WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The video games may not rely but however the effort does.
Brett Baty, the Mets’ No. 2-ranked prospect, had a powerful exhibiting within the first Grapefruit League sport of the season Saturday afternoon on the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. In his first at-bat of the spring, the 23-year-old third base prospect took Houston right-hander Brandon Bielak greater than 400 toes lifeless heart for a two-run homer within the first inning. He reached base 3 times going 2-for-2 with the house run, single and a stroll.
“The first pitch was a curveball and it was down, the second pitch was a curveball and then the third one, I was sitting on a heater,” Baty mentioned. “I got it. I got it up in the air and it worked out.”
This got here someday after he had two spectacular hits within the Mets’ Friday intrasquad contest. Baty hit a line drive over the pinnacle of shortstop Francisco Lindor and doubled to the warning monitor in left-center.
“I’m seeing it well right now,” Baty mentioned. “I’m just trying to stay within myself and hit the ball hard to all fields. It’s working out right now.”
Baty additionally tried a diving catch in foul territory at third base. The Mets have made it clear that Baty won’t be known as as much as the Major Leagues if he’s not capable of defend at a excessive degree and common supervisor Billy Eppler reiterated this in the course of the first week of camp. Eppler doesn’t need younger prospects like Baty, Mark Vientos or Francisco Alvarez to be uncovered defensively, even when they will hit Major League pitching, and he doesn’t need the Mets to should sacrifice protection to accommodate younger bats.
Baty did make an error at third base, dropping a grounder within the second inning. But that is solely the beginning of Baty’s spring audition. There is loads for him to achieve from spring coaching and for the Mets to glean about their future third baseman as Eduardo Escobar and lots of different lineup regulars head off to the World Baseball Classic.
Baty arrived in Port St. Lucie just a few weeks forward of his report date in an effort to work on his protection away from the turf fields of Texas. Although he’s going by a development program, he seems to be forward of schedule, already in early-season type and feeling as if he can play all 9 innings.
“I feel like I’m seeing it well, I feel like my defense is there too and I feel like my body is handling it well,” Baty mentioned. “I feel great.”
EXTRA BAGS
The Mets proceed Grapefruit League motion at 6:10 p.m., at dwelling at Clover Field in opposition to the Miami Marlins. …
Tim Locastro, a reserve outfielder who’s hoping to make the workforce through the use of his legs bought off to an excellent begin with a stolen base within the first inning. There have been three stolen bases within the sport, the primary performed with the brand new, enlarged bases. …
Adam Ottavino was the one common to make an look on the mound within the first sport. He was the recipient of some shaky protection with Baty’s error, two stolen bases and a collision between infielders Luis Guillorme and Jonathan Arauz put two on with one out. Ottavino confronted first and third with one out, however bought out of the jam with Rylan Bannon getting caught in a rundown and Mauricio Dubon grounding out to finish the inning.
“It kind of hopped up,” Baty mentioned of the bottom ball he booted. “I’ve got to turn my glove around. I’ve got to know better than that. I can’t be making the same mistakes over and over again. At the end of the day, I’ve got to own it and make the play next time.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com