Baty Looks to Build on Early Spring Success

The Mets’ second game of spring training didn’t have the glitz and glamour of the first day, nor did it have a viral Juan Soto home run. Instead, the split-squad game against Miami might have played a pivotal role in confirming the team’s Opening Day roster.

Brett Baty was the player of the day for the Amazins, getting two hits, including a fourth-inning double off of Jesús Tinoco. This Spring Training is especially crucial for Baty, who got hits in both weekend games.

Unlike most position players, whose roster spots are set in stone, Baty is very much on the bubble, instead on the outside looking in.

“Conviction, dictating at-bats,” is what Mets’ manager Carlos Mendoza said he was looking for out of Baty before Sunday’s matinee. “Making hard contact, it’s more (about) him driving the baseball.”

While Saturday’s single was softly hit, Baty’s double was anything but. With an exit velocity of 110.4 mph, it was the hardest-hit ball put in play all game. His launch angle of 19 degrees wouldn’t allow it to get over the fence, but it was a positive step forward for Baty after his manager said he was looking for fewer ground balls out of him and more line drives. His single was also just over 100 mph.

Baty’s ground ball percentage rates in his brief stints with the team between 2022 and 2024, have been at least 50% or higher each season. In 108 games in 2023, Baty had a 50.4% groundball percentage compared to a 25.2% line drive percentage and 20.3% fly ball percentage. In 50 games in 2024, Baty had a 52.7% groundball percentage, 17.0% line drive percentage and 23.2% flyball percentage. For context, the league average groundball percentage since 2019 is 42.9%.

Gridlock

Of the 13 position player spots, 12 are locks, with a backup infield spot up for grabs. That seemed to be Nick Madrigal‘s to lose, but Madrigal dislocated his left shoulder during Sunday’s game in West Palm Beach against the Nationals. David Stearns has already said that Ronny Mauricio will start the season in Triple-A as he eases back from knee surgery, and the Mets seem determined to give Luisangel Acuña more time to develop in the minors.

Baty may need to rebrand as a utility player to earn Major League plate appearances with the Mets. He saw time at second base in Triple-A last year and is getting reps this spring training at shortstop.

No matter the position, Baty will have to hit to play. Hopefully, Sunday was an arbiter for things to come.

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