Livescore
The Mets are on the cusp of one of the most anticipated seasons in team history.
Fresh off an unexpected and thrilling run to Game 6 of the NLCS, the club signed Juan Soto, which was quite simply the most seismic move in the history of the franchise. And they didn’t stop there, as they surrounded Soto and their already-strong nucleus by bringing back internal free agents Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, and Jesse Winker.
They bolstered the bullpen by adding A.J. Minter and re-signing Ryne Stanek, added to the rotation with the signings of Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, and traded for Jose Siri, who is one of the best defensive center fielders in the sport.
The above means the team is loaded, and also means that there won’t be much intrigue in spring training when it comes to position battles.
Of the nine regular spots in the lineup, eight are seemingly filled.
The one that’s slightly ajar? Second base.
Speaking at the start of camp, manager Carlos Mendoza said Jeff McNeil is “pretty much right there” as far as being the regular at second, but stopped short of naming him the starter.
That means McNeil has at least some work to do this spring as he competes with a handful of other players for time at second base.
Let’s break down the options…
Jeff McNeil
Things haven’t gone well for McNeil since winning the batting title in 2022 and signing a four-year, $50 million extension ahead of the 2023 season.
McNeil struggled badly in 2023, hitting just .270/.333/.378 in 156 games.
He started off poorly over the first couple of months of 2024 before rebounding as the season went on, but the overall result was similar to his 2023 output — an OPS+ that was below league average. McNeil had a .692 OPS in 2024, which was the lowest one he’s ever posted in a full season.
While McNeil hasn’t been as productive as usual over the last two seasons, he showed some serious signs in the second half of 2024 that he had turned a corner.
From July 12 through Sept. 6 (when McNeil’s regular season ended due to a fractured wrist after a hit-by-pitch), he slashed .288/.373/.540 (.912 OPS) with seven homers, 14 doubles, 23 RBI, and 23 runs scored in 44 games.
The version of McNeil who got hot in the second half last season very closely resembled the hitter he was with the Mets from 2018 to 2022, when he hit for a high average and got on base at a tremendous clip. If he can recapture that — and the end of his 2024 campaign proved that he still has it in him — he could be immensely valuable.
As is noted above, this is McNeil’s job to lose. And he deserves every opportunity to prove he can again be a plus in the lineup.
Luisangel Acuña
Acuña, who provided the Mets a much-needed jolt late last season when Francisco Lindor missed time with a back injury as the team was battling for a playoff spot, is going to get a serious look at second base in spring training while also getting some reps at third base.
And he’s probably McNeil’s most serious competition.
After a middling performance for Triple-A Syracuse last year, Acuña opened lots of eyes during his 14-game cameo in September as he got his first taste of the majors.
He hit .308/.325/.641 (.966) OPS in 40 plate appearances. Acuña drew just one walk during that span, but also kept his strikeouts in check — as he fanned only six times.
It remains to be seen if Acuña will be a starter or bench player in the majors, but he has a chance to make a serious impact with the Mets this season.
Brett Baty
It just hasn’t come together for Baty in the majors.
After showing flashes during his big league debut over 11 games in 2022, it has been a huge struggle as he’s slashed just .217/.285/.324 across 560 plate appearances in 158 games over the last two seasons.
Baty lost his third base job to Mark Vientos early last season. And with Vientos now entrenched at third, Baty will get a serious look at second base in spring training games after getting a taste there last season in Triple-A Syracuse.
This is Baty’s age-25 season, and the tools are still there. And while he tries to put it together at the plate, he’ll have the added challenge of continuing to get acclimated at a new position.
The Field
Ronny Mauricio, Nick Madrigal, and Jett Williams will also get reps at second base this spring, but it’s hard to envision any of them getting serious consideration as the starter out of camp.
Mauricio, who is still working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered the winter after the 2023 season, is fielding grounders, running, and taking batting practice. But he is not expected to play spring training games until the middle of March. That means he’s almost certainly ticketed for Triple-A to start the year.
The light-hitting Madrigal could have the inside track at a bench job, and will be getting some exposure at shortstop this spring — which would make him Lindor’s backup in addition to someone who can play third base and second base.
As far as Williams, his 2024 season was mostly derailed due to a wrist injury. But he’s the No. 1 prospect in the Mets’ system, and will be just a phone call away from the bigs if he starts the year in Triple-A as expected.
With Lindor entrenched at shortstop, Williams’ likely home with the Mets is at second base or center field. And he could be up sooner rather than later if he masters Triple-A — meaning the Mets could potentially have a very good problem on their hands when it comes to how to allot playing time over the summer.
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