PORT ST. LUCIE — Looking back, Brett Baty should have known something was up when the Mets traveling secretary, Edgar Suero, asked him for his car insurance this week.
Baty was rewarded by Juan Soto for giving up No. 22 on Thursday morning, when the star outfielder surprised him with a brand new Chevy Tahoe in front of the entire team at Clover Park. Soto dropped nearly $100,000 ($92,000, to be exact, roughly a $30,000 increase from the sticker price of the baseline models) on the wheels for Baty, which is a fraction of the AAV on his contract, but the gesture was meaningful nonetheless.
“It’s amazing just for him to be able to think of something and to do something like that,” Baty said. “I mean, I couldn’t be more grateful. I’m just really excited that he’s on our team and that I get to learn from him, and just learn from one of the best leaders in the game. It was super exciting going out there and seeing that, for sure.”
Baty didn’t mind giving up 22, saying it was “just a number.” The Mets still wanted to clear it with him, and Soto sent him a message shortly before his press conference in New York assuring him that he would repay the favor.
“He actually had no excuses or anything he just gave it away for me, I’m just thankful for that,” Soto said. “I made sure he’s going to really appreciate it.”
Soto then went to work trying to find out Baty’s dream car.
The 25-year-old infielder has been driving the same car since high school, a 2016 Toyota 4Runner with approximately 150,000 miles on it. Over the last few years, he’s been talking with Mark Vientos and Suero about getting a new car, saying he would get “something spacious like a Tahoe,” but never made any moves to go through with it. Toyotas run forever, Baty said, why get a new car when the old one was still running fine?
Still, Suero took note, relaying to Soto that Baty wanted black on black, and Soto added a few extra upgrades.
Thursday morning, Suero pushed Baty to go outside before the team’s workout, saying there was something he had to see.
“It was kind of fishy, too. Edgar, like he asked me for my car insurance yesterday,” Baty said. “I figured something was coming, but I didn’t expect that.”
For the third year in a row, Baty is in camp fighting for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Once one of the top prospects in the Mets’ minor league system, Baty and Vientos battled it out for that spot on the big league roster until Vientos won it outright with a 27-homer season in 2024. Baty started the season at third while Vientos started last year in Triple-A and showed defensive strides, but his bat was still inconsistent. The Mets had hoped he could get the ball in the air more, but eventually, the team had to make a move for Vientos to help jumpstart a moribund lineup last June.
Baty is hoping to take some hitting tips from Soto, another left-handed hitter.
“I really enjoy watching the drills that he does in the cage. I love how he lets the ball travel until the last possible second, and then whips the bat through the zone. I think he really understands how long he has to see the ball, which is why he has such a good eye,” Baty said. “I don’t usually get impressed easily with BP, but I saw three swings yesterday, and they were 111 [MPH off the bat], 111, 114, and I was very, very, impressed. He’s one of the best, if not the best hitter in the league, so I’m really excited that he’s on our team.”
After going down to Triple-A, Baty took reps at second base with the Mets hoping to use him in a utility role. He’s competing with Nick Madrigal and Luisangel Acuña for the utility spot. Neither Baty, nor Madrigal have played shortstop in the big leagues, but the two are taking reps and learning alongside one another in camp.
Baty isn’t quite ready to let go of the 4Runner yet, but he’s ready for a new season with his new number. He chose No. 7, the same number worn by Jose Reyes, Joe Mauer and Kevin Durant. Reyes, the former Mets shortstop, and Mauer were two of his favorite players growing up, while Durant wore No. 7 in Brooklyn and played at the University of Texas in Baty’s hometown of Austin.