Port St. Lucy – When spring training begins next year, the key question could be whether Brett Patty is ready to become the third starting player in the Mets.
The organization’s top pick in the 2019 draft, Patty advanced last season as team officials had hoped. Along the way, Patti (along with prospect Francisco Alvarez) represented the Mets at the Futures game over the All-Star Weekend, before entering the Arizona Fall League.
“Last year was my first full season, so I’m ready to get another taste of another full season,” Patty said Sunday after a workout at the Mets junior league camp. “I am looking forward to playing more matches hopefully this year. I am looking forward to the journey.”
The 22-year-old Patty played 91 games last season for High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton and produced a slasher.
In 25 Arizona Fall League games, he owned a .292/.373/.405 slash line with one Homer and 15 RBIs. Player of the Week prizes are included to start his Fall League.
“There are a lot of talented guys out there, and for me to have his name like that, it was just a really big honor,” said Patty. “She swung really well early on and then went into a bit of a slump, but it was great, great exposure there, and great talent.”
Patty has a competition in third base. Mark Ventus enjoyed an offensive break season, with 25 players in 83 games with Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. Because of the interference, the Mets got involved with Ventus and Patty on the field.
But Patty is considered the strongest defensive player at third base, even when the organization works with him to improve his lateral movement.
“We’ve been focused on it, just moving sideways because third base is a very fast position,” Patty said. “You have to be prepared for anything.”
Bate considers it a friendly rivalry with 22-year-old Ventus, a right-winger who may be willing to help the Mets at some point this season.
“We are great friends on and off the field,” said Patty. “The competition is definitely there, but we push each other out really well and improve each other.”
Alvarez (No. 10), Patti (No. 45) and Ronnie Mauricio (No. 53) broke down the MLB Pipeline’s list of the top 100 prospects of the season.
“We have a huge pool of young talent here,” Patty said. “We can all swing it. We can all play in defense, we push each other too, and we’re great friends on and off the field. It’s great to have that basic unit there and we’ll see what happens.”
Alex Ramirez and Jaylene Palmer are among the next wave of prospects in the farm system.
The 19-year-old, Ramirez received a signing bonus of $2.05 million in the international market from the Mets in 2019. Last season, he cut 0.258/.326/.384 with five guards and 35 RBI in 76 games for Low-A St. Lucie. .
“First, he works on that stance, but he also works on hitting me just to get effective movements,” Ramirez said.
Palmer, 21, was drafted as a shortstop from Holy Cross High in Flushing, but he’s starting to receive casts on the field. Last season, he cut 244/.354/.368 with six eyebrows and 39 RBIs in 105 games for St. Lucie and Brooklyn.
“You slept on me a bit, and I’m not going to lie,” Palmer said. “But any way can I get my bat in there.”
.
