Will the Mets be able to trade Brett Baty before Opening Day?

Will the Mets try and trade Brett Baty somewhere he may have a chance to get playing time? Or is it worth keeping him as a depth piece?

Feb 12, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets third base Brett Baty (7) works during a Spring Training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Brett Baty has truly been a conundrum for the New York Mets.

His big league career could not have got off to a better start...in his first at bat. He stepped up to the plate for the first time as a big leaguer and hit a home run against the Braves in Atlanta on August 17th, 2022.

Since then, it's been quite an underwhelming journey for the 2019 first-round pick. Baty has hit just .215 with a .282 OBP, 15 home runs, and 55 RBI in 169 games from August 2022 through the 2024 season. He's also struggled in the field, making 14 errors at third base.

The question, though, is what is his value? Is he worth anything sufficient enough for the Mets to trade him before the season?

Baty has consistently put good numbers up at Triple-A Syracuse, but it has not translated in a New York Mets uniform. Unless the Mets include another prospect in a trade, they would not get much in return for him.

A look at Brett Baty and Jett Williams taking reps at second base. pic.twitter.com/CDJ1d5Ddx8

— Andrew Tredinnick (@andrew_tred) February 12, 2025

Have Acuña and Mauricio surpassed Baty?

The Mets still have some faith in Baty, though. In addition to his usual third base, they are giving him reps at second base with the hope of developing him into a young depth piece. But New York also has a surplus of better potential players at those positions in Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio, although Mauricio is going to need game reps in Triple-A before being on the big league team again.

Signing Pete Alonso effectively ruled out Baty making the Opening Day roster. The signing has locked Mark Vientos into the starting third base role, so Baty would only be a backup option there.

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As for second base, starter Jeff McNeil has only two years left on his contract. If he struggles in the first month or two like last year and becomes expendable, there could be an opening for Baty. However, he'd still be outshined by Acuña and Mauricio, who both provide a speed element that Baty lacks.

Because of what both Acuña and Mauricio bring to the table, it's imperative that the Mets find a trade partner at some point this year for Baty; there simply is not a role for him on the team. New York also wants to try and find a spot for Jett Williams (assuming he doesn't get traded at some point), who is getting reps at second base.

Brett Baty could only shake his head on this one from Brandon Sproat pic.twitter.com/WOtE9avu2K

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 13, 2025

Baty should start the season with Triple-A Syracuse and put up good numbers like he usually does down there, allowing the Mets to increase his trade value. A change of scenery in a smaller market could work wonders for Baty, who came up in 2022 for a Mets team in a playoff push.

A realistic return? The Mets could use a piece in the bullpen. Sending Baty and a low-level prospect for a middle reliever could benefit the team at any time, pre-season or mid-season. With Alex Bregman headed to Boston, the Detroit Tigers are a team to keep an eye on as the season progresses due to their strong bullpen and need for a third baseman. Detroit is going to try Jace Jung there for now, but if that fails, Baty could make a ton of sense for them.

Maybe Baty turns the ship around and becomes productive for the Mets in 2025. But without a true spot for him to play consistently, the best bet for New York is to just move on from him and see if they can get pitching help in return.