3 NY Mets who won't make the Opening Day roster thanks to Pete Alonso signing

Now that the New York Mets resigned Pete Alonso, they have one of the most prominent lineups in MLB. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo with Alonso is a star-studded first five in the batting order. They have numerous options to shape up their lineup.

If David Stearns and Steve Cohen whiffed on the four-time All-Star, New York would’ve turned to their internal options to replace him. Vientos was a candidate to get time at first base, along with Brett Baty and others battling out for third base. However, they no longer have to take a gamble on one of their young players to produce on a team looking to win now. That said, the Mets will be better off having their young players get reps in the minor leagues rather than having them ride the pine in the majors. Here are three young players who will likely be starting the 2025 season in AAA.

3B Brett Baty

Stearns and the Mets front office still regard Baty as an intriguing young player. The 25-year-old has a smooth swing and doesn’t strike out often. However, keeping him up to start the season wouldn’t benefit him. At some point in the season, we very well could see Baty get the call-up. He’s taken reps at first, second, third, and even the outfield. New York could use him as a band-aid if a player is struggling or hurt with his versatility.

Jeff McNeil got off to a slow start last season. In the second half, he got red-hot. After July, the veteran second baseman posted a .826 OPS. He’ll undoubtedly be the starting second baseman, but he will be on a short leash. Baty would be a strong candidate to get the first crack to replace him in the lineup.

If Baty does get a crack to be an everyday player at some point in the season, he’ll need to produce better than he has. He’s gotten plenty of opportunities. His inconsistency hasn’t helped him. Across five minor league seasons, he recorded a .289 batting average with a .889 OPS. In the bigs, he’s hit .215 across 169 games. If the young infielder can translate his minor-league success at the big-league level, the Mets will find a spot for him in the lineup. To start the 2025 season, he’ll have to hope another opportunity arises and take advantage of it.

2B/3B/SS/CF Lusiangel Acuña

When Francisco Lindor had a brief injury stint last season, Luisangel Acuña tore it up. In 14 games, he tallied three home runs and posted a .966 OPS. His athleticism is undeniable, so much so that the Mets kept him on the postseason roster. His upside is very high. In the recent Venezuelan Winter League, the 22-year-old hit .337 with a .914 OPS in 30 games.

It would be foolish for the Mets not to allow him to get reps every day, considering how young Acuña still is. If Lindor goes down at all, he could get a chance to fill in. If McNeil underperforms and Acuña is hitting better in the minors than Baty, it would be hard to pass on him over Baty.

Tyrone Taylor and Jose Siri will be in center field. If they’re struggling, Acuña could find his way into the everyday lineup by taking over. Although he’ll start the year in the minors, it’s hard to imagine the young budding star not finishing the season in the majors.

3B/SS Ronny Mauricio

Ronny Mauricio was in question to start the season at the big-league level, as he’s coming off a torn ACL. With Alonso re-signed and Vientos staying at third base, he’ll likely begin his season in AAA.

A path to the majors for Mauricio will be tough. New York will likely put Acuña and Baty ahead of Mauricio as next in line. Whereas they don’t strike out a ton, Mauricio does. The 23-year-old might get an opportunity at some point in the season, but he’ll have to out-hit the other top prospects. Expecting him to do that after missing the entire 2024 season is unreasonable. Alonso re-signing with the Mets could’ve stalled his call-up, unfortunately.