The New York Mets are calling up infielder Ronny Mauricio, per multiple reports on Tuesday, after third baseman/designated hitter Mark Vientos suffered a hamstring injury during Monday night’s 4-3 win in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
The 24-year-old had been ripping it up with Triple-A Syracuse since being sent there full-time following an arduous rehab process stemming from a torn ACL he suffered while playing winter ball in December of 2023. Eight months after his first procedure, he had to undergo a second surgery to remove scar tissue from his right knee, which shelved him for the entirety of last season.
In nine games with Syracuse, Mauricio was slashing .515/.564/.818 (1.382 OPS) with three home runs, eight RBI, and four stolen bases. It further indicated that he has, indeed, returned to 100%, which president of baseball operations David Stearns speculated last month that he was close to reaching.
“I think he’s close,” Stearns said on May 14. “I don’t think I can sit here and say from a quickness-reaction standpoint, it’s exactly the same, but I think he’s very close at this point. We have all indications that he will be able to get back to completely 100% from a physical standpoint.”
His path to the big leagues had been blocked by the logjam of young infielders, whether it be Vientos, Brett Baty, or Luisangel Acuna. But Vientos is expected to miss considerable time after suffering the right hamstring injury while running out a ground ball in the top of the 10th inning on Monday night.
Mauricio could slot in as a utility infielder or a DH option in what will be his second stint in the majors. He made his MLB debut toward the end of the 2023 season, appearing in 26 games. He slashed .248/.296/.347 with two home runs, nine RBI, and seven stolen bases. But it was his exit velocity that headlined his stat line.
Balls put in play by Mauricio left his bat at an average of 90.7 mph and his maximum exit velocity of 117.3 mph, which came on a double against Logan Gilbert of the Seattle Mariners on Sept. 1, was in the top 1% of Major League Baseball that season.
