The minor league system has more players potentially ready for big league playing time than positions available at the moment.
With Francisco Lindor penciled in to play shortstop for years to come, Mark Vientos poised to lock up third base, Brett Baty willing and able to play second base as a means to keep himself on the Major League roster, and Pete Alonso back in New York for at least one more year following a harrowing winter of contract negotiation chicken, there are not too many avenues for minor leaguers on the cusp to get playing time barring injuries or other unforeseen circumstances. In many ways, that is a good thing, because while the Mets minor league system may not be lacking when it comes to exciting infielders, it is lacking when it comes to solid bets.
Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio both have some Major League experience, but both are wildcards for different reasons. Acuña hit poorly in Syracuse, batting a paltry .258/.299/.355, but made swing and approach changes that saw him put up excellent numbers in his Mets cup-of-coffee and then in the Venezuelan Winter League following the conclusion of the season. Which is the real Acuña?
Likewise, Ronny Mauricio will be returning to the field sometime in early 2025 after having missed a year of playing time, hitting an International League-average .292/.346/.506, and a below-average .248/.296/.347 with the Mets. Will he be able to tap into his prodigious talent?
Jett Williams cannot be ignored, either. The top-prospect missed a lot of time in 2024 thanks to a right wrist triangular fibrocartilage complex debridement procedure and his .215/.358/.298 batting line in 33 games should be considered an aberration. Widely considered the best non-pitching prospect in the system, Williams is unlikely to be called up to the majors if consistent playing time cannot be found for him, but if the talented infielder shows that he is up for the challenge, 2025 might be the year he makes his big league debut.
After that grouping, there are numerous talented infielders in the system, but most are still low on the minor league ladder, and as such, it is hard to prognosticate how they will develop. Jesus Baez, Boston Baro, Jeremy Rodriguez, Marco Vargas, Trey Snyder, Eilian Pena, Colin Houck all have upside, but none have faced upper minor pitching, and as such, it is hard to say how they will react to it.
Looking at non-middle infielders, Ryan Clifford may be an important piece of the Mets puzzle should Mark Vientos falter and/or Pete Alonso move on to greener pastures. The 1B/DH hit .216/.412/.304 in 31 games with the Brooklyn Cyclones and .231/.359/.457 in 99 games with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, good for a .228/.372/.421 on the season. His prodigious power is capable of going on tears that allow him to single-handedly carry his team.