Ronny Mauricio has returned to Tigers del Licey to defend his MVP title. After a hitless debut as the DH, Mauricio would take the field for the first time in the Winter League season.
At the plate, Mauricio was sensational. He was 4-for-4 with a double, triple, and two RBI. He was reminiscent of the player who was MVP last season and who electrified Citi Field in his Major League debut.
Defensively, it was a completely different story for Mauricio. He would play third base and struggle.
In fact, Mauricio would fail to convert his first two chances due to throwing errors.
In the first, he grabbed a hard hit ball but pulled the first baseman off the bag. In the second, on a ball he charged hard, he spiked the throw.
On the bright side, Mauricio fielded two difficult chances. These are throws he will most likely be able to make as he becomes more experienced at the position.
Later in the game, he flat out missed a foul pop up. Like with the aforementioned plays, these are not normally plays or angles Mauricio would have to deal with as a shortstop.
Obviously, it is way too early to read into his defensive struggles. He’s at a somewhat unfamiliar position, and he’s playing his first game in about two months.
It is notable that Mauricio is playing third, and his progress from this game is going to be important.
Last year, Brett Baty struggled at third base, and he would be demoted to Triple-A Syracuse during the season. Mark Vientos was predominantly used as the DH with his defensive struggles. Jeff McNeil is the incumbent second baseman.
As of the moment, the Mets have not been linked to a third baseman this offseason. With the younger players, you can see why the Mets are waiting for one to emerge above the rest.
The Winter League season may give Mauricio the opportunity he needs to learn the position and get a leg up in the spring training battle. No matter what happens, if Mauricio hits like this, the Mets are going to find a spot for him in the lineup.
