Inside The Mets

Rival scout views Brett Baty as New York Mets breakout candidate

A rival National League scout views New York Mets infielder Brett Baty as a breakout candidate in 2025.

Pat Ragazzo

Mar 14, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (7) hits a double to left field during the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Mar 14, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (7) hits a double to left field during the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
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First it was Mark Vientos who burst onto the scene with the New York Mets last season; Now, it could be Brett Baty's turn in 2025.

Baty has had a monster spring, slashing .347/.439/.694 with a 1.133 OPS, three home runs and 10 RBI in 10 Grapefruit League games. He has also smoothly transitioned to second base, a position where he appears to be the frontrunner to fill-in for the injured Jeff McNeil (oblique strain) to begin the regular season.

With Vientos overtaking Baty at third base in late-May of 2024 and not looking back, Baty now has a shot to solidify his mark as an everyday player for the Mets this season, but at second base instead of third. And according to one rival National League scout, Baty is a prime breakout candidate for New York this year.

"Baty is a guy with a proven track record in the minor leagues," the rival scout told Mets On SI. "[He] was underappreciated in 2023 by [ex-Mets manager) Buck Showalter due to his affinity for older veterans, but is a perfect candidate for a breakout campaign with the open mindedness of the current front office.

"In the past, this is the kind of player that blossomed under [David] Stearns in Milwaukee," the scout added.

Baty, as a 23-year-old, received 108 games as the Mets' third baseman in 2023, but struggled mightily with a .212/.275/.323 slash line in 353 at-bats before getting demoted to Triple-A Syracuse. Last season under first-year manager Carlos Mendoza, Baty got off to a hot start but fizzled out which led to another demotion after 50 games. Only this time, Vientos emerged as a star and claimed the third base job for good the rest of the 2024 campaign.

In 62 games in Triple-A last season, Baty crushed 16 homers and posted a .853 OPS. The year prior, the lefty swinger hit 10 homers with a 1.013 OPS in just 26 games in Syracuse. It's evident that Baty has outgrown the minors and could be on the cusp of a breakout in the bigs with regular playing time.

There is no question that Baty has been red-hot this spring and has earned a spot on the Mets' Opening Day roster. He also raked at the plate in the minors last season and looks ready to make his mark in the major leagues. That said, the Mets have yet to finalize their 26-man roster ahead of Game No. 1 in Houston against the Astros on Thursday.

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It makes sense for Baty and Luisangel Acuña to split duties at second base until McNeil is ready to return, which could be in late-April. However, Acuña has struggled in camp with the bat, hitting .235/.264/.255 with a .519 OPS, no homers and five RBI in 20 Grapefruit League games. The Mets could also still add an external right-handed bat, which they're said to be seeking, per The New York Post.

Not too long ago, Baty was the No. 2 ranked prospect in the Mets' farm system and a top 50 prospect in baseball in 2022. He is no longer a prospect, but is still just 25-years-old and the Mets never lost hope in his upside, which was a big reason they did not trade him in the offseason.

It's a promising sign that Baty has been on fire offensively in spring camp after being looked at as a change of scenery candidate all winter. It's interesting how the script has flipped heading into the season with Baty now being viewed as a breakout candidate in 2025.

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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the main publisher and reporter for the Mets On SI site. He has been covering the Mets since 2018. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has appeared on several major TV Networks including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is a recurring guest on ESPN New York 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM. Pat is also the Mets insider for Barstool Sports personality Frank "The Tank" Fleming’s podcast. You can follow him on Twitter/X and Instagram: @ragazzoreport.

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