5 best NY Mets options at third base for next season ranked

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Third base was a very clear weak spot for the New York Mets in the 2023 season. Mets third basemen ranked 28th in the majors with a .212 batting average, 24th with 14 home runs, 29th with a 64 WRC+, and 30th with -1.3 fWAR. Yes, Mets third basemen accumulated fewer WAR than teams like Oakland and Kansas City.

The Mets began the year with Eduardo Escobar as the team's starter, but some early-season struggles from him forced him into the shortside of a platoon role at the hot corner. The player they promoted to play most of the time at third base was Brett Baty who had just a .598 OPS in 108 games with the Mets this season.

The Mets ended the year with Ronny Mauricio seeing time at third base. He was the best of the bunch, but that's not saying much. Third base is going to have to be improved in 2024 if the Mets have any hopes of competing. As much as we'd love for the Mets to land Rafael Devers or Nolan Arenado we have to be realistic. These are their top-five options at third base for next season going from worst to best.

5) Gio Urshela

This free agency class for hitters is especially weak for position players, and that includes third basemen. There are some decent players available, but not any game changers. Gio Urshela isn't anything special, but he'd be far from the worst third baseman in baseball which is pretty much where the Mets were in 2023.

Most Mets fans remember Urshela from his days with the Yankees where he'd develop from a reserve to bonafide every day player. Urshela has always been more known for his glove, but his bat broke out with the Yankees and has remained steady even after leaving.

Urshela had a strong season in 2022 with the Twins and had gotten off to a good start with the Angels in a bit of a utility role this past season before seeing his season end in mid-June with a fractured pelvis.

If the Mets sign Urshela, they'd be adding a player who can hit around .280 and reach double digits in home runs. He'd slot in nicely at the bottom of the lineup and provide above-average defense at the hot corner. He's nothing special, but not everyone from top to bottom has to be an all-star.

4) Matt Chapman

The best third baseman available this offseason in free agency by a landslide is Matt Chapman. The 30-year-old is known mostly for his power bat and elite defense at third base. The Mets could definitely use both, but his negatives might outweigh the positives.

First, the strikeouts are a bit out of control. He struck out 165 times in 140 games this past season with Toronto. That might seem like a lot, but it was actually the fewest strikeouts he's had in a 162-game season since 2019. Second, he might hit for power, but that's just about all of the hitting he does. Chapman hit .240 in 2023 which was his highest mark since 2019. The Mets adding an all-or-nothing hitter might not be in their best interest.

Third, the fact that he's the best third baseman available by far means he's going to earn a lot of money in free agency. That's good for him, but the Mets don't need to be tying up a ton of money in a player like Chapman when they haven't even given some of their top prospects a full season at the position yet.

Lastly, since Chapman was given the Qualifying Offer, the Mets would have to give up a draft pick to sign him. This has gone against everything Steve Cohen has wanted since he purchased the team.

There are very clear positives with Chapman. He can hit 30+ home runs, drive in 90+ runs, and win a Gold Glove defensively. However, the negatives could very easily outweigh the positives. He'd be an upgrade for now, but who knows how he'll age and who knows how impactful he'd actually be.

3) Brandon Drury

If the name Brandon Drury sounds familiar, that's because it should. Drury was a Met in 2021 and provided a spark off the bench in a pinch-hitting role. He had a 111 OPS+ in 88 plate appearances as a Met that year. He then went on to sign with the Reds the following season where he'd win a Silver Slugger seemingly out of nowhere.

Drury's breakout year in 2022 earned him a two-year contract to go to the Angels. Drury would have a repeat of his fine season by hitting 26 home runs and posting an .803 OPS for the Halos this past season. He was one bright spot in an abysmal year for them.

Drury is still under contract through the 2024 season, but he's a player who could easily be available on the trade market. There's a very good chance the Angels could watch Shohei Ohtani walk out of the door this offseason (to Queens perhaps?) With that in mind, Ohtani's departure could force the Angels to finally rebuild as they won just 73 games with him and have one of the worst farm systems in baseball.

If they do rebuild, Drury becomes a very intriguing trade candidate for New York and many other teams to consider. He's set to make just $8.5 million in 2024 and the fact that he's a free agent after the year means he won't cost too much.

Drury didn't play an inning at third base this past season for the Angels, but he has 211 appearances and over 1,500 innings over at the hot corner. He'd be just fine if the Mets were to acquire him. In fact, he's already been dealt in a mock trade with the Mets this offseason.

2) Brett Baty

It's no secret that the 2023 season was a disastrous one for Brett Baty. He was red-hot in Spring Training and earned an early-season call-up thanks to a terrific start for AAA Syracuse. Once he was called up the bat slowed down, however, and Baty never quite clicked.

His numbers with the Mets this season were not good one bit. He slashed .212/.275/.323 with nine home runs and 34 RBI. There were plenty of times he appeared overmatched at the dish, and he's always been shaky in the field.

Starting Baty would be a risk for a team trying to compete, but it'd also be foolish to sell low right now. Last offseason he was considered a top-20 prospect in all of baseball. There's a reason for that. Can you imagine what the Angels would look like if they sold Mike Trout after his first chance with prolonged playing time didn't go well?

I'm not saying Baty is the answer, but we at least need to give him a little bit more time. Signing a placeholder doesn't exactly accomplish anything. The Mets would either be forced to sell low on Baty in a trade, or send him down to the minors where he's already proven he can play. It's time for Baty to prove he can do it in the majors, and he can't accomplish this without the reps.

1) Ronny Mauricio

Mets fans clamored for Ronny Mauricio for much of the 2023 season before the team finally promoted him to the majors for the first time in September. In his short stint with the Mets he was certainly better than Baty, but also left a lot to be desired.

Mauricio's slash line of .248/.296/.347 with two home runs and nine RBI in 108 plate appearances was nothing special. The strikeouts remained a big concern as he fanned 31 times in 101 at-bats while drawing just seven walks. Mauricio also had just eight hits in 46 at-bats against left-handed pitching.

The 22-year-old looked quite raw in his first month in the majors, but he also displayed some fascinating tools that make him a player the Mets should be focusing on as their primary third baseman.

He only hit two home runs but Mauricio did hit the ball hard when he was able to make contact. He also stole seven bases without getting caught. That ranked fourth on the Mets and he was only with them for 26 games.

There's a lot to like with Mauricio. His power/speed combination could make him a future star if he can ever get the hit tool down. His glove also looked very solid, especially at third base. The fact that he's a switch-hitter doesn't hurt also. He's far from a perfect player, but showed enough in his month with the Mets that he deserves an everyday role, particularly at third base, in 2024.

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