Mark Vientos is having about as good of a spring for the New York Mets through the first three weeks of Spring Training. Vientos has hit over .300 with the bat thus far and he has been getting plenty of run defensively with the starters at both first base and third base as well.
With his long-standing ability to mash left-handed pitching throughout his Minor League Baseball career, I previously mentioned earlier this winter that Vientos was the ideal option to replace Darin Ruf on the 26-man roster. With his performance up to this point, it's hard not to defend the Mets carrying Vientos on the Opening Day roster in Miami.
Mark Vientos has left an impression on the Mets this spring and deserves a shot at making the 26-man roster
Vientos has the ability to play both third base and first base, and while the Mets front office could make a case in regards to his defense not being "Major League ready," I don't believe there is much of an argument to turn him into a better defensive player than he already is. Vientos will always be known more so for his bat than his defense, and while you can make a case for both Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez needing to hone their defensive skills, the same doesn't need to be said for Vientos.
Speaking of his bat, Vientos currently leads the Mets with 9 RBIs during Spring Training and it would make sense for the organization to begin tapping into his upside this season with consistent at-bats out of the DH position, as well as spelling Pete Alonso at first base on some nights. Vientos has little left to prove at the Minor League level and he could be the first part of the new young core of players that includes himself, Baty, Alvarez, and Ronny Mauricio to get regular playing time at the Major League level.
It's an exciting time to be a Mets fan with sky-high expectations as they have a solid mixture of accomplished veterans and highly regarded prospects on the cusp of a breakout. The Mets front office shouldn't play any games when constructing the roster and bring the best 26 players with them an hour and a half down I-95. One of those players based on his performance is Mark Vientos.