PORT ST. LUCIE – The Mets can only hope that Jose Reyes’ transition to second base goes a lot smoother than his application for a work visa.

The 20-year-old prodigy was forced to miss the Mets’ non-mandatory minicamp this week due to visa problems. Reyes lost out on time spent learning second base with infield coach Matt Galante, but the Mets were hardly worried about it being a setback.

“Mostly [we wanted Reyes here] just because we wanted to have our medical people evaluate [his sprained right ankle] more than the aspect of him working at second base,” GM Jim Duquette said. “There’s a lot of time for that. [Galante] feels like there’s plenty of time just in spring training, and he’s already got a head start on it.”

Reyes has been taking grounders at second in the Dominican Republic under the supervision of Mets instructors and former major-league infielder Rafael Belliard. Reyes plans to come to the Mets caravan in New York in two weeks and work out at Chelsea Piers, and will report early to spring training.

So in the Mets’ mind, he’s well ahead of the second base learning curve.

“That should give him plenty of time to learn the transition,” Duquette said.

As for Reyes’ ankle, the Mets had trainers working with him in the Dominican, and Duquette confirmed the ankle is approximately 95 percent healthy. Reyes, who has put on 12 pounds of muscle, could play today, if need be.

“He’s at a point now where if he wanted to and we wanted him to, he could play winter ball,” Duquette said. “He agrees that there’s no need for that.”

* There was no update on Vladimir Guerrero’s situation with the Mets, who remain interested in the free-agent right fielder but have not made an offer . . . Former Phillies 3B Dave Hollins might be hired by the Mets in a minor-league capacity. Previous indications were that Hollins would manage Single-A Brooklyn, but no agreement has been reached.