At one point, Brett Baty was among baseball’s most promising prospects, expected to be a key figure for the New York Mets. He had a significant chance to prove himself in 2023 but struggled, finishing with a disappointing .598 OPS over 389 plate appearances and displaying defensive issues at third base. In 2024, his fielding improved, and he made slight gains at the plate, yet his .633 OPS over 50 MLB games was still underwhelming.
While Baty was finding it difficult to establish himself, Mark Vientos seized his opportunity, performing at an All-Star level and solidifying his role as the Mets’ third baseman moving forward. This left Baty without a clear role.
Coming into spring training, he had more to prove than almost anyone in the organization. Initially competing for the last bench spot, Baty got a break when Jeff McNeil suffered an oblique injury, giving him a shot at the second base position.
His impressive spring training performance has all but secured him the job—and might just restore Mets fans’ faith in him.
