The New York Mets made a splash upgrade in the offense by signing Juan Soto to a mega deal, but they still want infield upgrades to round out the roster. They are trying to bring back Pete Alonso, but there is an impasse in talks due to a difference in contract terms.
Mark Vientos is establishing himself as a main part of the Mets’ core
They have been in the mix for third baseman Alex Bregman, and are even perceived favorites to land him. However, they may not need to add a third baseman, as Mark Vientos is quickly establishing himself as a franchise player with the Mets.
The 25-year-old third baseman got a much larger opportunity last season and broke out as a standout power bat. He mashed 27 home runs and drove in 71 runs in 111 games during the regular season. The playoffs saw Vientos take another step, as he hit .327 with five home runs and was instrumental to the Mets’ run at the NLCS.
Prior to signing Soto, New York had only two main power threats in their lineup, which was Alonso and Francisco Lindor. Vientos becoming the player he became is massive for the Mets, as they now have three legitimate power bats with Soto in the mix. If they can bring back Alonso or sign Bregman, they are undoubtedly a top offense in the National League on paper.
The Mets have positional flexibility with Vientos
The luxury with the Mets is that they have the flexibility to address either third base or first base. If they sign Bregman, Vientos can slot over to first base, which would actually help improve their defense in the infield while also keeping the powerful Vientos in the middle of the order.
If Alonso is brought back, the Mets would keep the same infield alignment as last season, which saw a lot of offensive success and can replicate that further with Soto now in the lineup. Additionally, Vientos’ youth has him primed to continue to improve as a player, and he has the real potential hit close to 40 home runs next season if he stays healthy.
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Vientos’ development is a huge positive for the Mets, especially after Brett Baty’s fallout despite initially being a top prospect. Since David Wright left baseball after the 2018 season, the Mets had been searching for a long-term answer at third base, and Vientos came in and broke out at a time when they needed it the most.
2025 will have high expectations for the Mets. For Vientos, the world will be watching to see if he can improve off of his success from last season and provide Soto with the proper lineup protection while also making a name for himself.