Brett Baty Checks All The Mets Boxes

The Mets knew exactly the type of hitter they wanted in the draft. Brett Baty checked all of their boxes.

The Mets selected the Texas high school third baseman with the 12th overall pick in the draft. The organization was intrigued by a number of different tools, most notably his advanced feel to hit.

“Lefty hitter, advanced swing, combo of power and hit. This is a player we really look for offensively,” scouting director Tommy Tanous said. “Someone who controls the zone and impacts the baseball”

While Baty is 19 1/2 years old and one of the oldest players in the draft, Tanous reiterated how well Baty has done against similar competition.

“We have seen him against age-appropriate competition,” Tanous said. “We didn’t have a lot of concerns about that….We focused on what he can do. He was the most advanced hitter on the board.”

After plenty of looks, the Mets’ brass came away impressed with his overall athleticism.

“This is a young man who was a very good basketball player, someone who can dunk the ball,” Tanous said. “One of his coaches told me that if had he committed to playing football at his high school, he would have been the number one quarterback for his school. He has worked hard to maintain his athleticism.”

As for Baty, the prep third baseman was elated to be picked by the Mets.

“It was a dream come true,” he said. “To shake the commissioner’s hand, to have my family there supporting me, it was a great experience.”

Batty said he modeled his game after some of the league’s top performers.

“I see myself as a Christian Yelich type of hitter,” he said. “I also think of Joey Votto. He is a hitter with power instead of just a power hitter.”