MACK: MY Friday Observations - The Last Underdeveloped Position On The Mets - Diaz, Soto, Vientos, Acuna, Mauricio, Watson, Benge, Trade Deadline

 

Good morning.  

I’m going to break away from the prospect series I’m currently writing and discuss something that continues to stick in my craw. Steve Cohen and David Stearns have done a remarkable job of drafting, signing, and trading for key players now hanging out in the Citi dugout, but also throughout the chain affiliates. The team is actually getting “good burdened” with too many producing players at the same position.

Still, one position remains that simply has not produced a decent player to play it.

Oh, there have been attempts, mostly by free agents and veterans traded for, but it’s amazing how reclamation projects playing other positions have worked out, draft picks have helped this run, and trades like Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor have become the faces of this team. The Mets even paid big bucks to bring in a bat with huge past success, only to see him fizzle as a Met.

No, the Mets have simply failed at “fielding” a productive…

Designated Hitter.

Here's a graphic from 6-12:

Do you see a Met?

I have an idea.

Why not sit down a young stud (and his agent) on your roster… tell him you would like to make him rich for the rest of his life… then tell him you will then help him invest that money so his children and grandchildren will be rich for their entire life… then explain how you can further put pocket change in their fanny pack by helping them get endorsements… then put a 6-8 year offer in front of their face and hand them a pen.

Will it work? Is making a young ballplayer a designated player for life a good idea?

Well, Tony Mansolino when asked if the Orioles at all considered having Heston Kjerstad only DH back in Triple-A:

“No. You don’t want to develop DHs. If you develop a DH in the minor leagues, we are failing in every which way.

“That’s an absolute non-negotiable.”

One man’s opinion, but worth noting.

Still, why not consider this? And, after considering it, why not try?

And who ya gonna call?

Ronny Mauricio.

He’s young. He’s going to be a great bat. Fielding will always be a challenge to him. Bad fielding in the future could cost him big time in future contract negotiations with any team. And, if you’re Ronny, why not concentrate 100% of your time for the rest of your career on improving the thing you do best in this game?

 

Steve?  David?  

Which Mets deserve to be All-Stars?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6412689/2025/06/09/mets-all-star-candidates/

Edwin Díaz (RP)

Díaz has been especially sharp lately, allowing a single run over the past six weeks. He’s 14 for 15 in save chances this season and right next to San Diego’s Robert Suárez as the best closer in the National League. (Hey, and each can opt out of their contracts at season’s end!)

 

Reed Garrett (RP)

We’ve seen a few more setup men crack the All-Star roster in recent years, and in that context, Garrett has a strong case with an ERA that, even after a hit last week, sits below 1.00.

Garrett’s problem is that, in San Francisco, Randy Rodriguez is pitching in the same role just a little bit better. Rodriguez is the only reliever in the NL with a better ERA than Garrett’s, and he owns the league’s top strikeout rate.

 

Juan Soto (RF)

It will be interesting to see whether Soto can build a stronger case for himself over the next few weeks. Because right now, there isn’t much of one to be made for him. He’s seventh among NL outfielders in weighted runs created, and he doesn’t offer much value elsewhere. Furthermore, outfielders who are behind him in production such as the Miami Marlins’ Kyle Stowers and the Rockies’ Jordan Beck have reasonable shots to make the squad as their teams’ only representatives.

Which Infield Combo Will the Mets Settle On for 2025?

https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb/new-york-mets-news-infield-combo-2025/

Mark Vientos

Prior to Vientos’ recent injury, he was posing the Mets with an interesting dilemma. Last year, he enjoyed one of the best breakouts in the game, as the third baseman had an OPS of .837 and left the park 27 times in the regular season. On top of that, Vientos had the best postseason of any Met, posting a .998 OPS and hitting five bombs in 13 playoff games.

His 2025 has been the complete opposite. Vientos’ batting average has dropped 36 points thus far to a measly .230, while he has seemingly been sapped of his prodigious power. After slugging .516 last year, his slugging percentage has been nearly cut in half at .380, while just 15 of his 43 hits have gone for extra bases.

On one hand, the smart option would be to give Vientos time to figure it out once he returns from the injured list. However, his defense at third is still a major problem.

After posting -7 OAA in 108 games last year at third base, he has already accumulated the same total in just 41 games at the hot corner this year. With J.D. Martinez out of the picture in 2025, Mendoza can utilize Vientos as a DH, but with the subpar offensive numbers, even that cannot be completely justified at this point.

Until Vientos returns, New York will get a chance to see others audition for his role, but upon his return, the pressure will be on the 25-year-old slugger to regain his stardom from last season. 

 

Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio

Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio are in a similar boat. They’re former top prospects who have endless talent but have not proved it at the MLB level. Nonetheless, both find themselves on the 26-man roster at the time of writing.

Acuña’s value comes from his defense and speed. His sprint speed ranks in the 96th percentile in MLB, while he has played all three infield positions and also gotten a cup of tea in center field. Additionally, he is 11-for-12 when stealing bases. On paper, he is the perfect candidate to pinch run and be used as a defensive replacement.

On the other hand, Acuña is just 23 years old and has under 200 major league at-bats under his belt. This season, his OPS sits at .579, and he has barreled just one ball all season.

It is obvious that the Mets view Acuña as part of their future, but riding the bench until the seventh inning every night does nothing for his development. By the same token, the Mets — a team with World Series aspirations — cannot be playing a .287 slugging percentage every day.

Mauricio is on the other side of this extreme. After being recalled from Triple-A last week, he started twice in the Mets’ series against the Dodgers. In those two games, he went 0-for-8. However, he then went 5-for-11 with a double and a home run in the series against the Rockies.

Mauricio was once the Mets’ top prospect but has had two knee surgeries since his initial stint with the big league club in 2023. In rehabbing this season, he tore up Syracuse, going 17-for-33 (.515) with an OPS of 1.382. He also hit three home runs and stole four bases. Mauricio has incredible power, as demonstrated by his 117-mph double for his first-career hit back in ’23.

Like Acuña, Mauricio is a shortstop by trade, meaning he has had to learn new positions to get around Lindor. He is an option for Mendoza at second and third, but his bat is ahead of his glove.

As with Acuña, sitting on the bench for a rare pinch-hitting opportunity would hinder the 24-year-old’s development, placing pressure on the Mets to at least give him regular reps in Vientos’ absence. Again, the club sees Mauricio as another valuable piece in their logjam of infielders, with the potential to be a serious contributor for years to come.

Scouting

Will Watson

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6414371/2025/06/10/travis-sykora-carson-benge-scouting-mets-nationals/

Brooklyn right-hander Will Watson pitched in relief, as Sean Manaea made a rehab start and couldn’t finish the second inning. (Manaea sat 90-91 and everything looked flat, but he also didn’t seem to be going full bore on any of his pitches.) Watson was 95-97 with an above-average changeup, a slider, and a cutter, and hitters hit him hard, especially the fastball. There’s no deception at all to the delivery — he’s got the ball up and visible in back of him for almost the whole delivery — and the breaking stuff was mostly below-average. The slider might work as a chase pitch when he sweeps it hard toward the left-handed batter’s box, but that’s about it. 

 

Biggest Risers

https://www.justbaseball.com/prospects/top-100-mlb-prospects-2025-biggest-risers/

OF Carson Benge, NYM: No. 100 → No. 41 (+59)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (19), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2027

Benge just snuck into our preseason top 100 list off of an impressive pro debut and spring training. The 19th overall selection in 2024 was a two way talent for Oklahoma State and has added impact since shifting his focus to the plate. The bat-to-ball and approach have been there for Benge so the fact that he is sporting an average exit velocity of 91.5 MPH and a 90th percentile exit velocity of 106 MPH is huge.

He looks like he can play a decent center field with undoubtedly above average range in a corner where his plus arm would give the glove a shot to be plus. With solid tools across the board and the intangibles to get the most out of them, Benge is a high floor outfielder who has elevated his ceiling in 2025.

Mets trade deadline primer

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6417807/2025/06/12/mets-trade-deadline-primer/

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Furthermore, nobody’s declaring the NL East over this early in June, not with the talent in the division and the aggressive track records of Philadelphia’s Dave Dombrowski and Atlanta’s Alex Anthopoulos at the trade deadline. Even if New York feels comfortable in its division lead come late July, the Cubs and Dodgers are likely to offer legitimate competition for a first-round bye. There should still be plenty of reason to seek improvement.