1 NY Mets player who needs a complete reevaluation of who he is

The 2024 season was supposed to be a launching pad for New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos. After years of being one of the organization's top power-hitting prospects, he finally put it all together at the big-league level. His breakout year, where he posted an impressive .838 OPS, secured his place in the Mets' lineup and seemed to solidify his future as a cornerstone of the franchise. It was a season defined by clutch hits and a bat that seemed unstoppable at times.

Fast forward a year, and the story has undergone a complete transformation. The promise of 2024 has been replaced by the perplexing struggles of 2025. Vientos, once a light of offensive hope, has become a liability for a Mets team fighting for a playoff spot. His production has fallen off a cliff, leading many to question not just his current slump but his entire identity as a player.

The numbers tell a disastrous tale for Mark Vientos

The most telling sign of Vientos's decline in 2025 is a look at his advanced analytics. His calling card has always been his ability to hit for power, but that has all but evaporated this season. In 2024, his .516 slugging percentage was a career-high and a clear indicator of his immense power. This year, that number has plummeted by approximately 28 percent. Similarly, his wRC+ (weighted runs created plus), a stat that measures a player’s total offensive value and adjusts for ballpark and era, has gone from a stellar 136 in 2024 to a 14% below-average in 2025.

In 2024, Vientos had an elite Isolated Power (ISO), a stat that measures a hitter's raw power. This season, his ISO has fallen by nearly 46 percent. The most concerning drop is in his hard-hit rate and barrel percentage. Last season, Vientos consistently ranked among the league's best in these metrics, demonstrating his ability to hit the ball with authority. This year, his barrel rate has seen a considerable drop, a clear sign that he is no longer consistently hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the bat. Additionally, one of the most alarming aspects is the loss of his contact ability against fastballs; in 2024, he was slugging above .600 against them, a figure that has now fallen below .450 this season.

While Vientos has never been known for his defensive prowess, his bat was supposed to be so potent that it would easily outweigh any fielding deficiencies. That was the trade-off the Mets were willing to make. But with his bat now failing, the equation no longer works.

What Vientos is experiencing isn't just a slump; it's an identity crisis. His ability to hit the ball hard and drive it out of the park was what made him a viable major-league starter. Without that, he's just another hitter struggling to find his way. The New York Mets are in a difficult position, and Vientos has to make a drastic change to get his career back on track.