The New York Mets infield is pretty much set: Pete Alonso will play first, Francisco Lindor will be the starting shortstop, and the team has Jeff McNeil as an option for second and third.
Eduardo Escobar can also fill both positions, and young third baseman Brett Baty is an option for the hot corner.
The Mets, however, have an impressive infield prospect proving himself at every stop since last year.
Ronny Mauricio, a top prospect for several years now, has been turning heads in spring training for New York.
He is up to three home runs already in about a week worth of games.
RONNY MAURICIO HAS DONE IT AGAIN
His third home run of spring training! 💥 pic.twitter.com/i0ap2sFjxQ
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 1, 2023
The young Dominican, who was crowned the MVP of the Lidom after a marvelous winter, has easy power and projects as a 25-homer guy in the majors, with the potential for more than that.
He played the entire 2022 season in Double-A, and while his .259/.296/.472 line may not jump out to the eye, his totals do.
Mauricio hit 26 home runs and stole 20 bases, with 89 RBI to boot.
Sure, his on-base ability is still a work in progress and he can have problems while expanding the zone against elite pitching, but he is still 21 and has more than enough time to refine his approach.
If he continues his hot spring, there is a slight chance Mauricio makes the team out of camp, but it’s extremely unlikely because the organization likely prefers him playing every day.
At the moment, with the talent ahead of him, Triple-A is the best place for him to start 2023.
Injuries and trades could open up a spot for him in the Mets lineup at some point.
He is an exciting player to follow this year.
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