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With a disappointing 20-23 start, the New York Mets have recalled corner infield prospect Mark Vientos from Triple-A. Vientos is having a fantastic season with Triple-A Syracuse. Through 38 games, he is slashing .333/.416/.688 with 13 home runs, 26 runs, 37 RBI, and an 11.4% walk rate.
It isn't the 23-year-old’s first go-around; he debuted with the Mets last season, slashing .167/.268/.278 with a home run, three RBI, and three runs in 16 games. Having faced only 183 pitches, there's no reason to overreact to Statcast data. However, his max exit velocity of 111.9 mph should enlighten you about his power capabilities.
The Florida native has gained a reputation as one of the better power-hitting prospects in the minors. He’s mashed 49 home runs over the past two seasons, and with 13 home runs through 38 games this season, he was well on his way to topping his career-high 25 home runs.
Mark Vientos homers for Syracuse 💪 pic.twitter.com/HYhToz0DBU
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 17, 2023
Despite his skill on the offensive end, his poor defense may prevent him from ever getting a decent foothold in the majors. He’s taken reps at third and first this season with Syracuse. He sports a 99.1% fielding percentage at first and a 94.8% fielding percentage at third. With a 26.2 ft/sec sprint speed, he’s too slow to play good defense anywhere but first base.
That would not be too much of a concern elsewhere, but Pete Alonso’s presence leaves him with seemingly no place on the major-league roster. Considering his defensive struggles, his best option long-term is to replace the struggling Tommy Pham (76 wRC+) as the platoon mate for the left-handed Daniel Vogelbach. If Vientos stays on the roster, he'll take starts against left-handed pitchers.
Regardless, the Mets will want to get him reps somewhere in the early going. The Mets offense is floundering to start the season, ranking 19th in batting average, 21st in runs scored, and 24th in SLG.
He is skilled enough on offense to be a solid fantasy contributor, but he'll either have to make serious strides as a fielder or hit out of his mind against right-handed pitchers. While he only maintains DH/UTIL on most fantasy platforms, he'll likely gain eligibility at third base within the next week as the Mets will want to give him a chance in the field. You should grab Vientos off waiver wires but hold off on dropping anyone important in shallower leagues.
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