When the New York Mets were forced to play key September games — trying to secure a playoffs spot, no less — without their best player Francisco Lindor, they trusted their fate to a young shortstop from their Triple-A team. That young infielder, Luisangel Acuña, is actually a big part of the short re-tooling process that took place within the franchise in the second half of 2023, when they traded many aging veterans to replenish their farm.
Luisangel Acuña has looked incredible in recent Venezuelan Winter League games
Acuna legitimately helped the Mets over that stretch of games and showed a glimpse of his potential. After a few weeks of rest, Ronald’s brother recently reported to Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League, the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional (LVBP).
To say he has been swinging a hot stick in Venezuela would be an understatement. He was outstanding during Friday’s doubleheader, reaching base four times, stealing three bases, driving in three runs, and scoring three of his own.
The top prospect is boasting a .388 batting average with four extra-base hits (two doubles, a triple, and a homer), nine RBI, nine stolen bases, and an incredible .996 OPS over his first 17 Winter League games according to SNY.
2025 will be a key year for the Mets’ prospect
The speedy and dynamic Acuna was excellent in 14 games with the Mets down the stretch, slashing .308/.325/.641 with a 166 wRC+ in Queens and accumulating 0.7 fWAR in that short span. He also stole 40 bases in Triple-A Syracuse this year, but he needs to improve a lot if he wants to be in the Mets’ plans in 2025. He could only muster a .258/.299/.355 lined there, with a highly disappointing 69 wRC+.
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Acuna, who came to the Mets in exchange for Max Scherzer in 2023, is considered a valuable prospect but will probably have to beat a few veterans and talented young infielders to get some consideration.
The most likely scenario is that he will be starting out the season in Triple-A again, trying to improve last year’s output there. There is a chance he either breaks camp with the Mets or is called up shortly after that, but it will all depend on his performance. For now, it’s fair to say he is performing like a future star in his native country.
