Mets president gets honest about Ronald Acuna Jr.'s brother Luisangel's role in Queens

Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr.'s brother Luisangel got a taste of the big leagues after the 22-year-old made his MLB debut for the New York Mets last season.

Luisangel Acuna was promoted to the senior team after Mets All-Star Francisco Lindor struggled with a back issue in the latter half of the season. Luisangel replaced Lindor as the Mets shortstop in his brief stint.

Although the 22-year-old impressed by slashing .308/.325/.641 (.966) OPS in 40 plate appearances in September, he is unlikely to be part of the Opening Day roster.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns gave his honest verdict on Luisangel's inclusion in the Mets' 40-man roster as players report for Spring Training.

"I think that's a discussion we're gonna continue to have throughout camp, and it's a possibility," Stearns said (via @SNY_Mets on X). "He's in that competition, he's part of that competition. But we've got a lot of time to make that decision, with a lot of things that can happen between now and then before we make that decision. So we'll answer that when we need to at the end of camp."

Luisangel Acuna's brief 14-game stint surprised many as the young infielder seemingly underwhelmed in his at-bats for the Triple-A Syracuse before his MLB debut.

"It is unusual when a player reaches the major leagues and consistently performs at a higher level than he performed in Triple-A," Stearns said. "I think another instance of a player who wasn't scared by the moment, and showed up and performed at a high level from day one."

Luisangel Acuna could be a potential option at second base for Mets

With Francisco Lindor healthy and being one of the leaders in the clubhouse, Luisangel Acuna is unlikely to get a look at the shortstop role. However, he can be an option at second base for the Mets.

Luisangel could make a case as the team's starting second baseman, with veteran All-Star Jeff McNeil coming off a slugging 2024 season. However, he will face competition from another young infielder, Brett Batty. The 25-year-old is likely to be tested at second base, with Mark Vientos being the team's starting third baseman.

David Stearns was impressed by Luisangel's defensive ability at shortstop last season.

"With him, let's put offensive contributions aside for a second. The defense is real, and he played at a very high level when Lindor was out. We didn't miss a beat defensively, and I thought that was really impressive," he said.

The Mets's offseason additions have made their intentions clear of another deep postseason run this year and it will be interesting to see if they will take a chance with Luisangel Acuna this year with the stakes higher than ever.