Mets GM Already Making Ridiculous Decision at Third Base

New York Mets general manager David Sterns spoke with reporters on Monday about a myriad of topics, including contract talks with All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso and the third base spot as the team opened up in St. Lucie County, Florida.

Regarding the third base position, Sterns said the Mets will have “some level of competition.” But they’re confident in Brett Baty, per Tim Healey of Newsday. Healey adds that the Mets GM also mentioned Mark Vientos, Joey Wendle, and Zack Short.

As expected, Mets fans weren’t happy to hear this from Sterns, especially since Baty is one of their top prospects from the last couple of seasons. 

The 24-year-old third baseman played 108 games last season with New York after making his major league debut in 2022 (11 games). Baty slashed .212/.275/.323 with nine home runs and 34 RBI, which isn’t an impressive resume. However, the young infielder’s BAbip was .280 and had a hard hit rate (44.5%).

In addition to his inconsistent offense, Baty didn’t post the best defensive stats on the field, as he produced 10 errors and a .956 fielding percentage. That being said, Baty is still young in his career, but it’s no surprise that the Mets want to have a competition.

Among the competitors at third base, Joey Wendle might be the best contender to push Baty for the starting job. Wendle is a career .263 hitter at the plate and can play multiple positions in the field. It will be interesting to see how the third base job plays out, as the Mets would love for Baty to run away with it.

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