Brett Baty Proving Why He Should Be on Mets Opening Day Roster
If Mets third baseman Brett Baty’s stint in the majors in 2022 was the appetizer, this year is shaping up to be the entrée.
Baty, 23, hit a home run in his first MLB game last August but dealt with injury and wound up only taking 38 reps at the plate the rest of the way.
Now healthy, Baty is tearing the cover off the ball this spring and could force the Mets hand to make him the starting third baseman.
In 24 at-bats so far this preseason, Baty is hitting a robust .458, with one home run, five RBIs and a 1.177 OPS.
Baty could start the year with Triple-A Syracuse, as he only had a brief stint there with them in 2022 before being called up to the show. However, he might not even need it.
In 95 games in the minors last year, Baty hit 19 home runs, logged 60 RBIs and had a triple slash of .315/.410/.533 in 420 plate appearances.
When it looked like the Mets were slated to sign infielder Carlos Correa, a case could have been made to give Baty some additional seasoning in the minors, but since that scenario didn’t come to fruition, Baty should get a chance to take the third base job and run with it.
What happens with Eduardo Escobar then?
Having Escobar is beneficial to the team, and having him as a utility option only make the bench stronger.
Escobar can spell Baty at third when he needs a day off, could work as a DH option from either side of the plate since he’s a switch hitter, and can plug in around the field in a pinch where ever the Mets need him.
Escobar had a strong September and October last year where it looked like he finally found his groove in blue and orange, but Baty is one of the Mets top prospects and is slated to be the third baseman of the future for the team.
It’s not a bad thing to have options and should Baty falter and ultimately need more time to develop in the minors, having Escobar is a good insurance policy.
With the way Baty is hitting though, it’s a good problem to have, and could help make the Mets’ offense a weapon.
Read More:
- Mets' Brooks Raley Leaves Team USA due to Injury
- Mets' Starling Marte has big day at Plate in Return to Grapefruit League Play
- What Is Eduardo Escobar's Role For Mets in 2023?
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