Slugger Pete Alonso has signed a two-year contract extension with the New York Mets. As a result, Brett Baty, a previous top prospect, has little chance of playing time with the Mets, and Mark Vientos is forced back into the hot corner. Furthermore, Baty hasn’t done anything to merit playing time. Baty has only managed a pitiful.215/.282/.325 triple-slash in 602 plate appearances since making his debut in 2022. With a dismal 7.8% walk rate, he has struck out 26.4% of the time, resulting in a.270 wOBA and 72 wRC+.
The Mets can now sell Baty without worrying about their corner infield depth because Alonso will be back for at least two more seasons. The Mets should strive to get as much as they can out of Baty, even if he is probably not going to fetch much in a trade at this juncture. The Chicago Cubs are one club that requires depth at third base.
At third base, the Cubs presently have Vidal Brujan and Jon Berti at the top of their depth chart. While Brujan is a switch-hitter with a meager.531 lifetime OPS, Berti is a right-handed batter. With their present roster, Baty could be able to earn playing time with the Cubs. With Berti in the hot corner, he might be a left-handed hitting platoon and would be an improvement over Brujan, at least in terms of batsmanship.
The Cubs’ loss of Yoan Moncada is another reason why they could be interested in Baty. As recently as early January, they were allegedly among the teams interested in Moncada. But last week, he finally signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels. The Cubs might have paired Mocada with Jon Berti in a platoon because he is a switch-hitter.
The Alex Bregman sweepstakes may potentially involve Baty and the Mets. The all-star third baseman has also drawn some interest from the Cubs. They have very few options when it comes to free agents if they lose out on Bregman as well. If you were going to miss Bregman, it might make some sense to turn toward Baty. Following Bregman, 2024 Mets star Jose Iglesias and rebounding prospects Brandon Drury and Luis Urias are the finest third base alternatives available on the free agent market.
What the Mets may receive in exchange for Brett Baty from the Cubs
It’s unlikely that the Mets will receive anything in exchange for Baty. Despite being 25 years old, he hasn’t demonstrated much in the Major Leagues. However, the Mets have two options if they want to deal the former top prospect to the Cubs. A young, low-level prospect might be asked to return. In the long run, a deal like this may benefit the Mets, but if the prospect advances that far in their professional career, it might take a few years before they have an influence in the top tiers of the minor leagues.
Another option is to select a young player who is prepared for Major League Baseball. On their 40-man roster, the Cubs have a few players that may be acquired in a Baty deal. Although he can play all three outfield positions and has tremendous power potential, outfielder Alexander Canario frequently strikes out. An alternative would be to request a relief possibility, such as Daniel Palencia. Despite walking over 13% of hitters in Triple-A last season, Palencia can reach speeds of 101 mph. Canario and Palencia have lofty ceilings despite their low floors.
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