The New York Mets are, without a shadow of a doubt, going to be sellers at the August 3 trade deadline.
After entering the season with a new core and the second-highest payroll in baseball, the Mets are already shifting their focus to next season. Given how disappointing this year has been, the expectation around New York is that just about everyone is available except Juan Soto, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing and Nolan McLean.
One of the most intriguing groups the Mets must make a decision on is their former "Baby Mets" trio of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Mark Vientos. All three were once viewed as cornerstones of the franchise but have endured disappointing seasons.
In a new report from SNY insider Chelsea Janes, she revealed that while any of the three could be traded, none is considered likely to be moved.
"As much as Mets fans might wish they could offload struggling young players like Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio in exchange for future Mets saviors, none of those three is likely to yield a substantial return."
Janes added that it doesn't necessarily mean the trio won't be traded. She noted Mauricio was someone opposing teams tried to acquire earlier this season.
The biggest takeaway from Janes' report, though, centered around Baty. Despite his struggles this season, the Mets still believe he can become a key part of their future.
"Still, some within the Mets front office still believe Baty will emerge as a lineup staple, which means they will not part with him for nothing."
The Mets aren't going to simply give away Baty just because some fans want them to. The organization still believes in the talent of its 2019 first-round pick. Whether that belief is justified is a whole other question.
This season, the 26-year-old is hitting just .218/.300/.305 with three home runs and 27 RBI. His .605 OPS ranks second-to-last among qualified National League hitters. Those numbers explain why many are calling for Baty's swift removal from Queens.
Then again, it wasn't that long ago Baty looked like he was finally breaking out. Last season, he hit .254/.313/.435 with 18 home runs, a .748 OPS and a 3.0 bWAR. He was even better down the stretch, slashing .308/.370/.496 with seven home runs and an .866 OPS over August and September.
Baty also offers defensive versatility. He can play third base, second base, first base and both corner outfield spots. If the Mets trade him and his bat returns to the player they saw late last season, it would be another painful mistake for the organization.
With so much pressure already on him after this disastrous season, president of baseball operations David Stearns can't afford to make another wrong move.
