On April 24, as Jeff McNeil returned from the injury list, the Mets optioned Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse. It was yet another midseason demotion for the 2019 first-round pick and former top-prospect. Although the team could have parted ways with defensive-minded José Azócar, Baty’s .204/.246/.352 slash line made him the more justifiable roster causality.

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Despite signs of progress in spring training, Baty’s offensive start to 2025 mirrored the struggles that have defined much of his big-league career. From 2022 to 2024, he posted a .215/.282/.325 slash line with a 70 OPS+ across 169 games and 602 plate appearances. When those same issues resurfaced early in his fourth major-league season, it was fair to question whether his time with the franchise was nearing its end.

When Jesse Winker suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain during a doubleheader in St. Louis on May 4, Baty—just three games into his stint with Triple-A Syracuse—was recalled to the majors. He made an immediate impact, homering three times in his first three games, including driving in all five of the Mets’ runs during a 6–5 loss to the Cubs on May 10. That hot stretch earned him a near-everyday role, and he hasn’t looked back. Baty posted a team-best .914 OPS in May, and despite a 1-for-8 start to June, he’s slashing a vastly improved .271/.311/.529 since rejoining the roster.

While the surface numbers may not leap off the page, Baty’s underlying metrics suggest his recent success is sustainable—and they represent a clear leap forward from his lone qualified season in 2023. Per Baseball Savant, his xBA, xwOBA, and xSLG sit at .260, .334, and .481, ranking in the 50th, 52nd, and 70th percentiles, respectively—up significantly from the 25th, 18th, and 24th percentiles in 2023. His barrel rate has surged to 13.8%, placing him in the 83rd percentile, compared to just 5.3% (non-qualified) in 2024 pre-demotion and 7.7% in 2023.

Baty is also making consistently harder contact, with a 44.8% hard-hit rate (top 40% of MLB) and an average bat speed of 76.1 mph, which ranks 12th among hitters with at least 200 competitive swings.

Brett Baty, Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

That’s not to say Baty is without flaws at the plate. His 28.0% strikeout rate and 4.5% walk rate both rank in the bottom 15% of the league, sitting in the 11th and 12th percentiles, respectively. While he’s posted better walk rates in prior seasons—9.4% in 2024 and 7.5% in 2023—he has never projected as a particularly patient hitter. Despite the swing-and-miss and limited plate discipline, Baty makes high-quality contact often enough to generate strong results when he does connect.

While Baty’s offensive improvements are noteworthy, perhaps the most striking evolution in his game has come on the defensive side. Entering the season, Mark Vientos appeared to have locked down the everyday third base role after a breakout 2024, prompting Baty to begin taking reps at second base to enhance his versatility. That offseason work seems to have paid dividends—not just at second, but at his natural position as well.

After recording -9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) across 159 games and over 1,280 innings at third base from 2022 to 2024, Baty has already been worth +4 DRS in just 188 innings at the position this season. He’s also held his own up the middle, tallying +2 DRS in 117 innings at second. Statcast backs up the improvement: Baty ranks in the 90th percentile with +3 Outs Above Average (OAA), a massive leap from his last qualified season in 2023, when his -4 OAA placed him in just the 16th percentile.

Brett Baty 2025 Baseball Savant Page

Baty’s defensive leap is even more significant when contrasted with Mark Vientos’ struggles at third base. Vientos has posted -8 Defensive Runs Saved in just 341 innings and ranks in the 1st percentile with -7 Outs Above Average—numbers that have only amplified Baty’s value.

While it’s still early, Baty’s 2025 resurgence has quickly reshaped his narrative—from potential bust to an essential piece on a contending Mets roster. Whether at third or second base, he’s proving to be both a capable bat and a legitimate defensive asset—once again positioning himself as a key part of the Mets’ short- and long-term plans.