Predicting how many games these 4 Mets prospects will play in 2023

2023 is World Series or bust for the New York Mets. Steve Cohen and Billy Eppler have assembled a team full of star players, putting pressure on the entire Mets organization to deliver.

On every championship team, young players, many of which are rookies, have big seasons. The Mets have multiple rookies who are ready to make a major impact when they get called up to the show, and could become the reasons the Mets snap their lengthy World Series drought.

Here is a prediction of how many games each of the Mets top prospects will play in 2023.

1) NY Mets prospect: Brett Baty

The young Mets third baseman will play at least 100 games this season. Baty is having an awesome offensive and defensive spring for the Mets, but It seems unlikely that he will be included on the opening-day roster.

Baty's main competition for the third base job, Eduardo Escobar, carried the Mets lineup down the stretch of the 2022 season. Escobar was the National League Player of the Month in September 2022, hitting .333/.383/.619 with 8 home runs and 24 RBI.

Escobar really struggled for the first five months of the 2022 season, and if that happens again, Baty will be given a chance. When the Mets demoted Dom Smith and waived Robinson Cano last season, the organization sent a message to their players that it doesn't matter how much you are getting paid or how long you have been on the team, the best nine guys will play.

Baty has all the necessary tools to be an MLB everyday third baseman, and will force the Mets to give him the majority of the workload, after he dominates Triple-A pitching to start the season.

2) NY Mets prospect: Mark Vientos

Of all Mets prospects, Vientos is the most likely to crack the opening-day roster. I believe Vientos will play close to 80 games in the MLB this season. Unlike the other Mets prospects, Vientos does not have an obvious future position, which should make the Mets comfortable using Vientos as a designated hitter.

Vientos is competing with Tommy Pham and Darin Ruf for the right-handed designated hitter role, and has outperformed both this spring. Vientos is hitting .288/.321/.500 with two mammoth home runs this spring, while Pham is hitting a porous .167, and Ruf is hitting a dreadful .150.

The Achilles heel of the Mets 2022 season was their lack of power. Vientos could help solve that problem. Vientos hit 24 home runs in Triple-A in 2023. Over the course of five professional baseball seasons, Vientos has cranked 77 home runs.

Vientos strikes out a lot, but provides an element the Mets lineup desperately needs. To put it simply, Vientos can flat-out hit. The young prospect's wRC+ has been above league average at every stop he has made in his minor league career.

Daniel Vogelbach will DH against right-handed pitching, but Vientos should see the bulk of the time against lefties.

3) NY Mets prospect: Francisco Alvarez

The Mets number one prospect will play less than 50 games in the big leagues this season. Billy Eppler has consistently preached how valuable strong defense is, and Alvarez does not yet fit the bill. He needs time to develop as a catcher.

The 21-year-old is by far the best offensive catcher in the Mets organization. That fact could lead Alvarez to force his way onto the roster sooner rather than later. Tomas Nido and Omar Narvaez are both great defensive catchers, but offer very little at the plate.

Alvarez hit 26 home runs in 2022. The young Mets catcher has walked at a high clip at every level of his minor league. His offensive game is fully ready for MLB pitching.

The Mets want the 21-year-old to fully develop as a catcher, which means they will not let him DH, a role he filled last season. The young catcher played in just 45 Triple-A games in 2022. A full season in the top level of the minor leagues will let the youngsters' game fully develop.

As the season progresses, the Mets will realize offense and power win in October, which will lead to Alvarez playing a lot down the stretch.