3 of the 9 from the first NY Mets starting lineup of spring training revealed

The lineup card hasn’t been handed off yet. However, we do know the New York Mets won’t go into their first spring training game with nothing but scrubs. Anthony DiComo shared a little insight into three players we can expect to take some hacks in Saturday’s opener against the Miami Marlins.

Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien will introduce themselves to fans right off the bat. Juan Soto, before leaving for the WBC, will get his first at-bats as well.

The Mets are slow-playing it with several regulars. Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. won’t be starting and it doesn’t sound like Francisco Alvarez will immediately either. With Brandon Waddell starting, who else might we expect to open the spring training schedule?

Who else is a must for the first Mets starting lineup of spring training?

Brett Baty and Francisco Lindor won’t be present, leaving us with two more projected candidates for the starting nine out. It’s a perfect time for the Mets to reveal their top choice at shortstop as well as give Mark Vientos needed reps at first base.

Here’s what I’m guessing the first lineup of spring training will look like:

1) Juan Soto, LF
2) Bo Bichette, 3B
3) Marcus Semien, 2B
4) Mark Vientos, 1B
5) Luis Torrens, C
6) Mike Tauchman, DH, RF
7) Carson Benge, RF
8) Tyrone Taylor, CF
9) Vidal Brujan, SS

It looks nothing like the lineup the Mets will open the regular season with. But a few things are accomplished here.

Soto hits in front of Bichette for their first opportunity to go back-to-back. With no real suitable option to hit at the top of the order sans Lindor, the Mets keep it easy by just moving them up. Semien, out of respect to the veteran, hits in front of Vientos who gets a nod to hit cleanup.

The Mets hand off the starting catcher duties to Luis Torrens before having one of the most intriguing competitions take place. Mike Tauchman is the DH and hits sixth with Carson Benge in right field batting seventh. They finish off with Tyrone Taylor in center field for some semblance of major league consistency and finish with Vidal Brujan at shortstop to give him the first chance to crack the roster and be ready for shortstop duties if needed.

A mix of fan-pleasing while also not delaying some competition resolution, the Mets turn to some regulars in St. Lucie. Their game on Sunday will take place in Tampa against the New York Yankees. The approximately 2 hour and 40 minute trip isn’t one the Mets need to send a whole lot of regulars to. That’s a Jared Young batting cleanup kind of game.

The choice to start Waddell tells us the Mets probably won’t have much interest in getting their top relievers in-game action although an appearance or two isn’t impossible. Last season’s first spring training game had Clay Holmes on the mound with many of the regulars there, too. A slow-and-steady tortoise approach is what the team seems focused on this time.