Cherington Pirates Shelton
The New York Mets have an abundance of third baseman without a clear role on their 40-man roster after the surprise signing of top free agent Bo Bichette.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, meanwhile, have a need at the hot corner and are still looking to add another bat this offseason.
Could the two teams work out a trade? It’s possible. And there are four options currently on the Mets who could be moved now that Bichette will play third base for New York in 2026.
Brett Baty
A first-round draft pick by the Mets in 2019, Baty finally had a breakout season in 2025 — his fourth year in the big leagues.
The 26-year-old played in a career-high 150 games and hit .254 with a .748 OPS, 13 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, 50 RBI and eight stolen bases. Baty, who totaled 87 games at third base and 57 at second base, made strides defensively combined for seven defensive runs saved.
A left-handed hitter, Baty’s bat profiles well at PNC Park and would continue the trend of adding lefty hitters to the roster this season with Brandon Lowe (acquired from Tampa Bay Rays) and Ryan O’Hearn (signed as a free agent). Baty isn’t arbitration-eligible until next offseason.
Of any of the four options, he would net the most for the Mets in a trade.
Mark Vientos
The Pirates could consider adding a right-handed hitting third baseman as the bulk of the expected top hitters in the lineup bat left-handed, so Vientos is a possibility.
Vientos shined in 2024 when he hit .266 with an .837 OPS, 27 home runs and 71 RBI in 111 games. However, the 26-year-old slashed just .233/.289/.413 with 21 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 61 RBI in 121 games last season.
Defense is also a concern. In 72 games at the hot corner in 2025, Vientos committed eight errors, had minus-10 defensive runs saved and minus-7 outs above average.
But if the Pirates are confident Vientos can return to his 2024 form, they could live with the lackluster glovework.
Ronny Mauricio
A former top 100 prospect still looking for an extended look in the big leagues, Mauricio totaled 61 games for the Mets in 2025 and slashed .226/.293/.369 with six doubles, six home runs, 10 RBI and four stolen bases.
Mauricio tore his ACL while playing winter ball last offseason and missed all of 2024. A second knee procedure cost him time in 2025, so the Pirates would have to be thorough reviewing his medicals.
While he hasn’t shown much with the bat, Mauricio has provided quality defense at third base during his brief big-league career. The 24-year-old had four defensive runs saved in 42 games at third base in 2025.
Luisangel Acuña
Acuña made his MLB debut in 2024 and impressed with a .966 OPS and three home runs in a small 14-game sample. The 23-year-old received a longer look in 2025 but didn’t have the same success.
In 95 games last year, Acuña had a .234/.293/.274 batting line with only seven extra-base hits (all doubles), eight RBI and 16 stolen bases. While he struggled for the Mets, he did bat .303 in 28 games at Triple-A and has a .282/.351/.400 batting line with 206 steals in 533 career minor-league games.
Of any of the four options listed, Acuña has the least experience at third base. He’s also played second base, shortstop and center field in his career.
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