Struggling NY Mets player better step up or get left behind

Coming into the season, the New York Mets had a plethora of young infielders with high upside. While their production hasn't been consistent, they have all shown flashes of potential. Mark Vientos was coming off a strong 2024 second half and postseason. Brett Baty has been streaky in 2025, but when hot has carried the offense. Luisangel Acuna might have lost his spot on the roster, but he was a critical bench piece during the early months of the season.

Lost in this shuffle has been Ronny Mauricio. Whether it be him returning from injury or not having those signature moments, he's always the odd man out when talking about the young infielders. He's been out of the lineup the past couple of games, and seems to be losing his job with Baty and Vientos getting hot again. If Mauricio doesn't start producing soon, he's at risk of losing his roster spot altogether.

Ronny Mauricio needs to repeat what he did in September 2023

For years, there was a lot of excitement surrounding Mauricio. He was a regular on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Mets prospects since 2018, with him even being ranked the Mets' top prospect several times. He also made a great first impression with Mets fans in 2023, having one of the best hot streaks of the season. Before slumping for the final 10 games of the season, he had a slash line of .300/.354/.400 with one home run and seven RBIs.

Things have not gone as well since that hot streak. He tore his ACL in Winter Ball during 2023, which cost him the entire 2024 and part of 2025. Since being activated on June 3rd, he's produced mixed results. In 47 games this season, he has slashed .230/.292/.392 with six home runs, 10 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 95. He's done this without a set spot and playing all over the infield.

While Mauricio does not have the stats to back it up, he can be a reliable hitter. He's always been a player who can hit the ball. In 2023, he ranked in the first percentile of Max Exit Velocity according to Baseball Savant, hitting a ball 117.3 MPH. That has continued this season, as his Max Exit Velocity has reached 111.3 mph. These numbers ranked among some of the best hitters in baseball. Meaning he has the ability to be a great hitter, we just haven't seen it yet.

Mauricio also has the ability to hit for power. When he was in the minors, he had a power rating of 60 on the 20-80 scale. If Mauricio can rediscover the pop he once had, it would be a considerable boost. It will give the Mets more protection for guys like Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. It will also give the Mets another hitter they can rely on outside of the top four.

Although he hasn't shown it yet, Mauricio has the highest ceiling of these four infielders. He can be a special player for the Mets if he's able to find a way to be consistent. It's something he needs to figure out fast before more young players start jumping him on the depth chart.