NEW YORK (AP) — Touted prospect Brett Baty was called up Monday by the New York Mets and immediately inserted into the starting lineup against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baty replaces slumping veteran Eduardo Escobar at third base after getting off to an outstanding start in the minors this season. A first-round draft pick in 2019, the 23-year-old Baty was batting .400 (14 for 35) with five home runs, 15 RBIs and a 1.386 OPS in nine games at Triple-A Syracuse.
The 34-year-old Escobar was hitting .125 with one homer, six RBIs and a .402 OPS in 14 games for the Mets. The switch-hitter is making $9.5 million in the second season of a two-year deal. New York holds a $9 million option for next year with a $500,000 buyout.
A left-handed hitter, Baty was set to start at third base and bat eighth against Dodgers right-hander Dustin May on Monday night.
Baty homered in his first big league plate appearance last August in Atlanta. He played 11 games for the Mets before a thumb injury ended his season. He hit .184 with two homers, five RBIs and a .586 OPS in the majors last year.
Baty is ranked No. 2 among Mets prospects and 19th in baseball by MLB.com. He was drafted 12th overall in 2019 out of Lake Travis High School in Texas.
New York also recalled right-hander Edwin Uceta from Syracuse. Backup outfielder Tim Locastro was placed on the 10-day injured list with back spasms and right-hander José Butto was optioned to Syracuse.
Butto made his second major league start Sunday in Oakland and allowed one run in five-plus innings.
