Brett Baty, who was once a top-three-ranked prospect for the Mets, has gotten off to an abysmal start this season. In 20 games this season (entering Wednesday), Baty had a slash line of .209/.214/.284 with zero homers and seven RBI. He has been turned into a utility player. The Mets have used him at third and first base, as well as the corner outfield spots. However, his defense has not been that solid compared to how he played at third last season. Whatever the issue is with Baty, the Mets have to decide what they can do with him if he continues to be unproductive.
What Will The Mets Do With Brett Baty?
Mets Could Demote Baty
Baty has some minor league options. The Mets could always look to send him down to try to get back to how he was last season. In 2025, Baty had a career year. He had career highs in home runs, RBI, and batting average. He also had a three-WAR season. Everything was pointing to Baty finally figuring it out and becoming the player the Mets needed. It looks as if that’s on hold now, as he is struggling early in this season. With how red-hot Ronny Mauricio has been in Triple-A and him having a huge three-home run game on Tuesday night, maybe the Mets look to swap him and Baty. It would give Baty another shot at looking at what he’s been doing wrong and making some adjustments.
Brett Baty hasn’t drawn a walk or been hit by a pitch this season
He’s the only MLB player to have a lower OBP than Batting Average ? pic.twitter.com/9xAXiTOtHz
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) April 18, 2026
Is A New Home Possible?
The Mets could also make another decision with Baty; they could trade him. We’ve seen this topic arise in the past couple of seasons surrounding Baty. The Mets featured him in trade talks, but sought high value in exchange for him. Maybe this is the year the Mets finally pull the trigger and find him a new home. It does not seem as if the Mets have given up on him. The fans, however, are losing patience. Between Baty and Mark Vientos, it has been a waiting game for those two to finally become solidified franchise pieces for this team. It sadly has not happened yet, as we wait and see what the Mets decide to do.
Can Baty Bounce Back From This Slow Start?
The question with Baty is, will he ever be consistent enough to put together consecutive great seasons? The Mets do not need him to be a guy who will have one decent season and then a few down ones. At 26 years old, Baty is still young enough to become a huge playmaker for this team in the near future. All of this, of course, matters on which route the Mets end up taking. If they continue to free-fall this season, we may see them start to load off pieces and fully commit to a rebuild. Time will tell before we figure out what the Mets do with Brett Baty and whether he will be a part of this team’s foreseeable future or not. But with Francisco Lindor getting hurt on Wednesday, Baty, who took his place in the game, could see more reps in the short term by filling in for Lindor if he misses any games.
Main Photo Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
