The New York Mets are one of the best teams in the National League and have their sights set on the World Series after losing in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in last season’s NLCS.
New York survived their 2024 Wild Card Series round against the Milwaukee Brewers, capturing game three on a clutch game-winning home run by first baseman Pete Alonso.
One of the Mets’ developing players, infielder Brett Baty, has recently increased his offensive production, but his future with the organization is still questioned.
Baty was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse on April 23 due to a roster crunch, but was recalled on May 5.
Could the Mets Consider Trading Baty?
Baty’s playing time with the Mets is limited, and he’s not an everyday third baseman. Mark Vientos occupies most of the playing time at third base for the Mets, and Baty’s secondary position, second base, is filled by veteran Jeff McNeil.
A trade idea from Paul Dietrich of SB Nation would give Baty a better opportunity to receive extensive playing time with the Brewers.
“Batyâs starting to hit! After a disappointing start to his career, the 25-year-old third baseman is finally showing some of the promise that made him a top-25-ish prospect heading into the 2023 season,” wrote Dietrich.
“Heâs still only 25 and wonât be a free agent until after the 2029 season. There are some questions about his defense, but he should be able to at least hold his own at third base, and heâd certainly be an offensive upgrade.”
Defensively, Baty ranks in the 34th percentile for arm strength, and he’s committed 15 errors in 459 defensive chances in his brief four-year Major League Baseball career.
At the plate, Baty has shown flashes of power, with 20 home runs in 197 career games, but the lefty hits for a low average and has a 75 OPS+, indicating he’s performed 25 percent worse than the average MLB hitter in his career.
How Would a Baty Trade Benefit Both Clubs?
To this point of the season, the Brewers are underperforming and are in fourth place in the NL Central. They’ve primarily used former New York Yankees farmhand Caleb Durbin at third base, and as fast as Durbin is, he still has much to prove with the bat.
Milwaukee may seek another player to split time with the youngster Durbin at third base, and Baty could serve in a platoon role.
Dietrich believes whoever the Mets want in return for a trade package surrounding Baty is what could stop a deal from happening.
“The cost here is the question. Baty has a big-time pedigree (12th overall pick in 2019, a prospect ranking as high as No. 13 via Baseball Prospectus in 2022), but his major league results have been poor, and heâs now up to almost 700 plate appearances as a big leaguer, so it isnât a tiny sample, wrote Dietrich.
“Still, I wouldnât expect David Stearns and company to part with him easily, even if heâs basically just filling a utility role with the Mets this season.”
For the Mets, the question is whether the front office can or will remain patient with Baty’s progress and whether the 25-year-old is part of the organization’s plans. Adding a middle reliever or someone who can replace the injured bullpen arms, Danny Young and A.J. Minter, might be at the top of their wishlist.
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