That warm feeling that rushed over you after the final whistle of Super Bowl LIX was the realization that Major League Baseball is upon us, and spring training for the Mets is officially underway.
The warmup and exhibition season provides a first glimpse at one of the more notable offseasons in franchise history. Juan Soto will play competitive games in orange and blue for the first time since signing that historic 15-year, $765 million deal where he will share the crown as prodigal son of Queens alongside Francisco Lindor.
Pete Alonso is back, at least for one more season, after a winter of “exhausting negotiations” that ultimately was salvaged by a two-year, $54 million deal.
The starting rotation has been overhauled behind Kodai Senga and the returning Sean Manaea. The bullpen has also been beefed up.
But spring training is about team brass getting a good look at some of the fringe players — some young talents that could break into the big-league roster or established vets on the precipice of new roles. Let’s take a look at six Mets to watch for from the jump as spring training gets rolling from down in Port St. Lucie, FL.
6 Mets to watch at 2025 spring training
Luisangel Acuna
The 22-year-old infielder made a great impression on the Mets when he filled in for the injured Francisco Lindor in September. He batted .308 with three home runs and six RBI in just 39 at-bats and then followed it up with a brilliant showing in Venezuelan winter ball (.914 OPS in 30 games).
Manager Carlos Mendoza said last month that Acuna is going to have a “huge role” with the big-league club in 2025, but it all comes down to where that will happen. The re-signing of Pete Alonso means Mark Vientos has the third-base job for now, but he could be flexed to the designated hitter role more often if Jesse Winker or Starling Marte struggle. Acuna could also steal the starting second-base job away from Jeff McNeil if the former batting champion struggles like he has over the past two seasons.
Acuna is versatile enough to get a good amount of at-bats in the big leagues as a utility option, but only if he can get regular at-bats. Nick Madrigal is slated as more of the utility option that Jose Iglesias was supposed to be last season before injuries opened the door for him to get regular playing time.
Francisco Alvarez
Still just 23 years old, the catcher of the future has made sweeping changes to his approach at the plate in hopes of finding some consistency.
Streakiness has been the name of Alvarez’s offensive game over the last two seasons, and a thumb injury in 2024 was only part of the problems that saw a drastic dip in power. He went from 25 home runs in 2023 to just 11 last year, which only exacerbated his consistent strikeout rate, which hovered around 27% for a second straight season.
A restoration of power and a better eye at the dish provide the Mets with big-bat potential in the lower third of their lineup, ensuring some form of continuity after the big boppers of Lindor, Soto, Vientos, and Alonso.
Brett Baty
Where does the 25-year-old Baty fit into the Mets’ equation this year and beyond?
Once regarded as the future of the franchise at third base, he has been unable to put it together in multiple major-league stints. In 544 career at-bats, he’s batting .215 with a .607 OPS, 15 home runs, and 55 RBI.
A slow start to 2024 resulted in another demotion to Triple-A and opened the door for Vientos to run away with the starting job, where he put up a breakout season of 27 dingers.
Does he compete with Acuna for a reserve role on the big-league roster? Is he used for organizational depth should Vientos be forced to move from third? Could he be used as a trade chip, even with his value the lowest it has ever been?
Clay Holmes
President of baseball operations David Stearns is no stranger to taking chances when it comes to his starting rotation, but this might be the biggest one yet.
The 31-year-old Holmes has not started a game since his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018, carving out his niche in the pros as a closer with the Yankees across town. Starting has been a bucket-list item for him, of sorts, and the Mets are giving him that chance, but he has to re-work his arsenal and approach to shoulder the workload of being a starter.
He is developing a four-seam fastball to complement his putaway sinker, which will be his foundational pitch. He also has a slider and a sweeper to lean on if necessary.
Brandon Sproat
The 24-year-old right-hander will start the 2025 season in the minors, but a strong showing in Triple-A could see him as a mid-season call-up.
Sproat has flashed some devastating stuff, most notably last summer when he struck out 11 straight during an early-August Double-A game with Binghamton.
He jumped from high A-ball to Triple-A in just one season last year, going 7-4 with a 3.40 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 116.1 innings pitched. With an abundance of question marks within the rotation, including Holmes, Frankie Montas, and potentially even Tylor Megill, Sproat is a logical option to see the majors at some point this year if things do not go to plan.
Jett Williams
A wrist injury that required surgery delayed Williams’ rise to the majors last year, but the Mets’ top prospect could carve out a path to the majors if things fall his way in 2025.
A speedster with the potential to develop into a five-tool player, the 21-year-old is highly regarded by Stearns, who reportedly had no interest in trading him for ace pitcher Garrett Crochet back in December.
Stearns believes Williams can play “a quality center field” at the MLB level, but has the versatility to also chip in at shortstop or second base. Late-season falters from the likes of Jose Siri or Tyrone Taylor would make Williams an in-house option to provide a spark.
