1 Mets player who has earned a spot on the Opening Day roster

Mar 11, 2023; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (22) signs
Mar 11, 2023; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (22) signs | Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

Brett Baty is one of the top prospects in the New York Mets farm system. He plays a position of need for the Mets. He is tearing it up at Spring Training. It's not that hard! Brett Baty should be on the Opening Day roster as the starting third baseman.

Why Mets third baseman Brett Baty belongs on the Opening Day roster and should start

Brett Baty is not only one of the top prospects for the Mets but he is also one of the top prospects in all of baseball. As a former first-round pick he has a ton of potential. Mets fans got a glimpse of his potential as a hitter late last year during his cup of coffee in the big leagues.

Baty's main competition for playing time with the Mets is Eduardo Escobar. Escobar is a fine player but is a spot the Mets can improve on. Escobar struggled for most of last season before recovering with a red-hot September. His numbers overall show he was an above-average player but he does not have the upside Baty has.

Baty had a very productive minor league season last year, slashing .315/.410/.533 with 19 HRs. He has been one of the club's most productive hitters this spring. The man can hit. The only question about Baty is his glove but I will argue that Eduardo Escobar is not a great defensive player either. According to FanGraphs Escobar was a -3.0 defensively at 3B.

Playing Baty every day will not bury Escobar. Escobar can be the DH vs. LHP as he excelled last year vs. lefties with a .827 OPS. He can even spend some time at 2B with Jeff McNeil moving to the OF. There are ways to get everyone playing time.

There is no need to delay the inevitable. Baty is going to be a big part of this Mets team now and in the future. Just look at what the Atlanta Braves did last season, incorporating multiple young players onto their team. They made huge contributions in helping them win the NL East.

The bottom line is Baty can help the Mets right now. Every game is going to be important in a tough division. Baty's name should be in the starting lineup on March 30th in Miami, Florida.

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