Mets' Mark Vientos Addresses Spring Training Struggles

New York Mets hitter Mark Vientos got honest about his slow start to the spring.

Nicaragua third baseman Mark Vientos | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

One of the biggest question marks about the New York Mets' 2026 season is what they can expect from infielder Mark Vientos.

Vientos had a breakout 2024 campaign and was a key part of New York's postseason success. Because of this, he was expected to play a vital role in the Mets being one of the National League's best teams in 2025.

But Vientos struggled at the plate throughout last season, producing a .233 average and a .702 OPS. Since his 2024 and 2025 seasons were so different, there's a lot of uncertainty about how much the 26-year-old might be able to contribute this season, along with whether there's a position available to him in the field.

New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

And Vientos' 2026 spring training hasn't inspired much confidence, as he currently has just 1 hit in 26 at-bats. That's good for a .040 average.

Mark Vientos Shrugs Off Spring Training Results With Honest Message

But Vientos is clearly not overly concerned about what his stats look like right now, which was conveyed during an interview he did on March 14.

“If I'm putting good swings on balls, especially the fastball, especially good heaters, and making good contact, solid contact, that's all I really want. Because the season is so long, you get so many [at-bats]. And now, it's just getting the rhythm of the at-bats, and the timing, and all that," Vientos said, per a YouTube video from Speaking of the Mets.

When asked whether he focuses on the results at this point, he said, "I mean, if I focus on the results right now, I’ll be a very stressed-out person. Especially spring training, it's early, and then during the season, you're thinking about results as well, because everybody wants to do good. But right now, I’m focusing on hard contact, good ABs, and that’s it.”

A bit later on, Vientos added, "Whatever my plan is at the plate, whatever I do well, I know what I do well. And it's doing what I do well on a consistent basis, and that's gonna put me in a good position this season.

Vientos makes a fair point, given that there have been countless instances of a player struggling in spring training and then turning things around when the regular season begins. But it still would have been nice to see him perform well at the plate heading into Opening Day.

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