Brett Baty is a third baseman. That’s what he’s always been, that’s what he knows, and that’s where he’s comfortable. Sure, he’s dabbled in left field and played a handful of games at second base—27, to be exact, all at Triple-A Syracuse last year—but his natural position has always been the hot corner and the New York Mets know it.
The Mets, however, have other ideas. This spring, they’ve been experimenting with Baty as a utility player, giving him reps at second base and even some looks at shortstop. But when it comes to actual games, they’ve only deployed him at third and second, with the latter being the big unknown.
Now that Jeff McNeil went down with an oblique issue, second base is up for grabs.
The Growing Pains of Learning on the Fly
Learning a new position at the highest level of competition is like trying to learn how to drive a stick shift in rush-hour traffic—it’s going to be rough at times. At third base, Baty is steady, if unspectacular. At second, however, he’s still finding his footing.
Some plays show promise, like this one:
There, he displayed solid range and the willingness to charge the ball aggressively, even if his throw wasn’t on the mark.
Other times, it’s clear he’s still adjusting to the different angles and distances that come with playing second base, not to mention the throws:
There have been errors—like a miscue on what looked like a routine grounder—but also flashes of competency.
Patience Might Pay Off
The good news? Despite the challenges, Baty only made one error in his 27 games at second in the minors. That suggests there’s at least a foundation to build on. His bat remains his biggest asset (1.110 OPS this spring, .889 career OPS in the minors), and if the Mets can afford to be patient, they might just mold him into a serviceable second baseman.
For now, though, it’s a work in progress—one that will require time, reps, and maybe a few more growing pains along the way.