Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio got off to a hot start this spring hitting homers. Everyone noticed and got excited for the future.
That included Mark Vientos who knew he was behind his fellow prospects. As he would say, “I was messing around with Brett and Ronny the other day. I was like, ‘You guys have some. I’ve got to get me one.’”
Well, Vientos wouldn’t just get one. He would get two in the New York Mets spring training game against the Miami Marlins.
The second home run was a monster shot to center field. The ball had an exit velocity of 111 MPH, and it traveled 469 feet!
On the day, Vientos was 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBI.
What stands out with Vientos of late and during his time in the minors is his exit velocity and opposite field power. Three of his last four hits have gone for extra bases.
More than that, each of his last four hits gave exit velocities over 107 MPH. Vientos isn’t just hitting the ball. He’s destroying it.
This is a very good time for Vientos to get hot and display his power potential.
Pete Alonso is about to report to Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. That opens up more plate appearances and a chance to play more first base for Vientos.
Darin Ruf has yet to appear in a spring training game. Ruf is still recovering from a wrist injury. He’s closer to participating in games, but there’s not an exact timetable.
In the vacuum, Vientos is out there showing off his immense power to all fields. He’s hitting the ball in excess of 100 MPH. He’s inching closer to making the Mets lives difficult when it comes to the DH spot.
If Ruf isn’t ready Opening Day, Vientos is showing he can be. More than that, he’s showing how he could be more than a platoon option. He’s showing he could be the Mets DH of the (very near) future.
