Before the NY Mets call up Ronny Mauricio, they may need to trust another player more

Ronny Mauricio is a New York Mets player whose contributions for the rest of 2025 deserve a big question mark. His final minor league option was recently used up, resulting in a situation where if he isn’t on the MLB roster next year, he’ll have to pass through the waiver wire. It’s an unfortunate circumstance for a guy who has been a top 10 Mets prospect for several years and even regarded as the best farmhand they had for a short while.

His rehab officially ended over the weekend, with his status now just being any other player on the 40-man roster in the minor leagues. A player caught behind in the wave of Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos, Mauricio is now stuck in limbo with the next group already pushing him aside. Luisangel Acuna has been excellent at times for the Mets in his role that closely mirrors what Mauricio could offer, albeit with a different skill set.

There are ways for Mauricio to make his way back to the majors. Starling Marte is looking at a potential job loss in the next few weeks or months if he doesn’t start to hit. Perhaps more immediate and with a pleasant outcome for most, the Mets trusting Acuna to play center field is the best way to make Mauricio useful again.

If Luisangel Acuna becomes a regular in center field, Ronny Mauricio suddenly has a wide-open window to climb through

There’s a redundancy with Acuna and Mauricio on the same team. While Acuna is a speedster and perceived lighter hitter, the pair play similar positions. Mauricio has a slight edge at third base based on experience and maybe more so his size. But Acuna, with unquestionable major league speed and a healthy pair of legs, might be a viable solution up the middle and in the outfield.

The Mets are in good shape with a little flab in center field. Tyrone Taylor is a more than acceptable regular. However, for as gifted as he is defensively, the bat can be a drag at times. Acuna hasn’t blown away the competition offensively nor has he been given a chance to truly shine as a center fielder.

Instead of Acuna in center field, the Mets have made use of Jeff McNeil’s experience playing all over. So-so results from him in limited play, it continues to feel like a temporary bandage rather than a full-blown answer.

The obvious roster move to make is to DFA Jose Azocar whose purpose with the club is feeling more limited. Swapping him for Mauricio creates an overcrowded infield situation unless McNeil plays a lot more outfield. This is one of those “good problems” to have. Nobody ever complained about having too much muscle.