No. 2 Brett Baty, 3B

B/T: L/R     Age: November 13, 1999 (23)
Ht: 6’3″       Wt: 210 lb.
ETA: 2023 Previous Rank: 2
Acquired: Drafted 1st round (12th overall) of 2019 MLB Draft (Lake Travis HS, Austin, TX).
2022 Stats (AA/AAA): 95 games, 362 at-bats, 22 2B, 19 HR, 60 RBIs, 49 BB, 104 K, .315/.410/.533/.943

The New York Mets have done a good job of replenishing their farm system with top-end positional talent, with a couple of blue-chip prospects at the top of the rankings. Coming in at No. 2 is Brett Baty, the third baseman with a high ceiling who was taken with the 12th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Amateur Draft out of Lake Travis HS in Austin, TX.

As a 19-year-old high-schooler, there was a train of thought that Baty’s age may have caused him to slip in the draft. The Mets were more than happy when he fell to them at 12, and he has gone on to dominate at every Minor League stop while also flashing his potential in the bigs.

Behind phenom catcher Francisco Álvarez, Bety is regarded as one of the most valuable pieces in the pipeline and he has all the skills and all the intangibles needed to become an effective everyday player in MLB. His ability to make things happen at the plate and hit with at least plus raw power should be the driving force behind any success he enjoys in the bigs.

After hitting a combined .292/.382/.473/.855 between A+ and AA in 2021, Baty’s star began to really rise. He hit 12 home runs and 22 doubles with 56 RBI that year, displaying his ability to both hit for power and hit for average. He began 2022 in Double-A with Binghamton and continued to absolutely rake, slashing .312/.406/.544/.950 with 19 homers, 22 doubles and 59 RBIs in 340 at-bats.

Baty was really beginning to explode and it was no surprise to anyone when he was called up to Triple-A with Syracuse. Now, at the time, there were those who thought the third baseman should have bypassed the final ladder of minor league baseball and be called straight up to the major leagues given Eduardo Escobar‘s considerable struggles. That time would soon follow.

While Baty’s time at Triple-A was short, it was certainly sweet. He continued to mash by hitting .364/.462/.364/.826 in 22 at-bats and, after just six games, he earned a richly-deserved call-up to The Show. With Escobar struggling with a left oblique strain and Luis Guillorme hitting the IL, the Mets front office finally gave fans what they wanted by promoting Baty and putting him in the lineup to face the Atlanta Braves.

It was a Major League debut to remember for Baty who homered in his first at-bat. With a runner at second, Baty absolutely crushed a breaking ball from Braves pitcher Jake Odorizzi to give the Mets a 4-0 lead with a two-run homer he’ll never, ever forget.

Baty would go on to hit another home run during his stint in the bigs, but it proved to be an adjustment period for the rookie. He hit just .184/.244/.342/.586 with 5 RBI in 42 plate appearances. After struggling to reproduce the same kind of magic over a consistent sample size, Baty’s year was brought to a premature end when he was forced to undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right thumb.

One of the biggest knocks against Baty, and one of the biggest flaws in his game, is his defense. It was such a concern that there had been talk the organization could look to move him off third at some point. His average defense was exposed during his first stint in the bigs, and there was no doubt that was going to have to be the big focus for Baty during the offseason if he wanted to become the team’s everyday third baseman.

Brett Baty is hitting .500 after two more hits today.

pic.twitter.com/OiGatVumNO

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) March 2, 2023

Another interesting wrinkle was added to Baty’s journey in the winter following the Mets’ pursuit of superstar shortstop Carlos Correa. With the intention to play Correa at third, Baty’s future with the organization suddenly became very uncertain and the Miami Marlins checked in a couple of times on a potential trade. Ultimately, the front office stayed true to their philosophy of hanging on to their top prospects and Correa eventually returned to the Minnesota Twins after his deal with the Mets fell through.

All the talk then switched to Baty’s immediate role in 2023. With Escobar somewhat redeeming himself with a red-hot September, it was presumed that he would get the majority of the reps at the hot corner to at least start 2023. Baty would have to start the year in Triple-A and then work his way into a platoon with Escobar later in the season.

However, with Escobar committed to playing for Team Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic, Baty is going to get plenty of looks at the hot corner throughout spring training. He has so far answered the bell with a hot start and, if he can maintain his exploits at the plate, it would be hard for the Mets not to have Baty on their Opening Day roster.

Baty has been on an absolute tear to start spring training and he now has four RBIs with an OPS of 1.288, while batting .500. He is absolutely raking at the plate and, along with prospect shortstop Ronny Mauricio, has been the Mets’ best hitter through the first two weeks of spring. There’s also been some improvement on the defensive side of the ball. After making a throwing error in the bottom of the fifth inning in an 8-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, Baty rebounded from that mistake by executing a strong throw a couple of plays later. That shows the maturity the 23-year-old has and that he’s not going to collapse after one mistake. That is an important mentality to have in the bigs.

Ultimately, Escobar will at least begin 2023 as the starting third baseman for the New York Mets. There could be an outside chance for Baty to crack the Opening Day roster given that Darin Ruf is dealing with a wrist injury. However, if Baty continues to absolutely rake throughout spring training and continues to show improvement in his defense at the hot corner, he could get some reps at third base earlier than anticipated.

Plus, if Escobar struggles again as he did for much of 2022, then it is feasible to predict Baty will have the chance to become the team’s everyday third baseman. After all, with Escobar a free agent after 2023 and Manny Machado now off the market after signing a new deal with the Padres, Baty is the future at third for the Mets and that new era could really begin in earnest at any point during the 2023 season. As we’re seeing so far in spring training, Baty is going to be able to hit at the Major League level, and hit at a high level, and that will be his pathway to making the hot corner his own sooner rather than later.