BRETT BATY

Player Data: Age: 23 (11/13/1999), B/T: L/R

Primary Stats: 389 PA, .212/.275/.323/.598, 75 H, 9 HR, 34 RBIs

Advanced Stats: 68 wRC+, 28% K%, 7.5% BB%, .280 BABIP, .300 xwOBA, -0.5 fWAR, -0.8 bWAR

2023 Salary: $720,000 (prorated)

GRADE: D

2023 REVIEW

When the 2023 season began, Brett Baty appeared to be the clear answer for the Mets’ future at third base. After hitting .325/.460/.425 in 40 spring training at-bats, Baty was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, where he hit .400/.500/.886 with five home runs in 35 at-bats. With Eduardo Escobar struggling, the Mets recalled Baty on April 17 and made him their starting third baseman.

Baty continued to thrive offensively after his call-up. In his first 15 games, the rookie hit .319/.385/.511 with five extra-base hits. Despite the hot start, things quickly took a turn in the wrong direction for Baty. Over his next 24 games, he hit just .173/.253/.284 while racking up 24 strikeouts.

The Mets’ third baseman showed slight signs of improvement in June, which made the Mets feel comfortable enough to trade Escobar to the Angels late in the month. Baty hit .257/.321/.338 for the month. While the power was lacking and the strikeouts continued to pile up, it was a step in the right direction after struggling in May. He was unable to build on this, however, as he found himself in another extended slump when the calendar turned to July.

In his next 28 games, Baty hit .149/.229/.253 while striking out 32 more times. The slump brought his slash line for the season down to .216/.289/.331 and resulted in Baty being demoted back to Syracuse on August 7. After being given an extended chance to prove himself as the Mets’ third baseman of the future, the Texas native was back in the minors while Danny Mendick, Jonathan Araúz, and Mark Vientos were starting games at third base for the Mets.

When he returned to Syracuse, Baty picked up where he left off before his April call-up. He finished the year hitting .298/.388/1.013 with 10 home runs in just 26 Triple-A games. On September 1, Baty rejoined the Mets. Things did not go well for Baty initially after the call-up, going just 4-for-31 in his first 10 games back in the majors, but he was able to find success over his final 12 games. Despite not drawing a walk, Baty hit .250 with two home runs and a double (.409 slugging percentage) to close out a disappointing season on a high note.

While Baty’s defense has never been a strength, and still isn’t, he did take a step in the right direction in 2023. After seeking out Troy Tulowitzki to work on his defense in the offseason, Baty showed a marginal improvement defensively compared to 2022. After posting -3 DRS and -1 OAA in 93 innings in 2022, Baty had -5 DRS and -4 OAA over 808 2/3 innings in 2023. While there were clear signs of improvement, it is a part of Baty’s game that certainly still needs work.

Baty’s 2023 season was nearly F-worthy. His terrific start and a strong finish to the season salvaged what was essentially a lost year for the 23-year-old third baseman. When the season started, Baty was viewed as a clear choice to be the Mets’ third baseman of the future after the Carlos Correa deal fell apart. His disastrous season has opened the door for Vientos or Ronny Mauricio to take that spot or for the Mets to look outside the organization for their next third baseman.

2024 OUTLOOK

Assuming the Mets don’t sign or trade for a third baseman in the offseason, Baty should once again go into spring training in 2024 with a chance to win the starting third base job. While 2023 was not the year anyone would have expected from Baty, he will be just 24 years old next season. Baty is a former first-round pick who was one of the top prospects in all of baseball going into the season, and that is not something that happens by accident. While that does not guarantee a successful MLB career, a poor rookie campaign does not guarantee a poor career.

While Vientos and Mauricio are capable of playing third base, the Mets should hope that Baty can reclaim the job this spring. While his defense leaves more to be desired, he is a better option defensively than Vientos. Offensively, he may not have the speed Mauricio has or hit tape-measure homers the way Mauricio can, but Mauricio’s lack of plate discipline has always been a cause for concern for his future as a major leaguer. After a difficult year, it may be less certain that Baty has the highest ceiling of the three, but he likely has the lowest floor as the most well-rounded player of the bunch.