5 NY Mets players entering a crucial season in their careers and what they need to do

5) Ronny Mauricio

Is Ronny Mauricio a part of the team’s plans for 2026? Yet another trade candidate, the benefit the Mets have with him is they can always send him to the minors. They specifically let him hang around the roster through most of the end days of the season just so they could afford to demote him to begin 2026 if needed. This both ups his trade value while also allowing them to buy time to make him a more complete and ready player.

The problem with Mauricio is there isn’t nearly as much room as there once was. The infield is blocked all over with maybe first base being the one position he can win, unless of course Baty slides across the diamond there.

For a successful 2026, Mauricio needs to prove he can actually hit left-handed pitchers. He struggled mightily, going 3 for 36 in his chances at the major league level. Dropping the idea of switch hitting is one option but doesn’t solve the problem completely. It’s a complete retrain. 

The potential is still there for Mauricio and as a guy who can run well in spite of his poor sprint speed from last season, there are ways to make good use of him. There are only so many players we can say the Mets could use as depth/utility pieces. This coming year is important for Mauricio to establish himself as more than a guy who can hit righties okay in the majors while playing a few different positions. He needs to breakout and in a big way, possibly with power, too. Signed as an amateur free agent in July of 2017, it has been a 9-year wait.