NY Mets prospect proving why he should’ve been Plan A at third base all along

The NY Mets swung hard and missed on two high-profile third baseman options this offseason, but the answer to their problems could be closer than they think.

The heartbreak of losing Carlos Correa still stings, but it stings just a little bit less knowing that the New York Mets have a solid backup plan in third baseman Brett Baty.

Instead of getting to see Correa or Manny Machado on the bases this season, Mets fans will have to settle for Baty, who’s quickly emerging as the Mets’ third baseman of the future. But perhaps “settle” isn’t the right word here. Baty has come a long way since being plucked out of the first round of the 2019 Draft and could be here to stay in New York as long as he stays healthy and keeps up the production.

Currently, the Mets have Eduardo Escobar as a starter at third base, and Baty will need to really wow the coaches to supplant Escober at the top of the depth chart. With a solid Spring Training, though, the door’s open for Baty to come barging through and steal a starting third baseman spot.

The 2022 rookie suffered a thumb surgery that cut his season short last year; even in a small sample size, Baty showed off his batting abilities and slammed two homers in 42 plate appearances, posting a .184/.244/.342 slash line in 11 games with the Mets.

NY Mets should have put their faith in third baseman Brett Baty from the start

Of course, no one can blame the Mets’ front office for salivating over proven talents like Correa and Machado earlier this year — any team would be silly not to at least consider a trade for either of those players.

Having failed in their eager pursuits, New York can turn toward Baty to potentially lock down the team’s third baseman for 2023 and beyond. Baty, on his part, has continued to impress the team brass.

He homered in his first plate appearance of the 2023 Grapefruit League season this past weekend, a carbon copy of his first major league plate appearance in 2022 when he homered against the Atlanta Braves and joined an elite company of Mets players who have hit homers in their first career at-bats.

Baty, a highly-ranked prospect, was involved in trade talk whispers during the Carlos Correa saga. Now in the clear, Baty has his best shot at proving himself as one of the strongest power hitters in the major leagues. He’s under the Mets’ team control for six more seasons, so it’s in New York’s best interest to continue developing Baty and integrating into their future team plans, even if that means shifting the veteran Escobar to more of a utility infielder role to make space for Baty and his offensive prowess at third base.

Any tears that were shed regarding the Carlos Correa fallout can dry much faster with Baty hitting his way into a long-term position on the Mets roster and helping New York become a serious contender in 2023.