4 Mets prospects to take off the table in a potential Shohei Ohtani trade

2) NY Mets prospect Brett Baty is off-limits in a Shohei Ohtani trade

Brett Baty is a far more flexible defensive player the Angels might have some interest in. Even with Anthony Rendon on their roster, Baty has shown in the minor leagues how he can become a left fielder. It may still be where he ends up with the Mets.

The need to keep Baty is pretty clear. He has torn up minor league pitching. Many are convinced it’s only a matter of time before he does it in the majors on a consistent basis. Perhaps the shallowest position of all within their entire franchise is at third base. With Eduardo Escobar already losing playing time this season and Mark Vientos not appearing to be a good enough defender at the position, holding onto Baty is pretty important.

The Eppler-led Mets have been careful with all of these position player prospects. There have been opportunities to trade several of them. Baty became the talk of Mets rumors when it looked like the club was going to sign Carlos Correa.

When it comes to a trade for Ohtani, the Angels need to make sure they get something pretty remarkable back in return. The problem with trading Baty is it could create a whole new hole in the lineup the team is unable to fill. Baty’s arrival to the major league roster should safeguard him against any in-season trades right now. The offseason could be a different story.