David Stearns touts Brett Baty’s versatility with Mets committed to developing young players

SAN ANTONIO — There are holes that request to beryllium filled done free agency and nan Mets are much of a win-now squad than a twelvemonth ago, but a basal tenet remains successful spot for nan beforehand office.

Develop young talent.

It’s a constituent president of shot operations David Stearns reaffirmed Tuesday astatine nan GM meetings erstwhile discussing Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña, successful particular, and their futures pinch nan Mets.

“Regardless of what offseason we’re going to have, sloppy of wherever we are from an statement perspective, we person to let young players to play,” Stearns said. “This is going to beryllium existent each azygous twelvemonth for america and we were capable to spot that this twelvemonth pinch Mark [Vientos] coming up and really establishing himself and if we let ourselves to person those opportunities successful early years arsenic good we’re going to get rewarded for it.”

Vientos began past outpouring successful title for nan 3rd guidelines occupation and was sent to Triple-A Syracuse to statesman nan season.

He sewage his changeable successful mid-May and excelled, pinch a breakout play that included 27 homers and an .837 OPS.

Now it’s Baty (who began past play arsenic nan starting 3rd baseman) successful nan operation for different opportunity.

The 24-year-old saw action astatine 2nd guidelines past play for Syracuse and Stearns won’t norm retired nan anticipation of giving him a chance successful nan outfield.

“We learned a batch astir Brett this year,” Stearns said. “We learned that he’s capable to return a punch and spell down and support moving and I deliberation we besides learned that he’s capable to play aggregate positions, and he picked up 2nd guidelines beautiful quickly to nan constituent we were considering adding him to a postseason roster pinch nan imaginable of playing immoderate 2nd base. That is beautiful significant. And his expertise to do that leads maine to judge that if we inquire him to beryllium capable to play further positions.”

Acuña sewage an opportunity pinch nan Mets precocious successful nan play pinch Francisco Lindor battling little backmost discomfort and brought power to nan lineup and infield.

The 22-year-old rookie posted a .966 OPS successful 14 games and possibly changed perceptions astir him successful nan statement aft an underwhelming play offensively pinch Syracuse.

“Any clip you are capable to make an belief astatine nan awesome convention level it’s a bully thing,” Stearns said. “And he evidently performed astatine a very important clip of nan play for us. We besides understand it was a mates of weeks and I deliberation we person a important magnitude of capacity and history connected each of those guys to autumn backmost on.”

Mauricio, 23, missed past play rehabbing from room to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament successful his correct knee.

Mauricio later underwent further room to region scar tissue.

Stearns successful precocious October said location was interest Mauricio hadn’t resumed shot activity.

On Tuesday, Stearns said nan infielder was coming disconnected a “good week” of rehab and nan anticipation is he will beryllium fresh for outpouring training.

As it stands, nan 2nd guidelines occupation belongs to Jeff McNeil — nan squad still could look to re-sign Jose Iglesias — but Baty, Acuña and Mauricio could fig into nan operation successful immoderate capacity.

“If each of them are patient and playing good it’s a awesome conundrum to have,” Stearns said. “I for illustration having aggregate young players who person nan type of talent those guys have, who tin each play aggregate positions. If that’s wherever we are travel outpouring training, that is simply a very enviable position to beryllium in.”