3 Mets players who dropped down the depth chart in the final weeks of the season

The New York Mets season may be over but there's still plenty of movement afoot with the depth chart. The offseason planning phase for the team is already underway. Some minor moves may occur internally as the team prepares for what we hope becomes an active winter.

In the final weeks of the season, plenty of chances were given for some depth chart movement. Some rose. Others fell. It’s these three notable Mets players whose final month may have dropped them down a spot or two.

1) Brett Baty

The Mets still seem unsure of exactly what they'll do at third base. Fewer starts for Brett Baty in the final weeks seems to suggest how open they are for a change at the position. They have internal and external options. Are any of those realistic ones much better than Baty?

Baty had a rough 2023 season. He hammered pitchers down in Triple-A to begin the year. He never quite found the same sort of constant barrage of pain against major league pitchers. His .212/.275/.323 slash line and only 9 home runs in 389 plate appearances were much less than we had all hoped to see from him.

The final month included just a .200/.221/.293 batting line. However, with Baty, his entire second half is what has moved him down the depth chart.

After the All-Star Break, Baty was only a .167/.216/.278 hitter. His demotion did little to help him get back on track. The 0 for 18 in August was only one of several slumps he went through this past season.

It doesn’t help that Baty’s defense is far from even average. Ronny Mauricio looks poised to challenge him for playing time at the hot corner.

Concern Level: When is this kid ever going to break out?

2) Adam Ottavino

By default, it was tough for Adam Ottavino to sink too far down the depth chart. After all, who could the Mets count on more this year?

Ottavino’s September included a 0-3 record and 4.15 ERA in only 8.2 innings. He was 5 for 5 in save opportunities which was the biggest positive of all. His last three games were sloppy with a loss in the tenth on September 22, another loss on September 27, and finally a save where he gave up 2 earned runs on September 30.

Ottavino turning into a pumpkin late this year shouldn't be too much of a surprise. He was exceptionally good for the team in 2022 to the point no one should have expected anything close in 2023. We got something a little closer to a normal year from him and what we can anticipate if he sticks around.

The overall season totals were pretty exceptional, though. Aside from going 1-7, he had a 3.21 ERA in his 61.2 innings on the mound. The warning signs were there, though. He walked 4.2 batters per 9 compared to the 2.2 per 9 the season prior.

The conclusion to take from him is that the Mets need to arm themselves with another setup man. This was already obvious. Ottavino showing signs of weakness late in a year where possibly burned out should have them in the market to, if they haven’t already, bump him down the depth chart into more of a seventh or eighth inning guy rather than locking him into the eighth.

Concern Level: He's a relief pitcher and they're impossible to predict from day to day.