The New York Mets have had their fair share of early season storylines, but one of the more promising developments is quietly unfolding at second base. Luisangel Acuña, the 23-year-old younger brother of Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr., is beginning to carve out his own identity in Queens—and it starts with his bat-to-ball skills and athleticism.
After a slow spring training in which he slashed .250/.304/.269, expectations were tempered. But since the regular season started, Acuña has settled in and become a reliable presence in the Mets’ lineup.
Elite Contact Skills and Next-Level Speed
Acuña isn’t going to hit the ball out of the park often—he hasn’t hit a home run yet this season and has only one RBI through 20 games. But what he lacks in slugging, he makes up for with a high-contact approach and elite speed.
He’s currently slashing .292/.358/.396 across 53 plate appearances with 11 runs and a 118 wRC+, meaning he’s been 18% better than league average at the plate. His 99th percentile sprint speed allows him to turn singles into doubles and stretch out infield hits into base knocks, putting pressure on defenses every time he steps into the box.
Plate Discipline and Fielding Upside
Under the hood, Acuña’s advanced metrics paint an even more optimistic picture. He ranks in the 70th percentile in whiff rate and 68th percentile in strikeout rate, both indicators of his advanced plate discipline and ability to consistently put the ball in play.
Defensively, he’s holding his own at second base, posting a .984 fielding percentage over 117 innings with just one error. His instincts and range allow him to make plays others might not, and the Mets are starting to see just how valuable he can be as a glove-first, contact-heavy infielder.
A Looming Infield Shake-Up?
With Jeff McNeil nearing a return and Brett Baty struggling mightily at third base, the Mets may look to shuffle the deck. Acuña could easily shift back over to third, a position he has experience playing, especially if his bat continues to outperform Baty’s.
Whether he stays at second or finds a new home at the hot corner, Luisangel Acuña has done more than enough to keep himself in the conversation. For a Mets team that needs consistency and speed, he’s proving to be a perfect fit in all the right ways.