Brett Baty

Aug 17, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (22) celebrates after a home run in his first career at-bat against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets called up their No. 2 prospect Brett Baty on Wednesday and he had an immediate impact with the club in his MLB debut.

With a runner on second base in the second inning, No. 22 took Atlanta Braves’ starter Jake Odorizzi deep on the second pitch he saw. Baty drove a 72 MPH curveball 377 feet into right field to give the Mets a 4-0 lead.

“I was just up there looking for a pitch to drive and had some fun with it,” said Baty. “That’s a great way to start the career for sure.”

Baty cemented his name in the Mets’ record books by homering in his first career at-bat. He became the fifth Met to do so, joining the likes of Benny Ayala (1974), Mike Fitzgerald (1983), Kazuo Matsui (2004), and Mike Jacobs (2005).

“It’s awesome,” said Max Scherzer on Baty’s home run. “He’s happier than anything to get a chance to be here in the big leagues and to go out there and hit a homer. That’s just great.”

Baty took full advantage of an opportunity that presented itself due to a combination of others’ injuries at the major league level and his superb production at the minor league level.

On Monday, the Mets placed Luis Guillorme on the injured list for 4-6 weeks due to a moderate left groin strain. On Wednesday the team placed Eduardo Escobar on the injured list for oblique soreness. While the Mets held off on promoting Baty after Guillorme went down, it would have been difficult to justify similar resistance after Escobar was sidelined, especially with how Baty has played all season.

Baty crushed Double-A pitching for 89 games before recently being promoted to Triple-A. In 95 games across the two minor league levels, Baty hit .315/.410/.533 with 76 runs scored, 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, and a .943 OPS.

“That’s what we need out of this team,” said Scherzer. “Escobar gets hurt, we call up the next guy, and he goes out there and produces. That’s what we’ve been doing this whole season and it’s great to see that Baty gets a chance, and he does it.”

Baty went on to finish the night without a hit in his next three at-bats but was still able to show a little more of his potential.

In the sixth inning, Baty faced left-hander Tyler Matzek. In the first pitch of the at-bat, Baty reached on a fielder’s choice after rocketing the ball to shortstop at an exit velocity of 113 MPH. It was the third-highest exit velocity by a Met this season and third highest by a Met batting lefty against a lefty in the Statcast era.

“Really good two-pitch mix lefty,” Baty said about Matzek. “I was just looking for a heater…and I got a heater over the plate and put a good swing on it.”

Baty has not had many problems hitting lefties in the minors, as he has a .800 OPS in 86 at-bats against them this season.

It is not easy making your major league debut for a first-place team in the midst of a key series against their closest divisional opponent, but Baty rose to the occasion. He did so with the support of 20-25 family and friends in attendance and was even able to stop and bask in the fact that he made it to The Show.

“When I got out to third base I kind of took a look around and I was like, ‘Man, I made it,” said Baty.