What Should The Mets Do With The Trio Of Baty, Vientos And Mauricio?

We’ve already told you who we think should be the Mets’ top priority free agent. Now we have to ask – what should the Mets do with the trio of youngin’s – Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio? Here’s what we think.

David Melendi

I would also start Baty at third. He earned the spot and playing every day without looking over his shoulder could yield even better results. I would trade Vientos and Mauricio. They both could be solid regulars, but there isn’t room on the Mets roster for them to realize their potential. The Mets need pitching, starters and relievers, and I would include them both in a deal.

Matthew Tutrone

Mark Vientos seems the most likely candidate to be traded away, and I’m on board with that plan if they can get a reliable pitcher in return. Ronny Mauricio’s trade value seems as low as ever after becoming the forgotten man on the bench down the stretch last year. He should start the year in Syracuse and hopefully raise his trade value for next year’s deadline. Brett Baty seems like he’s finally getting comfortable in the big leagues. He was solid at the plate and in the field, so the 3B spot is his to lose.

Nick Kalantzopoulos

I would start with the fact that I wouldn’t be terrified to roster any of the 3 and I wouldn’t be terrified to trade any of the 3. I think Mauricio is the simplest case regarding his spot on opening day. He should be in Triple-A. One of the most underrated mistakes of 2025 was him wasting the season on the bench, stalling his development for a second straight season. He can and will come back to the bigs as a utility infielder, but the season should start with a veteran in that spot.

Baty almost surely will be the starting third baseman, unless the Mets deal McNeil (who I’m not as inclined to give away as some Mets fans are) and for some roster construction reason Baty is best served at 2nd to start the year. Vientos’s position is totally based on the Mets’ offseason. Do they acquire a 1B? A DH? I’m ok with Vientos at either spot but would prefer Alonso/Soto be plan A and Vientos be plan B. But if any of these 3 players is the difference between acquiring a Sandy Alcantara or not, I’m gladly making that trade and then figuring things out from there.

Brandyn Pokrass

I think when it comes to Baty, he’s earned an opportunity to be the everyday 3B to start 2026. Between the improvements with the glove and at the plate, I think that he can provide a nice floor, at a minimum, for New York. Mauricio is a player I would hold onto for now. You can’t teach his tools, and I would be interested to see if he can take any further steps as a player in 2026. If the Mets do not see a future role for him, I think he could end up being a nice piece in a trade.

Vientos is the one I am most confident in being traded. Between his struggles in the field not fitting New York’s style, having decent capabilities/upside as a hitter, and likely having more current value than Mauricio, I think New York will be able to get something in return for him.

Patrick Glynn

Brett Baty, hopefully, can play the role he did last year, manning third and second well while having hot stretches at the plate. His performance shouldn’t shut them off from, say, exploring adding Alex Bregman or another big name at third. Unfortunately for Vientos, he never really had a chance to show what he could do at first (if anything) because Pete Alonso always played. That, plus his poor performance at the plate, gives the Mets decent grounds to explore what they could get for him in the trade market.

As for Mauricio, I’m not sure he has any trade value, and he has an option available still, so they should keep him in the organization to see if he can somehow develop an ability to hit an offspeed pitch. Maybe the new hitting regime will help.

Michael Mayer

I believe Baty has earned his spot as the starting third baseman on the Mets. He’s shown he can be an above-average defender there (2 OAA in back-to-back seasons) and finally looked much like the hitter (111 wRC+) the Mets have hoped he would be. His ability to play second also gives the Mets some flexibility if a player they deem to be better at third base becomes available this offseason.

For me —and it sounded a lot like David Stearns, given his comments about run prevention —Mark Vientos isn’t the type of player the Mets are hoping to roster in 2026. Vientos has been bad defensively at third (-12 OAA combined last two years) and hasn’t looked all that comfortable in short spurts at first. He was better in the second half (.778 OPS), but still wasn’t able to regain the 2024 version that saw him post a 132 wRC+. Still only 25 and pre-arb, someone will likely be willing to trade a pitcher for a cheap bat with over 80 extra-base hits over the last two seasons. I’d expect Stearns to take advantage of that.

For Mauricio, I think the Mets might be best served holding onto him and just hoping he works himself into a utility role. I wouldn’t have high expectations.

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