Adding the pitch clock, taking away the shift, these are the ingredients to Rob Manfred’s latest baseball soup.

The Mets are three games into spring training, adjusting to the present reality. So far, so good. The Mets haven’t had any pitch clock issues, and eliminating the shift already looks like it’ll help some batters this season.

What else have we learned from the opening weekend of 2023 Mets baseball?

Jose Butto‘s New Pitch

Mets pitching prospect Jose Butto was the first to take the mound in intersquad games this season. The Venezuelan right-hander made his first major league appearance last season, getting lit up over four innings. But out of the spotlight, it appears Butto was working on something to take him to the next level.

Butto pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out four. Batters swung and missed eight times on 18 swings. His fastball reached 97 miles per hour and a new pitch was thrown from his arsenal.

Butto should spend a significant amount of time at Triple-A Syracuse this season. Adding a fourth pitch to an arsenal that includes a plus changeup and a developing curveball could push him toward the starting rotation discussion in the coming years. Last season in Triple-A, Butto made seven starts and eight appearances with a 2.45 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings.

Butto’s cutter sits near 89 miles per hour and gives him a fourth pitch to diversify his mix even more. He recorded three whiffs on four swings with it. He already has the best changeup in the Mets system, this increases his ceiling.

Metsmerized has him as No. 13 on our Mets Top 30 Prospects.

The Kids Are Alright

Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Mark Vientos are starting spring by hitting the ball hard.

Baty’s first at-bat of spring training went pretty well for a guy gunning for the starting third base job.

Baty went 2-for-2 with a walk, and two runs batted in against the Astros on Saturday. Unfortunately for him, he committed a fielding error. An unreliable glove will be the quickest way to the bench for the Mets and manager Buck Showalter‘s penchant for defense.

Mauricio went o-for-2 in his first game against the Marlins on Saturday but found his stroke in his second game, showing off impressive power by launching a baseball 450 feet and 110.0 miles per hour off the bat.

Mauricio is coming off a winter where he won Dominican League MVP the arrow is pointing up more and more for the Mets prospect.

In the same game, Mark Vientos showed off the pop in his bat, launching a 109.8 mile-per-hour double into the gap.

Sprinting all the way from first to home in that video? Mets outfield prospect Alex Ramirez who hit a 27.2 feet/second sprint speed.

It’s possible no one in the organization has more pressure on themselves than Vientos this spring. A good spring could open him up to a designated hitter platoon with Daniel Vogelbach, a bad spring could keep him in baseball purgatory as a “quadruple-A” player. Better than the minors but not quite ready for the majors.

Buck Showalter, Ever Present

The Mets played two games on Saturday. Buck Showalter, everyone’s favorite micromanager, drove up and down the Floridian highways to manage both games.

Showalter’s day began at The Ballparo of Palm Beaches with the Mets playing the Astros at 1:07 p.m. With the pitch clock the game only took two hours and 33 minutes. Afterward, he traveled back to the Mets facilities in Port St. Lucie to manage the Mets against the Marlins at 6:10 p.m. That game lasted 2:35.

Although it didn’t all go smoothly.

Showalter is entering season two with the Mets and already had his major request granted. No longer are the bullpens on the field at the Mets’ home field of Clover Park.

Best Shape Of His Life?

Unfortunately for all of us, no one in Mets camp has dropped the classic ‘best shape of his life’ line.

Yet, Daniel Vogelbach might be. Vogelbach lost a significant amount of weight between the last game of the season and his arrival at camp. Reportedly he lost 20-25 pounds and is quoted saying “I just feel good. I’m ready for a season where everybody’s expectations are high.”

Vogelbach is one of the Mets primary backup options for the Mets at first base but his primary role on the team will be smashing right-handed pitching. Yes, he’s already got that underway as well.

Just For Fun

Pete Alonso home runs. Gary Cohen’s “it’s outta here.” We made it everyone. Baseball is back.