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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets finally call up top infield prospect after impressive run in Triple-A
There's a special kind of roar that echoes through a stadium when a fallen star rises again. For Ronny Mauricio, that moment is now. After tearing his ACL during Winter Ball in late 2023, the 24-year-old infielder was left watching the world move on without him. Advertisement Days blurred into months, and as the 2024 season passed him by, doubt surely crept in. But behind the scenes, he was grinding. Healing. Preparing. Waiting for the call that has finally come. MLB insider Joel Sherman has confirmed what New York Mets fans have been hoping to hear: Mauricio is heading back to the big leagues. And if the numbers are any indication, he's not just back—he's on fire. The numbers don't lie: Mauricio's red-hot streak in Triple-A Imagine a match dropped into dry kindling—that's how quickly Mauricio has ignited the stat sheets in Triple-A. Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images After brief tune-ups in Single-A and Double-A, where he posted a .321 and .402 OPS respectively, he exploded with the Syracuse Mets. Advertisement Through just nine games, Mauricio's slash line sits at a ridiculous .515/.564/.818. That adds up to a 1.382 OPS and a mind-blowing 252 wRC+. To top it off, he's hit three home runs, stolen four bases, scored 10 times, and driven in eight RBI—all while striking out just 12.8 percent of the time. Sure, it's a small sample size, but you don't need a telescope to see a star catching fire. Mauricio is making loud contact, running the bases like his knee never missed a beat, and looking every bit like the top prospect Mets fans once dreamed on. Fitting into the Mets' 2025 puzzle Mauricio's timing couldn't be better. Third baseman Mark Vientos recently went down with a hamstring injury, potentially opening up immediate playing time. Advertisement And with Francisco Lindor entrenched at shortstop, Mauricio's versatility becomes a major asset. He's already shown he can handle second base, and the designated hitter role could offer a less physically demanding way to ease him back into major league speed. For a Mets offense that has sputtered in spurts, Mauricio could be that necessary spark—the unexpected plug in a flickering circuit. The team doesn't need him to be perfect. They just need him to be what he's always been projected to become: an electric bat with pop, speed, and enough swagger to energize a roster that has lacked a consistent offensive identity. Credit: Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports Can he outperform his 2023 debut? His first go-around in the majors, back in 2023, was more learning curve than breakout. He managed a modest 79 wRC+ over 108 plate appearances—a reminder that even the most talented young players often struggle out of the gate. Advertisement But that version of Mauricio was still raw, still adjusting, still finding his footing. Now, he's battle-tested. He's seen adversity not just on the field, but in the hardest way imaginable: by being forced to sit and watch, fully sidelined by injury. That kind of setback rewires an athlete's drive. It can break you—or it can shape you. The signs suggest Mauricio chose the latter. The emotional weight of the moment Think of a boxer, bruised and bloodied, stepping back into the ring after a long layoff. The crowd holds its breath—not because they expect him to win, but because they want to believe he still can. Advertisement Mauricio is stepping into that ring again. And the stakes, while quieter than a championship bout, feel just as personal. This isn't just about one player's comeback. It's about possibility. For the Mets, who have hovered in the realm of 'almost,' and for fans who've waited patiently for a reason to lean forward on the couch instead of sinking back into it. Mauricio might not save the Mets season. But right now, he doesn't need to. He just needs to keep doing what he's done these past few weeks—play with heart, hustle, and the fire of someone who knows how quickly it can all be taken away. Popular reading: Mets lefty reliever makes huge strides in rehab; could be an option in July Advertisement Related Headlines
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mets place A.J. Minter on IL, Ronny Mauricio beginning rehab assignment
The Mets announced on Sunday morning that left-hander reliever A.J. Minter has been placed on the 15-day IL with a left lat strain. In a corresponding move, right-hander José Ureña has been called up from Triple-A Syracuse. Advertisement Minter entered Saturday's win over the Nationals in the eighth inning, but threw just nine pitches before exiting with the training staff. While the initial diagnosis was triceps tightness, further testing showed the injury to be a lat strain. "I can't remember what pitch it was, but about two pitches or a pitch before you can see me move my tricep a little bit, it tightened up," Minter said on Saturday. "I'm just glad it wasn't my elbow. That's what I was happy about. We're probably looking at an IL stint. Come back, get this thing fixed and continue to help the team." Coming off offseason hip surgery, Minter has been outstanding for the Mets, pitching to a 1.64 ERA in 13 games. Ureña, 33, has been well-traveled in his major league career, as the Mets will become his seventh team he's pitched for, including six seasons with the Miami Marlins. Overall, Ureña has a career 4.76 ERA in 232 career games. Ronny Mauricio's rehab assignment begins The Mets also announced that infielder Ronny Mauricio is beginning a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie. Mauricio, the No. 8 prospect in the Mets' system according to Joe DeMayo, initially tore his ACL playing Winter Ball after the 2023 season, and a second procedure was needed to remove scar tissue last August. Not long after that second surgery, Mauricio dealt with inflammation that stalled his recovery a bit, and he was not able to get into a game during spring training or the first few weeks of the regular season.
