NY Mets Friday Farming: Brett Baty will make his MLB debut in 2022

One of the most heavily-anticipated New York Mets prospects, Brett Baty is likely to make his MLB debut in 2022. How do we know?

Brett Baty was just notified that he will be sent to the Arizona Fall League, MLB’s offseason league that runs from mid-September until the end of October. He will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, which is the Mets’ AFL affiliate, shared with the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Mets likely sent Baty to the Arizona Fall League to escalate the level of talent he’s playing against. Teams send their best players from Double-A and Triple-A each year.

What does this mean for the Mets at third base?

The Mets sending Baty to the AFL may mean they have some very immediate plans for him, whether that is at third base, or in left field, where Baty has gotten some experience at this year.

They could also be opening up the possibility for the organization to move Dom Smith into a DH role (or Pete Alonso) and the other to first base next year, once the CBA allows for universal DH in the National and American League.

Baty could be at third base or left field by as early as 2022. It’s likely that the Mets will bring him to spring training and they might even add him to the Opening Day roster, depending on what their moves this offseason are.

For all we know, this could very well just be the Mets prepping for Baty’s big-league debut next year. We’ll absolutely see him before 2022’s All-Star Break at Dodger Stadium. He’ll be the Mets’ highest-touted rookie since Pete Alonso in 2019. Alonso ended up hitting 53 regular-season home runs, winning the Home Run Derby and NL Rookie of the Year.

The Mets acquired Baty in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He was taken 12th overall. Ahead of him in that draft include Toronto’s starting pitcher Alek Manoah, who has made big headlines this year, Texas’ upcoming superstar Josh Jung, Detroit’s No. 2 prospect Riley Greene, Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr, and the current No. 1 prospect, catcher Adley Rutschman out of Baltimore’s system.

In the minors for Double-A Binghamton and High-A Brooklyn, Baty has posted a .291 batting average, 12 HR, 56 RBI, and an OPS of .849. He’s been a big bright spot for the Mets’ minor league system in his first full year of professional action.

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If Baty is brought up next year, look out as he hopes to help the Mets compete for what may be their first NL East title since their World Series run in 2015.