It's as simple as that for NY Mets infielder Brett Baty to breakout in 2025

New York Mets infielder Brett Baty is in the midst of a breakout campaign. The former top prospect put up a wRC+ well below 100, coming in at just 71 from his 2022 debut up through the end of the 2024 season. However, this year, he is hitting .253/.313/.430 with a .322 wOBA and 109 wRC+ over 423 plate appearances. He hit just 15 home runs in his first three seasons in the Major Leagues, but already has 17 this year. Baty has been excellent recently. Since August 1, he owns an .856 OPS, .372 wOBA, and 143 wRC+.

Baty can thank simplifying his swing for helping him break out. He had always shown good bat speed in the Major Leagues. Between 2023 and 2024, his bat speed clocked in at 74.6 MPH, well above the MLB average of 71.5 MPH. Baty is still swinging the bat at a similar 74.8 MPH speed, but he has done that while making improvements to his swing length. 

In 2023, his swing length was 7.7 feet, and then in 2024, averaged out at 7.6 feet. But he has only continued to cut that down. Baty’s swing length in 2025 comes in at 7.4 feet. Another part of his swing he has improved on is his attack angle. In 2023 and 2024, he was below ten degrees, at eight and nine degrees, respectively. But now, he is coming in at 12 degrees. 

Brett Baty can thank his breakout on simplifying his mechanics

That may not seem like a massive change, but shorter swings usually help reduce swing and miss. The league average whiff rate in 2025 on swings between 7.5-8 feet is 18.4%. However, the average whiff rate on swings between 7 and 7.4 feet is just 13%. That lines up with the improvements in whiff rate Baty has made. In 2023, his whiff rate was 31.6%, but is now 27.4%.

His swing isn’t the only significant change Baty made. He also closed his stance off by a ton. The distance Baty put between his feet in 2024 came in at 38.8 inches. That was the 30th largest gap among all batters in 2024 with at least 200 swings. Then in 2025, Baty closed that gap to just 25.9 inches. 294 batters have taken at least 500 swings this season, and Baty has the 75th most closed-off stance in the box.

Baty’s breakout was as simple as simplifying his swing. A slightly shorter swing and moving his feet closer together have helped him make more contact. He’s doing all of that while maintaining the same sort of raw power and bat speed we knew he had as a prospect. He has done all of that while giving the Mets respectable defense at two positions this year. It very much looks like Baty has found his groove and will be playing into the Mets’ plans for the future.