When fans and analysts brush off spring training stats with a dismissive wave, they might want to keep Brett Baty in their back pocket as Exhibit A. The New York Mets‘ third baseman lit up the Grapefruit League like a pinball machine, flashing a dazzling .353/.441/.745 line with more walks than strikeouts—eight to six, respectively.
He looked like a man who had finally unlocked the next level, ready to live up to his billing as a first-round pick.
But like a mirage in the desert, that promise faded as soon as the regular season began.
The Curious Case of Brett Baty
This isn’t a new storyline for the Mets. Baty came into the season with a minor league OPS just shy of .900, which usually screams “call this guy up.” But in the majors, it’s been more of a whisper—just a .607 OPS last year, and things have only gone downhill in 2024.
Through 21 plate appearances, Baty is hitting a paltry .095 with no walks and eight strikeouts. That’s not a slump—that’s a freefall.
This isn’t a case of bad luck on balls in play or a few unlucky breaks. It’s something deeper. Like a chef who forgets to season the food, Baty seems to be missing the essential ingredient for success at the plate: a plan.
Digging a Hole with Every At-Bat
James Schiano pointed it out in stark terms: in more than half of his plate appearances, Baty has fallen behind 0-2. That’s 11 out of 21 times. More alarmingly, he hasn’t been ahead in the count—not once—in a hitter-friendly 2-0, 3-0, or 3-1 situation.
In a game where count leverage is like the steering wheel of a car, Baty is white-knuckling the ride in reverse.
When you start every at-bat in the hole, you’re playing defense at the plate. Pitchers can throw whatever they want, expand the zone, and dare you to chase. And chase he does.
A Position Shift, But No Change at the Plate
To his credit, Baty didn’t coast into spring. He worked to add second base to his résumé, to fill in for Jeff McNeil. That’s not nothing—it takes athleticism and commitment. But versatility won’t matter much if he can’t hold a bat in his hands without getting swallowed up by major league pitching.
The Clock Is Ticking
The season is still young, and patience isn’t extinct yet. But the Mets can’t afford to keep betting on potential forever. They’ve seen this story before—hype, hope, and a hard landing. If Baty can’t adjust, can’t flip the count in his favor, or simply can’t hit, the Mets will face a decision that no one wants to make.
Because at some point, promise stops being a prediction and starts being a problem.