The New York Mets recently called up uber-prospect Brett Baty to play his natural third base position.
The results, unlike last season, have been amazing.
In 2022, he hit .184/.244/.342 in a brief 11-game cameo, although he did hit two home runs in 42 plate appearances.
He started the 2023 campaign in Triple-A, though.
He forced the Mets’ hand with his performances in Syracuse, though: an otherworldly .400/.500/.886 line with five home runs (!) and two stolen bases in 42 trips to the plate earned him his call to play in the majors.
He hasn’t disappointed.
As of Friday afternoon, Baty is hitting a cool .321/.387/.464 with a home run and three RBI in nine games and 31 plate appearances.
“I think I’ve only played 8 games since I’ve been back up here, and it feels like I’ve been up here for a month. I’m just getting a little bit more comfortable and the guys have been great. I feel good right now,” he said, per SNY.
“I think I’ve only played 8 games since I’ve been back up here, and it feels like I’ve been up here for a month. I’m just getting a little bit more comfortable and the guys have been great. I feel good right now”
– Brett Baty pic.twitter.com/w4aMR2OqGe
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 28, 2023
Baty’s success is yet another reminder that prospects require a lot of patience.
Not everybody will go to the majors and rake immediately.
Prospect development is not linear.
It took Seattle Mariners star outfielder Jarred Kelenic (a former Mets prospect, by the way) the better part of the last two years to develop into a reliable contributor, for example.
To get more comfortable, as the tweet says, he needs time to get familiar with everything, ranging from big league pitchers to his new teammates.
Fortunately for the Mets, he appears locked in at the moment, and could have their third baseman of the future ready to help right now.
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