Brett Baty was a rising star who moved quickly through his minor league assignments.
After an acclimation period (51 games) in rookie ball the year he was drafted and the minor league hiatus of the 2020 pandemic year, Baty hit high-A Brooklyn in 2021 and compiled a .309/.397/.514 slash line over 181 at-bats. He was sent to AA Binghamton where he continued to hit well with 5 homers and 22 RBI over the remaining 40 games that year.
In 2022, Baty slashed .312/.406/.544 in 89 AA games, signaling that he was capable of achieving his early projections. Then, over a period of nine days in August, he was called up to AAA Syracuse, continued scorching the ball, and then was called up to the majors when Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar was injured. Baty’s first at-bat produced an epic homer and smiles all around the Mets’ dugout.
The smiles didn’t last too long. On August 31st of that year, Baty hurt his thumb, and missed the remainder of the season for the surgical repair and recovery.
By the 2023 season, Baty seemed healthy, and started the season hot in Syracuse. By the middle of April, he was called up to the majors and given a shot at the starting third base position. He was strong out of the gate, slashing .333/.394/.467 in April for a .861 OPS. But Baty fell into a batting slump as MLB pitchers started to figure him out.
A “hole” was found up and inside which was exploited over the next three months before Baty was sent down to figure it out in Syracuse. He was up and down, but did not recover that season and with a head full of doubt, his fielding also began to suffer. By now, the fans and the media are also full of doubt and very few people see third base as his anymore. How quickly they forget.
I don’t think that many people appreciate how hard it is to perform in major league baseball. A game that looks so slow on TV is actually very fast on the field when the ball is pitched or hit. When a player does not have a clear mind, everything gets even faster and more difficult. Baty did not have a clear mind when he was slumping and he got run over. It happens to everyone at some point.
Now, with an off-season to understand what was happening and how to adjust, Baty comes to camp with a chance to get it back. I have no doubt that he has the skill to perform well. He has shown that over a short period against some very talented opposition. The question is whether he has the mental toughness to overcome that rough patch and return to where he was in August 2022 and April 2023.
This is going to be a test of Brett Baty and a test of the Mets’ coaching staff. Can Brett restore the self-confidence that is required to execute with no reservations? Can the coaching staff mentor him through the swing adjustments necessary to eliminate the “hole” that was being exploited last year?
Baty is a lanky 6’3” 210lb athlete that can put a lot of leverage in his swing so if they can get him turning on that inside pitch he can do some serious damage. I would love to see him master that inside pitch during spring training because if he does, opposing scouts will have to throw away the “book” on him and start over. This could be the most pleasant surprise of the spring and a big boost for the Mets.
8 comments:
Jury should still be out on Baty. Needs one more full season as an everyday player and if it doesn't work he may be a change of scenery guy you part with.
Hopefully, Baty worked feverishly on his pitch location “hole” and his fielding this off season. Adopt a Kelce personality too, a warrior mentality. You’re the guy…act the part.
Agree with Dove. Too much pedigree here to give up on yet, but he doesn't produce in 2024 he could become the next case for the "ya just don't know bout deep prospects, do ya?" award.
I like Vientos but I like Baty better.. Give him the keys to third and let’s see if he can do the job.
About adjustments needed when clubs figure out new players...
At least half the blame falls on the hitting coaches that don't readjust their player when it is obviously needed
I am still high on Baty. As Tom has stated a time or two, Mike Schmidt was under the Mendoza line in his first season - he got adjusted just fine. (I cannot see Baty ever reaching Schmidt's levels either with the bat or the glove, but he can certainly be a very good major league player).
I agree with Mack about the hitting coaches being responsible for the deep trench Baty dug last year. Also, there are all sorts of psychology coaches now being employed by MLB.
Lou, I am good with Vientos at DH, and occasionally at 3B vs. tough lefties to step in for Baty. We’ll see what Mark has to say about that this spring.
Paul
Good article today. Very fair and very encouraging.
Brett Baty is one of my new "fave players." I believe in him, and his skill set totally obvious in his development. The MiLB adjustment to the bigs is always unique to each player coming up. He didn't get much time in AAA Syracuse, which probably would have helped him transition here more quickly. I have no doubt (at all) that Brett Baty will be a NY Met for a long, long time. And very good one. Wait and see.
In just 2-5 more months, we all could be talking here about Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, one or even two of the top five NY Mets kid starters percolating down in MiLB, and maybe even too Ronnie Mauricio, all making major contributions to this team each game as a NY Met.
What is REALLY, REALLY important right now, is that each of these players being considered be given a fair shot to prove their abilities and talent in live games this ST. NO season should ever be a season to "soft toss away." Each season you play for all the roses, you play the games with your very finest talent available, after giving the "new kids" a long enough look to properly evaluate them. And then and you go for it.
There is talent right now to be evaluated with the kid players chomping at the bit. Let them play ST to see which ones are ready for The Show.
As far as the veteran Mets pickups this off season, here is my simple take.
More often than not, the veteran players the team acquires off season turn out here just as their stat sheet had indicated with prior teams. It doesn't normally alter very much. The players are what they have already shown themselves to be elsewhere. Not always, but usually. Very few times are there uptick surprises.
So tell me, which is smarter for a team to do?
(A) Bring in a known commodity player via their own acquired stat sheet before (B) Take a gamble on a kid player who by their own MiLB stat sheet indicates that they could easily have a higher accomplishment capability.
[Your pick]
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