Mark Vientos’ Stock Continues To Rise
Mark Vientos has never been a full-time player at the big-league level. That should change as of Friday morning, when the New York Mets made a flurry of moves, one of which was to option infielder Brett Baty to Triple-A Syracuse.
Since the start of last season, Baty has seen most of the playing time at third base, despite his offensive struggles. But with Vientos getting good results at the plate over the last two-and-a-half-weeks, it was time to see what he could do in a much larger role. In the two games since, the 24-year-old has certainly made his mark in the Mets’ lineup.
Saturday’s game ended in a 10-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but there was still some positives to take from it. One of those was another good day for Vientos, who had a second straight multi-hit game. The 24-year-old got the Mets on the board with a solo home run in the fifth inning, crushing an 84 mph slider off Slade Cecconi. Vientos’ fourth home run of the year went 440 feet to left field.
Mark Vientos. Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
“I feel a lot more comfortable for sure. My teammates are making me feel comfortable, coaching staff, front office. Overall, I feel good right now,” Vientos said postgame.
The third baseman was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on May 15. In the 13 games since, he is hitting .326 with three home runs and seven RBIs. Vientos is now slashing .340/.386/.642 (1.028 OPS) across 57 plate appearances this season. His sample size is not big by all means, but nonetheless, the numbers are there. Given his level of production, this was an opportunity he deserved.
For quite some time, it seemed as if it was only a matter of time before Vientos would be traded. The corner infield spots were filled by Pete Alonso and Baty. The Mets signed J.D. Martinez to be their designated hitter, despite Vientos taking strides in spring training. It did not look like good for him a month ago, yet that has changed.
Vientos has worked himself into a spot where he could not only be a key piece in the short-term, but the long-term as well. That would do wonders for a team still continuing to rebuild and longer for those long-term answers from a deep crop of young players.
The post Mark Vientos’ Stock Continues To Rise appeared first on Metsmerized Online.