The paper’s Mike Puma breaks down the biggest stories to watch as the Mets enter spring training.
rundown
Battle for the best position
Brett Batty has to be considered the frontrunner to be the third baseman when camp begins, but Mark Vientos will have a chance to compete for the spot. Although Vientos is considered a defensive project, team officials are encouraged by the work he has put in this winter and remain optimistic about his offensive potential. Batty struggled last season — he got off to a hot start in Triple-A last April and could have been rushed to the major leagues because the Mets needed a third baseman — but the merry-go-round is over. He is showing glimpses of a player who can hit. A position that began with David Wright’s career-ending injury.
The most intriguing minor leaguer
All eyes will be on Luis Sangel Acuña this spring as he tries to show he’s close to helping the Mets, who acquired the 21-year-old infielder in the trade that sent Max Scherzer to Texas last July. Acuña, whose older brother Ronald was the National League MVP last season with the Braves, is widely considered the team’s No. 3 prospect behind Jett Williams and Drew Gilbert. Acuña could start the season with Triple-A Syracuse and possibly be called up to the big leagues in late summer. On the mound, the Mets will want to thoroughly evaluate right-hander Christian Scott, who has emerged as the organization’s top pitching prospect.
A story worth watching for developments
The Mets pursued Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had chosen to sign with the Dodgers, but he struck out. This gave the Mets an offseason infusion of starting pitching in Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Adrian Hauser, all of whom have question marks on the staff. The Mets will need respectable seasons, especially from Severino and Manaea, to qualify. Can the Mets keep Severino healthy and recapture the star he displayed at various junctures in his career with the Yankees? Can Manaea maintain the increased velocity that helped him have a strong second half for the Giants last season?
Managers’ toughest challenges
Carlos Mendoza is a new coach thrown into the cauldron of leading a veteran team with a passionate following. For the first time, the former Yankees bench coach will be charged with having difficult conversations with irritated players about playing time, batting order and their place in the starting rotation. And after that, he must hold press conferences twice a day and explain his own decisions to the media. There will definitely be a learning curve.
The most intriguing newcomer
Severino has great upside, but the right-hander must show he can stay healthy. The first step for Severino will be getting through spring training with a history of physical injuries. The former Yankees star was one of the first players signed by the Mets in the offseason, joining on a one-year deal worth $13 million.
Most notable absence
Ronnie Mauricio was scheduled to compete for the third baseman position in spring training, but he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing winter baseball in the Dominican Republic. Even if Mauricio didn’t earn a starting spot, the Mets envisioned him as a key piece who would bring power and athleticism to the lineup. Mauricio, who underwent surgery to repair his knee, probably won’t play this season until September, if at all.
Don’t be surprised if you run into problems
Pete Alonso is having a great year, and if the Mets are having a down year and are looking to refocus for 2025, they could take command of one or two elite prospects at the trade deadline. unknown. The Mets had expressed a desire to trade their star players at last year’s deadline, but Verlander became a hometown favorite for Alonso, as neither Scherzer nor Justin made it to the deadline. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns may have to make a major decision after the All-Star break.
biggest comeback
Edwin Diaz spent the first season of his five-year contract worth $102 million rehabbing through surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. The injury occurred during the World Baseball Classic celebrations in March and dealt a blow to the Mets before the season even started. Diaz is now back looking to show that he is an elite presence who has emerged as the best closer in the game in 2022. “Narco” will once again be blaring from the speakers at Citi Field, but can Diaz regain his past glory?
