WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Brett Baty was again at third base for the Mets on Tuesday towards the Astros, a place he was anticipated to take final season, however now gained’t see a lot of after the emergence of Mark Vientos.
So if Baty goes to play a task on this yr’s staff, his versatility will probably be key.
He’s performed at second — and brought grounders for a day at shortstop.
“I enjoy bouncing around,” Baty stated after going 1-for-3 in a 7-4 loss to Houston at Cacti Park of the Palm Seashores. “I feel like I embraced it right away. It’s fun to play anywhere. I just want to get on the field and help this team win.”
To try this, Baty should produce extra on the plate than he’s finished thus far within the majors.
And this spring, his locker is true subsequent to Juan Soto’s at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.
As a result of the celebrity Soto performs principally residence video games and Baty — attempting to make the staff — performs totally on the street, the 2 haven’t gotten an opportunity to work a lot collectively.
Nonetheless, the lefty-swinging Baty has tried to take as a lot as potential from Soto, who is known for his preparation.
“I’ve asked him a few things about hitting and the drills he does and he’s been great,” Baty stated. “He does one drill where he hits the ball with the knob of his bat and he told me he did that to be more direct to the ball. It makes sense and it shows you why he’s so good.”
If Baty does take an infield spot on the roster, the place he’s at present in a battle with Luisangel Acuña and Donovan Walton, Baty stated he expects to choose Soto’s mind extra.
“Anyone can gain something from being around a guy like that,” Baty stated. “Any time you have greatness and talent around you in the clubhouse, you can learn as much as you want. You can just learn from watching them work on their defense, like with Lindor, or taking BP.”
Talking of Lindor, earlier than lacking 10 video games at quick final season with a again subject, he sat out simply seven video games the earlier two seasons.
The Mets anticipate extra of that sturdiness from him once more this season, however they’ll nonetheless want somebody to be able to fill in every so often.
With the lack of Nick Madrigal, probably for the season with a fractured shoulder suffered this spring, the Mets don’t have a real backup shortstop.
That’s in all probability not Baty simply but, as he’s solely taken grounders the one time this spring, and Carlos Mendoza stated Tuesday he plans on taking part in Baty strictly at third and second this spring.
Mendoza talked about Jeff McNeil as somebody who might fill in if mandatory and Baty stated he’d be up for the problem if requested.
Acuña, who turns 23 Wednesday, began 10 video games at quick for the Mets when Lindor went down late final yr and Walton performed there Tuesday and hit a grand slam.
Walton, 30, has expertise at quick in his transient time within the majors over components of 5 seasons.
Mendoza praised Walton’s left-handed bat and management of the strike zone.
“He’s a pretty good defender and has been in the game quite a bit now,” Mendoza stated of Walton, who appeared in 9 video games with the Giants final season. “He knows how to play the game.”
However there’s little doubt Baty and Acuña have greater upsides and after struggling a yr in the past and dropping the third base job to Vientos, Baty has one other likelihood to impression the Mets.
Final season, Baty began 27 video games at second for Triple-A Syracuse, the primary time he’d performed the place within the execs.
“I’m comfortable there now,” Baty stated. “I just want to keep getting better.”
