No. 6 Brett Baty, 3B
B/T: L/R Age: 20 (11/13/1999)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 210 lbs
ETA: 2022 Previous Rank: N/A
Acquired: First round in 2019 from Lake Travis HS, Austin, Texas
2019 Stats: 51 Games, .234/.368/.452, 16 2B, 7 HR, 33 RBI, 115 wRC+

Brett Baty towered over his opponents in high school, both physically and competitively. Size wise, he was larger than them. Baty was held back a school year in fifth grade, so by the time he stepped on to the field for his senior season, he was a near-fully grown 19-year-old. In that senior season, Baty followed up a Gatorade Texas Baseball Player of the Year-winning junior season by hitting .615 with 19 homers through draft night. The Mets rewarded him by making him the No. 12 overall selection in the draft and giving him a $3.9 million bonus worthy of forgoing a commitment to the University of Texas.

The Mets started the third baseman in the Gulf Coast League, as is usually customary for high school draftees. Baty ripped the cover off of the ball in his brief stay there, posting a 1.130 OPS with a homer and three doubles over five games. Baty was quickly promoted to Kingsport, highlighting an emphasis to move him quicker than a normal high school talent. The Mets did the same with another first round selection who was older than his peers, Jarred Kelenic. Kelenic played just 12 games in the GCL before his promotion to Kingsport in 2018.

Baty spent the bulk of his first pro season in Kingsport before sliding up to Brooklyn for a cup of coffee during the Cyclones’ playoff run. In Tennessee, Baty was knocked down a peg. He hit just .222 with a .775 OPS and six homers over 42 games. He struck out 56 times in 158 at bats.

In evaluating Baty, it is important to keep his advanced age in mind. The fact that he was closer to age 20 than 19 at the time of his draft made a lot of teams hesitant, even if it meant he was the most advanced prep bat in the draft class. That is because the timer is sped up on Baty. An 18-year-old struggling in Kingsport is a lot less worrisome than a 20-year-old. The progression of someone in his in-between age group just starting out as a professional is difficult to project.

But the Mets did not seem to care about the age, nor do they seem to care about his offensive struggles. His token promotion to Coney Island at the tail end of the season indicates that the Mets are focused on more than just the stat line, as they should be. As a first-year pro, especially for prep players not used to the months-long grind of a college or minor league season, fatigue tends to set in towards the end of summer.

Baty also had a steep adjustment to the level of competition in Kingsport. In his first month there, July, Baty slashed just .160/.284/.373. But in 24 August games, Baty ramped it up to a .258/.378/.495 line. Despite the low average and high strikeout rate, his 35 walks in 51 games mean he was seeing the ball well the entire time, taking tough pitches, and not giving in to oppositional pitching often.

And part of the reason to not worry about Baty yet is because he still has an eye-opening toolset. Specifically, Baty can rake. His left-handed stroke is smooth and fluid, with considerable bat speed that generates tons of power. And power is the name of Baty’s game; he has legitimate raw power that should continue to translate into game power to all fields. Scouts have raved about his ability to barrel up baseballs to the opposite field. His power is his best tool by far. Even if Baty never hits for average, he has the swing, plate discipline, and strength of a middle-of-the-order power bat. He has effortless 30-plus home run potential.

On the defensive side, Baty was considered a question mark at third base with some scouts even earmarking him for a future move across the diamond before he even signed on the dotted line. But, the defensive returns on Baty in 2019 were generally positive. He has sneaky athleticism for someone of his size, but still has trouble mobilizing towards balls and making the difficult plays. He is helped out on balls he does get to by his strong, 60-grade arm. Baty was also a standout pitcher in high school, and can gas it up to 90 mph when he needs to. Scouts were harsh on Baty’s glove pre-draft, but in-season reports at the hot corner were better than expected.

Even if the glove is better than anticipated, Baty is still a below-average runner with poor reaction times. He may prove the scouts right and find his way at first base, or even in the corner outfield if he does not continue making strides at third. But his strong base and great arm give him a step in the right direction.

The Mets seem keen on fast-tracking Baty through the system as quickly as possible. Baty was likely ticketed to begin the season with short-season Brooklyn, regardless of when the minor league season actually begins. From there, it might not take much to convince the Mets to send him to Columbia to finish out 2020. Ultimately, Baty holds the key to his own future. Because of his advanced age and feel for the barrel, if he continues to develop and show off his strong offensive upside, the Mets might have no chance but to send him quickly through the system.

Previous Rankings

7 David Peterson – LHP, 8 Shervyen Newton — INF, 9 Thomas Szapucki – LHP, 10 Josh Wolf – RHP, 11 Kevin Smith – LHP, 12 Franklyn Kilome – RHP, 13 Jordan Humphreys – RHP, 

14 Junior Santos – RHP, 15 Carlos Cortes – 2B, 16 Freddy Valdez – OF, 17 Adrian Hernandez – CF, 18 Dedniel Nunez – RHP 

19 Alexander Ramirez – OF, 20 Ali Sanchez – C, 25-21 Led by Jaylen Palmer, 30-26 Led by Ryley Gilliam