Can Ronny Mauricio Be Mets’ Long-Term Answer At Third Base?

Third base has functioned as somewhat of a revolving door for the New York Mets this season. The position group has slashed just .210/.270/.332 while putting up -2.3 fWAR and -9 Outs Above Average, making it crystal clear that a pick-me-up is necessary.

Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar got the initial crack at cementing their roles as regulars at the position, but neither player seized the opportunity. Mark Vientos, Jonathan Araúz, Luis Guillorme and Danny Mendick have all seen considerable time at the hot corner as well, but none of them are suitable candidates for regular playing time there for one reason or another. With no true answer heading into the offseason, the Mets have granted Ronny Mauricio an audition in hopes of discovering a solution.

Mauricio, who is rated as MLB Pipeline’s No. 87 prospect, was called up at the beginning of Septembers once rosters expanded to 28 players. He hasn’t disappointed after a solid Triple-A campaign, slashing .302/.348/.419 with a 108 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR across 12 games. His average exit velocity of 92.3 mph and max exit velocity of 117.3 mph are perfect indicators of his raw power, and his baserunning abilities have been on full display as well. Despite his swing decisions still being a knock against his profile, Mauricio continued to cut down on strikeouts as well as whiffs during his short time in the majors, providing some optimism that he can overhaul his approach moving forward.

In addition to potentially being the Mets’ best option at third base offensively, Mauricio may also provide the most upside with the glove. While he is a shortstop by trade and transitioned towards becoming more of a primary second baseman in both the minors and majors this season, his long-term future is likely at neither position considering the team is set in the middle infield for the foreseeable future with Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil in the fold. He saw some time in left field with Syracuse this season, but third base feels like more of a natural fit for Mauricio moving forward.

Mauricio has impressed defensively thus far in the majors and possesses a strong arm that would reap its benefits at third. He also owns the requisite size and range to handle the position, and while it’s more likely he settles into a utility role full-time somewhere down the road, it’s worth throwing his name into the mix at the hot corner and betting on his upside and traits to see if he’s a potential fit for regular playing time going into next season.