If you closed your eyes after the beginning of the offseason, it is time to open them back up!
The start of the Major League Baseball regular season is just around the corner, which means the New York Mets will be starting their long trek toward the playoffs once again. With various new additions, highlighted by superstar Juan Soto, the National League East member will look to get back to the NL Championship Series, and possibly beyond it.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
For that to happen, New York’s middle infield needs to be very productive in 2025. Outside of superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Mets will need contributions from a variety of players at second base and in the utility infield spots. That could mean significant playing time for Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, or even one of the top players in their farm system.
What should we expect in the coming year of New York Mets baseball at second base and shortstop? And who are set to be the main contributors? Follow along as we continue the positional outlook series for the 2025 season
Big-League Starters
Francisco Lindor
Age: 31
Contract: 10 yr, $341M (free agent after 2031)
Roster status: 40-man roster
2025 Preview: When it comes to shortstop Francisco Lindor, the first words that come to mind are superstar and face of the franchise.
Lindor does it all for the Mets in every facet of the game. In 2024, he racked up 33 home runs, an OPS of .844, a wRC+ of 137, and a 7.8 WAR. He stole 29 bases, had 169 hits, increased his hard-hit percentage to 47.4%, and had 16 OAA(outs above average.) Lindor was also in the top 20 of some Statcast bat speed metrics, registering 156 blasts (swings with a high bat speed that are squared up) and 1,116 competitive swings.
Finishing second in the NL MVP vote to the LA Unicorn that is Shohei Ohtani, it may be hard for Lindor to fully replicate what was arguably the best season of an already special career. But with Juan Soto in the mix, Pete Alonzo back on the roster, and the continued development of Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos, Lindor will have plenty of protection. As a result, the superstar should be in store for another great 2025 season.
Jeff McNeil
Age: 32
Contract: 4 yr, $50M w/club option (free agent after 2026 or 2027)
Roster status: TBD, Injury
2025 Preview: Things looked semi-clear at second base, but now are very foggy heading into the season.
On March 13th, New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that second baseman Jeff McNeil is dealing with a low-grade oblique starina and would be out 3-to-4 weeks. McNeil was the presumed starter at the position, despite young players like Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña knocking on the doorstep of the starting role.
However, McNeil’s spot was for good reason. Despite his lackluster start to the year, the veteran infielder turned it on late as the Mets stormed toward the postseason. He hit just under .290 in the second half of the year while also producing a wRC+ of 156.
Once healthy, McNeil has the potential to provide steady hitting and solid fielding to New York’s infield. He has utility potential, but until one of the team’s young players breaks out, the Flying Squirrel is the safest option at second base.
Brett Baty
Age: 25
Contract: Pre-arbitration(1.088 years of service time)
Roster status: 40-man roster
2025 Preview: Well, this one is very interesting, to say the least.
In the wake of Jeff McNeil’s injury, there are two likely options for the Mets’ opening day starter at second base: Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña. Both players were two of the better prospects in the team’s minor league system; however, Baty was seen as a potential cornerstone player for the Mets at the next level. Acuña was seen more as a high-floor fielder/baserunner with room to grow as a hitter.
You could easily flip a coin on who should get the first shot between the two players, but the winds seem to be pointing toward Baty winning the initial job. The former first-round pick has played there in the minor leagues and has consistently gotten reps at the position this spring. He has also been scorching the ball at the plate, whether you want to point to the .655 slugging percentage or the .379 batting average.
However, Baty has shown fundamental flaws as a hitter at the major league level. In his short time at the next level, he has accumulated a 26.4 strikeout percentage, a .325 slugging percentage, and a measly 72 wRC+. This stems from an approach where he rarely puts the ball in the air and cannot make hard contact, usually hitting grounders or the occasional fly ball when he is not striking out.
For Baty to reverse his course and solidify his spot on the roster, he must show plenty of improvement with his approach and swing. Baty has the potential to be a very good hitter, and to hold off a large amount of young talent behind him, the former top prospect needs to rediscover that form.
Big-League Depth
Luisangel Acuña
Age: 23
Contract: Pre-arbitration(0.016 years of service time)
Roster status: 40-man roster
2025 Preview: If Brett Baty falters, Acuña is next in line for the starting second base role.
The younger brother of Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., Luisangel is a great asset for the Mets, even if he is not an immediate starter. With upper-level fielding ability and enough speed to make an impact on games, it is a borderline certainty that New York will be deploying the second baseman as a “spark plug” of sorts.
Acuña has also shown some development as a hitter; in winter league action, he registered a .914 OPS with three home runs, five doubles, and a triple. He also stole 17 bases in 30 games.
There are plenty of outcomes that the dynamic second basemen could have in 2025, but he is certain to be impacting the Mets’ season regardless of whether he breaks out or plays to his floor.
Upper-Level Depth
Donovan Walton
Age: 30
Contract: Minor league
Roster status: Not on the 40-man roster
2025 Preview: Walton was signed by the Mets on November 15, 2024. He has not had too much success at the major league level, with a career-best 71 wRC+ coming back in 2021 in 24 games.
However, Walton posted a 303/.377/.438 over 99 games in the minors in 2024. He also posted a .821 OPS and hit seven home runs across this stretch of time.
With adequate fielding and possibly some hitting potential, Walton could be one of the first reserves to come off the bench for the Mets at the start of the 2025 season.
Wyatt Young
Age: 25
Contract: Minor league
Roster status: Not on the 40-man roster
2025 Preview: Young has not been discussed too much this spring, but he could be one of the first middle infielders called upon as a depth piece in 2025.
Across 118 games in AA and AAA last season, Young posted a +wRC of 120. He also had a batting average of .287, 12 doubles, four home runs, and 17 stolen bases.
Young does not have great size or weight to have much of a power profile at the next level. However, he possesses good speed, a nice bat-to-ball skill, and relatively average fielding. In a pinch in 2025, New York could call on Young as a defender or base runner to get something going for their team.
Future! (Coming Soon?)
Jett Williams
Age: 21
Contract: Minor league
Roster status: Not on the 40-man roster
2025 Preview: One of the top prospects in the entire Mets’ farm system has a big 2025 season ahead of him.
After a wrist injury derailed most of 2024, Williams will now get a chance to pick up where he left off at the end of last season. The dynamic infielder/outfielder will likely start at AAA, where he posted a .364 average and .545 slugging percentage in six games. The hitter-friendly league should allow him to show off his power potential, speed, and overall athleticism as a player.
Whether it is due to service time, the presence of Baty/Acuña, or both, I do not see Williams arriving until the summer if he remains in the infield. But with how talented he is and the potential impact he could bring to the roster, New York could be getting a much earlier arrival from one of its best young prospects, even if it is not as an infielder.
Ronny Mauricio
Age: 23
Contract: Pre-arbitration
Roster status: On 40-man roster
2025 Preview: In a much different way than Williams, the 2025 season is very important for Mauricio.
The shortstop prospect has excellent fielding, power, speed, and overall hitting potential. However, there are flaws to his game that take away from the impact he can make.
Mauricio, in his 101 MLB at-bats in 2023, struck out 31 times. He did have two home runs and four doubles, but the toolsy infielder still had an OBP below .300.
To truly impact the Mets this season, Mauricio will first need to show that he is progressing in recovering from his knee injury. Once he does that, he must improve his base of amazing tools. Can he limit the strikeouts and raise the walk rate? Can he get more balls in the air to fully utilize his power potential? Can he refine his approach to not be susceptible to chasing pitches and learn to hunt the ones he can do damage with?
In terms of raw potential, Mauricio has some of the biggest in the entire farm system. But for him to capitalize on it in the best way possible, he needs to take some major steps forward in 2025.
