New York Mets second baseman Marcus Semien turns 36 in one month. With a slash line of .209/.269/.354 on a last-place team, he doesn’t appear to factor into the franchise’s long-term plans. Neither is Brett Baty. Despite playing multiple positions, Baty’s lack of consistent production will be a factor in his prospects of staying with the team.
In 1,284 at-bats, the former first-round draft pick recorded a .227 average, slugging .360. However, the most consistent part of Vaty’s offensive approach is striking out, something he’s reached 100 times in a season in three of his five seasons. Enter Émilien Pitre, an infield prospect acquired in the Freddy Peralta deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. Will Sammon of The Athletic details the move.
“Among the prospects the New York Mets acquired at the trade deadline, it might not be Jefferson Rojas who makes it to the majors first. They’ve summoned another to Triple-A. After a 0-for-4 day in Double-A, the Mets still decided that awarding Emilien Pitre with a promotion was worth it. The Mets are promoting Émilien Pitre to Triple A, league sources said.
He was one of the three prospects New York acquired from the Rays for Freddy Peralta at the deadline. Heading into today, he was slashing .343/.443/.476 at Double A (202 PAs, combining time at both orgs).”
The Mets are promoting #13 prospect 2B Émilien Pitre to Triple A-Syracuse.
Pitre was one of the prospects acquired from the Rays for Freddy Peralta. So far in 2026, he is slashing .316/.433/.439 with 33 stolen bases. pic.twitter.com/mIFkmaxc67
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 16, 2026
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Eating Contrasts More Than Just an Appetizer
The Mets owe Semien $46 million over the next two seasons. That will take him through the 2028 season, during which he will turn 38. As a result, no opposing general manager with a scintilla of common sense will trade for him without the Mets eating a large portion of the contract. In order to clear the way for the abundant number of prospects that continue to thrive in the minors, like Pitre.
Semien would fit better on an established team, with his advanced age and limited range. Under those circumstances, teams realize that federal manager David Stearns could be desperate to trade him. Forget about receiving a top prospect in return. In fact, the franchise would receive fringe talent with a lower ceiling that could be used to populate a roster.
A three-RBI game for Émelien Pitre! 👏
He's hitting .417 since being acquired from Tampa Bay! pic.twitter.com/xzLyqgvj52
— Mets Player Development (@MetsPlayerDev) August 16, 2026
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A left-handed batter, Pitre will probably not launch 25 home runs in a season. Yet, he will find a way to get on base, either with the ability to take walks or accurate ball placement that sees him drop the ball everywhere. Additionally, Pitre features an extra-base pop, hitting the alleys and landing on second or third.
On the basepaths, Pitre moves well, stealing bases at a 72.9% success rate. In the field, the Quebec-born athlete displays versatility to play all over the infield with better range than Baty or Semien and quicker reflexes than both. Imagine him making the turn on a 6-4-3 double play. The Mets, under Stearns’ watch, preached better defense from the infielders.
Like it or not, the Mets are in a retooling phase, with high-priced talent and a mix of younger players. Players like Baty and Mark Vientos have already shown their abilities. Now, are they ready for Piter next season?
Mets Signal Massive Infield Shakeup: Fast-Rising Prospect Fast-Tracked to Triple-A