos Beltrán? Albert Pujols?After firing Carlos Mendoza on Friday, the New York Mets are in the market for their fifth full-time manager since Terry Collins’ retirement following the 2017 season. The list does not include interim manager Andy Green, whom president of baseball operations David Stearns said would return to the front office at the end of the season.Though Mendoza was in the final guaranteed year of his contract, the Mets held little interest in firing him mid-season until recently. Stearns hired Mendoza in late 2023 as his first manager in New York. Previously, Mendoza worked as the New York Yankees bench coach and held no managerial experience.Who will be the next Mets manager?Ken RosenthalBased on knowledge of the market, reporting around the club and conversations with people around the league who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share their opinions, the list below is an early read on potential candidates.Carlos BeltránPeople outside of the Mets view Beltran as a strong candidate. He was hired to manage the Mets after the 2019 season, and fired before spring training due to his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. But that was before Steve Cohen bought the team, and Beltrán is now firmly back in the Mets family. For the last few seasons, he has worked in the team’s front office in an advisory role with access to players.Albert PujolsWhile Beltrán has never managed at any level, Pujols managed the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic and seems to covet the chance to translate his knowledge of the game into a leadership role. Could the Mets fit another superstar in their room? And take another chance on a first-time major-league manager?David RossThe Chicago Cubs improved their win total in each of his full three seasons as manager, then dumped him for Craig Counsell. Ross, a catcher, owns media experience that could serve him well in a big market. He also won two World Series as a player.