One inning showed a difference between the last wave of NY Mets prospects and the current

You don’t judge a player based on a single at-bat. However, there are moments where you’ll see signs of reaching a breaking point. In a single inning of the New York Mets game on Saturday, we were reminded about the difference between the youth of today up against the we were holding out hope for in this season to finally silence all critics.

Mason Miller isn’t easy to face, but face him you must when you don’t have the lead against the San Diego Padres late. The star closer got the first two outs and was asked to go against A.J. Ewing.

Rookie dead meat wasn’t what Ewing intended. He worked a 7-pitch walk that included an ABS challenge victory for the kid. He took 3-2 to reach base and then came Mark Vientos to the plate who looked every bit more the green one in this lineup.

The last wave of Mets prospects already look better than the previous one

Carlos Mendoza was sure to praise Ewing after the game when asked about the at-bat. There would be no such accolades for Vientos.

A check swing that turned into a foul ball and a full swing anyway, Vientos was every bit fooled by Miller. He’d end up striking out on 3 pitches, his third of the night. The only ball he did hit was a pop up to the first baseman.

Plate discipline isn’t in Vientos’ bag of tricks. He hasn’t walked in a month, last seeing ball four called with him at the plate on May 6th in the Mets’ 10-5 win over the Colorado Rockies. Vientos was 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts in that one. He went into the game batting .250 and hasn’t touched it since.

Now 0 for 10 to start June, Jared Young’s continued progress as the first baseman should only further fuel the need to sit Vientos more often. Jorge Polanco getting trapped in an endless cycle of rehab assignments will buy him some time. If nothing else, the Mets can try him over and over again as a pinch hitter against left-handed pitchers.

As one-dimensional as it gets with that dimension not being prolific enough, it seems like we’re getting closer and closer to the new class taking over completely. Ryan Clifford has some of the same poor contact abilities as Vientos, but with more mammoth power expectations, the ability to draw a walk, and corner outfield on his resume, one can ponder just how long this story can continue to go.

Then there’s Ewing who is showing patience, defense, and speed. The two couldn’t be more the opposite with Ewing’s lack of power being the one missing element. No big deal. Ask any fan which they’d rather have, the rare three-run home run doesn’t win.

Vientos isn't alone in his criticism with peer Brett Baty having some of the same problems as an offensive player. Ewing, as well, has Carson Benge who has done many of those things he has just as well. The current influx of Mets position players already in the majors appear far more complete than anyone from the previous group. In one inning, and on back-to-back plate appearances, we were reminded of that.

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