New York Mets: 1 trade, 1 signing and 1 prospect to win the World Series

Mets rumors: Brett Baty is a prospect to watch

Baty, ranked as the second-best prospect in the Mets organization behind catcher Francisco Álvarez, got a taste of the big leagues last season, getting in 38 at-bats in August and slashing .184/.244/.342 with a pair of homers and five runs driven in. He also had a little bit of a scare this offseason when it looked like the Mets were going to sign Carlos Correa, a move that would have ensured the 23-year-old would be getting little time at third base in Queens in the near future.

However, when the Correa deal fell through, it almost made Baty even more important for the Mets and their success in 2023 and beyond. Eduardo Escobar (barring injury) will be the team’s Opening Day starter at third base, but how much he rebounds from a down year in 2022 will determine just how much of a chance Baty gets to show his skills on the MLB diamond.

Baty slashed .315/.410/.533 split between Double-A and Triple-A last season, with just six games coming in Triple-A Syracuse. For that reason alone, Baty may well start the season in Triple-A, but it’s expected his time there won’t be long.

It’s been reported that higher-ups within the Mets organization (including manager Buck Showalter) are expecting Escobar to rebound this season after dealing with “family issues” off the field in 2022. How much of a rebound there is could well determine Baty’s timeline to make an impact in Queens at the hot corner. However, whenever he returns to the big leagues, all eyes will be on Baty, widely considered the future of the franchise at the position.