Minor League Mondays: Expect to see Mark Vientos’ name in trade rumors this week

The trade deadline is on Friday and the New York Mets figure to be very active. The Mets have been linked to pretty much every big name on the market, including Kris Bryant, Craig Kimbrel, and Max Scherzer, so the odds of a deal would appear to be pretty high. The plan, for now, appears to be to avoid the top tier of the farm system in deals by targeting rentals but there still has to be an attractive prospect to draw the interest of selling teams. One guy who could fit the bill is Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ third baseman Mark Vientos, who is the focus of this week’s edition of Minor League Mondays.

The Mets’ second-round pick in 2017, Vientos has had a breakthrough season for AA Binghamton. In 56 games for the Rumble Ponies, Vientos is batting .268 with 17 home runs, 46 RBI’s and a .919 OPS in 209 at-bats. Vientos was drafted as a shortstop but moved to third base early in his pro career as a better fit for his 6-foot-4 frame and strong arm. The defense has come along well for Vientos, who has a shot to stick at third in the big leagues, and his power potential has always been the envy of scouts.

MLB.com has rated Vientos as the eighth-best prospect in the Mets’ farm system but he is a good trade candidate because the Mets have no shortage of candidates to fill third base on a long-term basis. Brett Baty, who was drafted in 2019 and is a higher-rated prospect than Vientos, is also a third baseman who forced his way to Binghamton with a strong offensive season, forcing Binghamton to play either him or Vientos in left field to keep both of their bats in the lineup. Ronny Mauricio is also a third-base consideration since he is the Mets’ second-best prospect but plays shortstop, a position that is filled for the next decade by Francisco Lindor.

Vientos may not be necessary as a piece in a rental deal but could be a headliner if the Mets go for a bundle like Bryant and Kimbrel from the Cubs. A move for a player with control beyond this season, such as Minnesota’s Jose Berrios, would also warrant the inclusion of Vientos if the Mets want to avoid their top tier of prospects. It does seem like Vientos will eventually get moved if the Mets decide Baty is their third baseman of the future so he is a name to watch this week as the rumors swirl.