The scouts got this wrong – and at least one of them isn't afraid to admit it.
Mark Vientos never achieved star status within the Mets' system due to numerous questions about his defensive ability, bat speed, and mental makeup. But after being recalled to the major leagues in May and getting a chance to play every day, the 24-year-old blossomed into a top performer for a club that made it to the National League Championship Series and is currently trailing at 3-1. Dodgers.
“He's done better than I expected. The scouts who have watched him over the years would be lying if they didn't say the same thing,” a scout for the National League team told Sports Plus. Ta. “Hats off to Vientos for being persistent and determined to become a better player.”
Vientos competed for the position in spring training, but was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after Mets leadership decided on Brett Batty as the third baseman. Batty struggled in the early rounds, giving Vientos more chances. Last season, he bounced back and forth between Syracuse and the Mets, but never got a chance to play consistently under general manager Billy Eppler and coach Buck Showalter.
