Mets 2025 Prospects: No. 5 Jesus Baez

No. 5: Jesus Baez, IF

B/T: R/R Age: 20 (02/26/2005)

Height: 5’10” Weight: 180

Acquired: 2022 international free agency, $275,000 signing bonus

ETA: 2027

2024 Stats: High-A Brooklyn: .267/.313/.467, 32 PA, 8 H, 1 HR, 3 2B, 1 SB, 4 RBI, 5 SO, 2 BB

Low-A St. Lucie: .262/.338/.444, 284 PA, 66 H, 10 HR, 14 2B, 8 SB, 39 RBI, 46 SO, 25 BB

Overview

Signed out of the Dominican Republic as a 17-year-old in 2022, Jesus Baez enjoyed a breakout season in 2024. He played 72 games – the most action he’s seen as a professional, and clubbed 11 home runs with a .782 OPS, and displayed his versatility by playing three of the four infield positions. Unfortunately, shortly after being promoted to High-A Brooklyn, Baez suffered a torn meniscus that required season-ending surgery.

Entering the 2025 season, Baseball America ranks Baez as the 92nd best prospect in the sport. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the organization’s eighth-best prospect. In 2024, Fangraphs ranked Baez as the Mets’ ninth-best prospect, giving him 60-grade raw power and a 60-grade arm.

“Baez isn’t easily projectable, but his explosivity is exciting and he should have above-average raw power at his peak,” wrote Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs.

Longenhagen added that his biggest concern with Baez is his plate discipline, but he showed significant improvement in 2024. His swinging strike rate dropped from 17.3% to 11.1%, his strikeout rate dropped from 17.5% to 16.1%, and his contact rate increased from 69.1% to 77.4%. Baez’s batted-ball data was also encouraging, with his ground ball rate decreasing from 43.3% to 36%, his line drive rate increasing from 23.1% to 24.6%, and his fly ball rate jumping from 33.7% to 39.5%.

The biggest question mark about Baez is where his long-term position will be. Baez committed 11 errors in his time at shortstop and third base, but he seems destined for the left side of the infield because of his arm.

“Baez could continue to get looks at shortstop and second base in his return, but he has the hands and arm strength for third if and when a full-time move transpires,” MLB Pipeline writes.

Coming off the knee injury, Baez may see less and less time at shortstop and could get a healthy amount of time as a designated hitter. With Elian Peña in the organization now too, Baez could move to the hot corner permanently in the near future.

2025 Outlook

It’s reasonable to expect Baez to begin the season with Brooklyn after he played just eight games for them before getting injured. However, if his bat continues to progress the way it did in 2024, Baez could easily be in Binghamton by the middle of the season. He’s still a ways away from making the majors, but he seems to have a future as a solid contributor at the big league level.

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