Brett Baty isn't the only NY Mets first-round pick scuffling early in 2026

The New York Mets are struggling something fierce right now, and Brett Baty isn't far behind. He's begun the 2026 season with a 30 wRC+, courtesy of a 32.8% strikeout rate, .485 OPS, and the fact that he's the last remaining qualified hitter who has yet to draw a walk this year.

However, he's not the only former New York Mets first-rounder who'd like a mulligan on their opening act. Pete Crow-Armstrong has had a doozy of a time trying to live up to his brand-new $115 million contract, posting a 63 wRC+ with a nearly identical strikeout rate to Baty's (29.9%).

As the Mets prepare for a weekend clash with PCA and the Cubs in Chicago, let's compare the struggles of both players and try to extract some silver linings.

Brett Baty, Pete Crow-Armstrong struggling due to the same root causes

Baty and Crow-Armstrong had inverse seasons last year in terms of performances in the first and second halves, so let's break it down by each.

Baty vs. Crow-Armstrong: 2025 1st Half
Baty: .226/.282/.403, 9 HR, 4 SB, 7.0 BB%, 24.8 K%, 92 wRC+
PCA: .265/.302/.544, 25 HR, 27 SB, 4.5%, 22.9%, 131 wRC+

It's no wonder that Crow-Armstrong was an All-Star last year; reaching the 25-25 plateau before the Midsummer Classic is a truly Herculean feat. His signature lack of patience reared its ugly head (and will continue to get worse the further we go), but that kind of power-speed combination -- in conjunction with his tremendous center field defense -- is exactly what the Cubs were dreaming on when they acquired him in 2021.

Baty, meanwhile, never found his footing during the first half last year. His sample is nearly 160 plate appearances smaller than PCA's, but he lacked a clear plan of attack and frequently failed to make impact contact.

Luckily, the turnaround began quickly after the All-Star Break.

Baty vs. Crow-Armstrong: 2025 2nd Half
Baty: .291/.353/.477, 9 HR, 4 SB, 8.4 BB%, 25.3 K%, 135 wRC+
PCA: .216/.262/.372, 6 HR, 8 SB, 4.5 BB%, 25.6 K%, 72 wRC+

Woof. That's a huge flip from both players, even though Baty's homer and steal numbers remained identical to his first-half performance. From August 1 on, he hit .308 with a .370 OBP and an .866 OPS, flashing much better swing decisions en route to his breakout performance.

Crow-Armstrong, meanwhile, went ice cold. His power fell off a cliff, and his free-swinging habits caught up to him as pitchers coaxed him into chasing more outside the zone. As fast as he is, he won't be able to do damage on the basepaths if he isn't getting on base in the first place.

As aforementioned, both are struggling badly this year, striking out at eye-watering rates while refusing to take a free pass. Crow-Armstrong will always have the higher floor thanks to his defense and speed, but he's also got face-of-the-franchise expectations and the contract to match.

An improvement (especially in terms of plate discipline) from either player could swing the upcoming series between both teams. As things stand right now, though, don't expect to see either on base all that often.

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