I know, I know, even though he hs finally picking up his hitting pace, Jarred Kelenic, you know, the next great one, was beyond gosh-awful most of this season.
So why shouldn't Mark Vientos SEEM like he might be ready, yet fall flat on his face like Kelenic were Vientos to start at 3B for the Mets out of the gate in 2022?
I can't answer that.
All I can tell you is what he has done this year. Please allow me to.
Mark was a 59th overall pick at age 17 a few years back - roughly the same # pick as Pete Alonso was a year earlier.
One could only imagine that Vientos, had he waited until he was 18 or 19, would have been a sure fire first round pick.
He played in rookie ball at age 17 and 18, and in 414 at bats over those two seasons, Vientos smacked 15 HRs and knocked in 76. Nice.
Jumped past Brooklyn rookie ball all the way to Columbia in low A in 2019, where he had a solid year, hitting .255 with 12 HRs and 62 RBIs in 111 games.
2020? Poof!
2021, he briefly hit real well in spring training, then jumped over high A to AA. He started off slowly in AA in May, with .231 and lots of Ks and 3 HRs.
Since then, through Saturday, mostly in AA and a debut in AAA, he has been incredible:
.324/.407/.775 in June.
.282/.367/.641 in July.
.298/.327/.468 in his shortened August.
.714/.750/1.286 in two September AAA debut games. Some debut.
He has hit 20 HRs in his last 188 at bats this year. Astonishing.
Find me another Mets minor leaguer who ever hit that many in that few at at bats. Good luck finding one.
And knocked in 49 over that span.
Unfortunately for his development, he missed 2 weeks in early August, then missed 18 more days in late August and early September, at least a part of which was a time out for COVID for the entire team.
Pete Alonso made it to the Mets in 2019 in large part because in 2018, between his minor league season and winter ball, he got into 159 games. So far in 2021 for Vientos? Just 74 games.
So, he essentially put up his numbers while not playing in April and missing a month in August and September. Thankfully, he has 11 games left this season to add to his stats, and hopefully winter ball too, to make up for some of the ABs he did not get this season.
Defensively, he has been a 3B, and he's made a too-high 10 errors in 41 games there this year. He also has a few errors in 11 games at 1B, and 24 errorless games in LF, a new position for him. In 100 games at 3B in 2019, a high 23 errors.
Defensively, he therefore seems to be lacking MLB caliber skills right now. Shaky at 3rd, still too inexperienced in LF.
Maybe they want him to slot in out in the outfield, what with 3B Brett Baty not too far behind him development-wise.
And he has (to cover another one of the 5 tools) no speed, with 2 for 10 in steals in his career and a single triple vs. 50 HRs.
So, all in all, my guess is Vientos starts 2022 in AAA.
But that bat? It seems incredible, frankly.
Alonso-like HR-producing power...and the ability to hit for average too.
Once again, don't fall for looking at a player's entire season stats.
Look at his June, July, August and September. The ones excluding May, the month when he was 1) jumping two levels and 2) playing in real games for the first time in 2 seasons.
Those latter numbers? Awesome numbers.
So, I would be surprised if he was a Mets OD 2022 third basemen - or one of their top 4 outfielders out of the gate.
But his BIG, BIG BAT should he showing up in Citifield in 2022. He is too fine a hitter not to be in Queens next year.
HAPPY SQUIRREL:
Tough season for Jeff McNeil, but hitting the deciding blast last night had to feel great for him. Maybe he will now finish he season scalding baseballs.
11 comments:
Good question Tom.
No, unless he goes nuts in both winter ball and spring training.
Frankly, I would still trade Davis and convert Cano to third until Mark is ready about mid-season 2022.
I think the answer to the question at the top of the article is 'No'.
I would use Vientos big bat season this year to try to get some value for him in a trade. I am so tired of seeing this team put guys out there that either cannot field their primary position or playing a secondary position to try to keep the bat in the line-up. They still have players on the MLB roster that fit that. They don't need more.
I know that Vientos and Alonso were drafted a year apart in the same round, but I think Alonso was coming off being a junior or senior in college as opposed to high school player. So he should of gotten a little faster.
Not sure if he will hit or not, but I am worried about the defense. I read that he's commited to improving, but definitely needs more work
Mike, I always wonder how guys can let their defense lag their bats. Hitting is hard, fielding should be easy to improve relatively.
Bill, pray for a 2022 DH. Half the team qualifies to DH.
Mack, I still hope they squeeze Cano after the season.
I have quietly loved Vientos since we have drafted him. I cannot understand how our management cannot have minor leaguers improve their defense. He should have been used all over the field (as should each and every one of our prospects) having kids learn new positions on the major league level is a crime by the organization.
I hope he plays winter ball but should be exclusively in the OF.
He should platoon with Cano at 3b and McNeil at LF.
If you want a guy who hits but can't field to man 3B then give the position to Davis.
yup, that is one of my square peg/round hole guys. Everybody loved davis after the 2019 season and now he is on everybody's trade list. Vientos is the young Davis.
Eddie, you really have to wonder if Vientos will match Alonso HR for HR. But I was so disappointed to hear he never played the OF prior to recently. He’s played SS, 1B and 3B, and may not be fast…but neither was Rusty Staub. Get Mauricio out there too. For both Mauricio and Vientos, expect them to constantly work on IF and OF skills.
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