"You got Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Joc Pederson, and Mark Vientos" - Ex-Yankees coach spotlights Mets rising star's exceptional ability

When a player finds himself in the company of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto on a statistical leaderboard, it doesn’t take long to get noticed. That’s exactly where Mets infielder Mark Vientos stands, and former Yankees coach Sean Casey made sure to highlight just how special the Mets’ young slugger is.

During a breakdown on MLB Network, Casey praised Vientos’ elite ability to hit for power to all fields and his command of the fastball.

"He’s got slug all over the place," Casey said. "He can pull the ball down the line, left-center, and he can go desert. That right there — pitches middle-in, and he can still shoot you to right with power."

"He is one of the best in baseball at handling that fastball up in the zone," Casey added. "When you can cover that as a hitter, you become a major problem for pitchers in this league."

Casey then referenced a key leaderboard that places Vientos among baseball’s elite power hitters.

"Look at the names right here — 2024 slug leaders versus fastballs 2.75 or more feet up in the zone," Casey said.

"You've got Judge, Juan Soto, Joc Pederson — who had an incredible year — and Mark Vientos. You're talking about a guy who's starting to figure it out and really becoming a great young player in the game."

Mark Vientos could shift to first base in 2025 amid uncertainty concerning Pete Alonso's free agency

The New York Mets have a looming question mark at first base. When the offseason began, many expected them to re-sign Pete Alonso. However, as the season has progressed, negotiations have stalled, leaving uncertainty about who will play first base if the Mets fail to bring back Alonso.

Mark Vientos is the most likely replacement. He has prior experience at the position, having played 84 games at first base.

Another name in the conversation is Brett Baty, though he lacks the experience Vientos has at the position. If Alonso does not return, the most probable scenario is Vientos shifting from third to first base for the 2025 season.