Mets 2025 Positional Outlook: Corner Infield

With the Mets’ busy offseason coming to an end and we inch closer to opening day, it feels like a good time to take a look at the team’s depth chart, kicking it off with the corner infield.

Big League Starters

Age: 30 (12/07/1994)
Contract: 2 years $54M (Player option after 2025)
Roster Status: 40-man roster

Pete Alonso (1B)

Alonso coming off of a hectic offseason, which led to him signing a short-term deal with the Mets in February, is going to try continue his great production. He is one of the best power hitters in the game In every season (excluding the shortened 2020 season), the Polar Bear has put up more than 30 homers, while also consistently putting up a 120+ wRC+.

Alonso did have a “down year” last year to his standards, only putting up a 2.1 fWAR, which is a career low. Bouncing back to 2022 and 2023 Pete would be massive for the Mets and their hope of winning a championship this year.

Mark Vientos (3B)

Age: 25 (12/11/1999)
Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible
Roster Status: 40-man roster

Vientos coming off an elite breakout season in 2024 will try and continue into 2025 after he shocked the baseball world by smashing 27 homers and putting up a 133 wRC+ in 454 PAs. The big thing for Vientos last year was getting on base more, as he sported a .322 OBP which was a rarity for him in his short time in the big leagues before last year. The glove was iffy last year as he put up -6 OAA last year at the hot corner.

Even after a great breakout season last year by Vientos, he has to continue this type of production to become one of the top third basemen in the sport.

Big League Depth

Luisangel Acuña

Age: 23 (3/12/2002)
Contract: Minor League
Roster Status: 40-Man Roster
MiLB Options: 1

Luisangel Acuña broke onto the scene very late into this past season when Francisco Lindor went down with his back injury. The 23-year-old stepped in and played a key role in getting the Mets to the playoffs down the stretch with his hot bat (166 wRC+ in 40 PAs) and terrific glove in the short sample size. Acuna struggled in Triple-A all last year as he just never found a grove and put up a 69 wRC+, but his glove and speed were both solid throughout the minor-league season which led to him getting called up. Acuna should get a decent amount of reps to start the year with McNeil likely beginning the season on IL.

Acuna impressed the Mets brass with the bat but let’s not forget the glove, as he put up 3 OAA in 89.2 innings last season in the majors while also swiping 4o bags in Triple-A.

Brett Baty

Age: 25 (11/13/1999)
Contract: Pre-Arb Eligible
Roster Status: 40-Man Roster
MiLB Options: 1

Brett Baty, who was the Mets’ Opening Day third baseman last year, is now finding himself as a utilityman for the Mets to begin the 2025 season. Baty struggled last year and just couldn’t ever hit a stride and stick with it, which led to him being optioned to Triple-A. As Baty has done in the past he went down to Triple-A, he played well, putting up 119 wRC+. But his season ended earlier than expected with a finger fracture after being hit by a pitch when he checked his swing.

Baty, though, went to work this offseason and came into camp battling for a big league spot and he’s almost a guaranteed lock for the Opening Day roster after playing well this spring.

Baty last year started to learn second base which could lead to him getting more reps there, but both him and Acuna give Carlos Mendoza flexibility to give some players DH days, as both are becoming potential utility guys.

Upper-Level Depth

Jared Young, Joey Meneses, and Luis De Los Santos

All three of the players above were brought in by the Mets front office this past offseason. Young signed a minor-league deal after a year in Korea, Meneses got a minor-league deal after a terrible year with the Nationals, and De Los Santos got claimed by the Mets off waivers from the Blue Jays. The Mets’ depth at the corners is really solid, which is huge for a team that hopes to contend for a world championship. You’ll need guys to come up throughout the year.

Luke Ritter, UT

Luke Ritter could appear on a couple of these previews. He hit the most homers in the Mets’ minor league system last year, and the 28-year-old plays all over the field, including first and third base. He may eventually earn a chance to play in the bigs this year, too.

Coming Soon

Ryan Clifford

Clifford was under this category last year during the MMO positional outlook series at first base, and he will be here again this year as he’s likely a year away from the major leagues. Clifford is one of the Mets’ top prospects and has the potential to be an everyday major leaguer. He’s likely to start in Syracuse this year, and if all goes well he possibly (while unlikely) could see the majors this season if things break right.

The post Mets 2025 Positional Outlook: Corner Infield appeared first on Metsmerized Online.