Mark Vientos and Brett Baty work to overcome slow starts to the 2025 baseball season

The Mets made their lineup instantly more dangerous this off-season when they signed Juan Soto to a historic $756 million deal and then further solidified it by bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso on a two-year deal. However, the lineup being as deep and consistent as the team needed it to be to win a title depended on the development of young homegrown prospects like Mark Vientos and Brett Baty.

Just 11 games into the season, those two have not hit the ground running the way many hoped they would. After a white hot spring training that led him to win the vacant second base job, Baty came into Wednesday’s game against the Marlins, slashing just .125/.125/.167 in 24 plate appearances with one extra base hit, no walks, and nine strikeouts. Meanwhile, Vientos, who has started every game, came into Wednesday hitting .125/.239/.175 with two doubles, two runs scored, and one RBI.

The Mets made their lineup instantly more dangerous this off-season when they signed Juan Soto to a historic $756 million deal and then further solidified it by bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso on a two-year deal. However, the lineup being as deep and consistent as the team needed it to be to win a title depended on the development of young homegrown prospects like Mark Vientos and Brett Baty.

Just 11 games into the season, those two have not hit the ground running the way many hoped they would. After a white hot spring training that led him to win the vacant second base job, Baty came into Wednesday’s game against the Marlins, slashing just .125/.125/.167 in 24 plate appearances with one extra base hit, no walks, and nine strikeouts. Meanwhile, Vientos, who has started every game, came into Wednesday hitting .125/.239/.175 with two doubles, two runs scored, and one RBI.