On the first official day of spring training, New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza sent a firm but fair warning to Brett Baty.
Once the organization’s can’t-miss third-base prospect, the 25-year-old infielder has been unable to translate his strong spring trainings or Triple-A stints to the majors. Across three different MLB seasons, he batted just .215 with a .607 OPS in 544 at-bats, ultimately leaving the door open for Mark Vientos to run away with the starting third-base job with his breakout, 27-home-run season last year.
It left Baty to compete for a utility infielder role at the start of spring training — a last chance of sorts to prove that he can break camp with the big club and prove that he can stick.
“Yeah, pretty much [this is his last chance],” Mendoza said last month. “This is a guy who is willing to do whatever it takes to make the club. He’s been vocal about it… Now he just has to go out there and compete and do it and be himself. He’s a really good player. There’s tools and a lot to like about Brett Baty. He just has to be himself, go out there, and do it. Let the rest take care of itself.”
Six weeks can make quite the difference.
Baty put together another strong spring — perhaps his best one yet — slashing .353/.441/.745 (1.186 OPS) with four home runs and 11 RBI in 51 at-bats. He struck out just six times compared to just eight walks, good for an 11.7% K-rate which is a sliver of his career 29.2% rate in the majors.
Getting looks at second base, he proved that he could handle the position commendably; and after Jeff McNeil was shelved with an oblique injury, it has made Baty the front-runner for the starting job to start the season — at least against right-handed pitchers.
“There’s the range that he’s shown,” Mendoza said last week of Baty’s defensive work. “Ideally, it was in there, but to show it at second base, up the middle, going to his right, the way he’s going to his left. Just having the awareness of where to go on cuts and relays. The communication in between pitches with not only [shortstop Francisco Lindor] but the other infielders. He’s been really, really good.”
Baty potentially hitting some of the expectations that were placed on him three or four years ago presents a good problem for the Mets. A hot bat to plug in the bottom third of the lineup lengthens an already-threatening nine even more, which means Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns would have to make a difficult decision or two once McNeil gets the green light to return.
Of course, that is a bridge to cross when the Mets get there because Baty has to prove that he can cut it consistently at the MLB level.
