Baty Homers, Makes Right Field Debut

March 5 marked a small but notable shift for Brett Baty. For the first time in a professional game, he jogged out to right field for the New York Mets, adding another position to a defensive experiment that has defined his spring.

Changes in the Mets’ infield mean Baty’s opportunities will hinge on his versatility rather than on a single starting spot.

Defensively, his debut in right was quiet. Offensively, however, he made the statement he wanted. Baty drove a fastball the other way for a two-run home run, showcasing the approach the Mets want to see consistently.

Manager Carlos Mendoza pointed to that moment afterward.

“Offensively it’s good to see him put a good swing and drive the ball the other way,” Mendoza told SNY. “I thought he put a really good swing on it. Overall, a good day for him, and the fact that he’s already out there playing in the outfield is good.”

The defensive side of the transition is just getting underway. Baty has spent the spring moving between first base and now right field while working through the differences in reads and positioning that come with the grass.

For Baty, the adjustment has been enjoyable.

“Right field is fun,” Baty said after the game. “I only got one ball. I’d like more action next time.”

He added that the position has already started to feel familiar.

“It’s feeling more and more normal… just like when I played it in Double-A. I’m having a lot of fun out there.”

The organization has kept him primarily on the right side of the diamond — first base and now right field — perhaps to simplify the transition. Seeing balls come off the bat from that side of the field, Baty noted, helps bridge the two positions.

“When he mentioned that, I didn’t even think about it,” Baty said. “But I think that’s a good plan… I’ll play wherever.”

Baty’s openness hasn’t gone unnoticed, Mendoza said, praising his willingness to learn and adapt to the process.

“You can see the way he’s going about it, on and off the field,” Mendoza said. “The interactions, the questions he’s asking the coaches… the confidence is there. He knows he’s a really good big-league player, and he’ll continue to get opportunities here.”

With Bo Bichette locked in at third and Marcus Semien at second, Baty’s opportunities may now come in several spots. Rather than anchoring to a single defensive role, his 2026 season could hinge on how comfortably he moves between them. If he struggles in right field, however, free agent signing Jorge Polanco and Baty could end up competing for first base.

Even with this potential competition, Baty had high praise for his teammate.

“There’s no ego with him,” Baty said. “We’re both bouncing ideas off of each other and working on the footwork and just like what feels good, what works.”

The experiment is in its early stages, but Baty’s combination of offense and versatility could keep him in the lineup, wherever he ends up defensively.

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