Mets call up prospect Mark Vientos: How will his bat fit in New Yorks lineup?

June 20, 2024

The Mets are calling up prospect Mark Vientos, the team announced Wednesday, optioning infielder Luis Guillorme to Triple A. Here’s what you need to know:

Through 38 games with Triple-A Syracuse this season, Vientos is batting .333 with 13 home runs and 37 RBIs.
Vientos ranked No. 7 on The Athletic’s Keith Law’s top 20 Mets prospects list for 2023.
Vientos has split time at third base and first base this season.
A 2017 second-round pick by New York, Vientos made his MLB debut in September, recording his first hit in his fourth game.

The Mets are calling up Mark Vientos, as @JeffPassan first reported.

Vientos has always produced at Triple A with a .942 OPS and 40 home runs in 150 career games at the level.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) May 17, 2023

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Why now?

Vientos has spent more than a year crushing the ball at the Triple-A level, showcasing a type of power that the major-league roster severely lacks. Before they homered three times on Tuesday night, the Mets had gone more than 50 innings without a long ball — their longest drought since July 2015, the week before they both called up top prospect Michael Conforto and traded for Yoenis Céspedes.

Vientos, meanwhile, has 13 homers in 38 Triple-A games this season and 40 in 150 Triple-A games in his career. He’s mashed both lefties and righties this season and significantly lowered his strikeout rate. Buck Showalter talks often about how he wants to see minor leaguers master a level. Vientos has obviously mastered Triple-A offensively.

“I’m just trying to make it as simple as possible,” Vientos said of his refined approach. “Do damage when I get my pitch.”

The Mets recently had multiple evaluators, including Carlos Beltrán, get a closer look at the Triple-A club. General manager Billy Eppler said “everybody endorsed” a promotion for Vientos.

“We just want to add some more offense to the lineup,” Eppler continued. “Mark’s brought a power element. He’s done everything asked of him at Triple A. He’s made good decisions in the batter’s box…. He did the things we value.” — Britton

How does he fit?

The Mets had been cautious to call up Vientos because of the lack of a clear role. Eppler even mentioned Wednesday that the team has received production from Vientos’ main positions at first and third. At designated hitter, the club has repeatedly cited its affinity for Vogelbach’s on-base prowess, even as the power hasn’t followed, and it’s liked Pham’s exit velocities, even without on-field results.

“He’s going to play tonight and we’re going to see how it evolves,” Showalter said Wednesday. “We hope he makes a big contribution to a win tonight and gives us another good option to make making out a lineup hard.”

Vientos got the nod at third base on Wednesday against Tampa Bay’s left-handed opener, Josh Fleming. At the moment, the Mets are only slated to face one more left-handed pitcher over the next nine days: Drew Smyly in Chicago on Tuesday. While Showalter wouldn’t project anything beyond Wednesday, it would be strange if New York made this move now expecting to limit Vientos only to looks against lefties. In Triple A, at least, Vientos hit righties to the tune of a .327 average, .415 on-base percentage and outrageous .690 slugging.

“It’s an opportunity for him,” Eppler said, “and I hope he runs with it.” — Britton

What this means for the rest of the roster

With Guillorme sent down to Triple A, veteran Eduardo Escobar may see more time around the infield. Since being supplanted by Brett Baty as New York’s everyday third baseman exactly a month ago, Escobar is 9-for-23 with three home runs. Escobar is now the primary backup at second base, where he started Wednesday, and shortstop in addition to first.

Vientos’ addition is also likely to initially cut into the playing time of Vogelbach and Pham. The club could make further changes later in the week: Catcher Gary Sánchez can opt out of his minor-league deal on Friday. The Mets could swap Sánchez for current backup Michael Pérez to further supplement their offense. — Britton

Scouting report

Vientos makes very hard contact that should lead to 20-30 homers a year in the majors depending on how much he’s able to put the ball in play, as he’s been a high-whiff guy in Triple A, especially on pitches in the zone that he should hit. It’s possible cutting down on the strikeouts will cost him power and this is just what he is: a low-OBP, high-power guy who can sort of handle third but would be better at first. — Law

Required reading

(Photo: Rhona Wise / USA Today)

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