Mets to promote highly touted prospect who has an alarming trait

In the midst of a lost season, the New York Mets are about to assess what they have for the future. 

With MLB rosters set to expand from 26 to 28 players on Friday, the Mets are expected to call up highly touted prospect Ronny Mauricio, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Mauricio has impressed throughout this season at Triple-A, boasting a .292/.346/.506 slash line with 23 home runs and 24 steals over 116 games. The switch hitter is coming off a torrid August in which he hit .303/.373/.586 and had eight stolen bases and 11 walks — each career-highs for any month.

While Mauricio's bat has routinely shined during stints in Double-A, spring training and the Dominican Winter League — in which he won the MVP award this offseason — his fielding raises cause for concern. A natural shortstop, the Mets' No. 4 prospect has no room at the major league position with Francisco Lindor occupying the spot for the foreseeable future.

The Mets have experimented with positioning Mauricio all over the field in hopes that one role would stick. The 22-year-old began playing second base in June, moved to left field in July and tried third base in the beginning of August. But when third baseman Brett Baty was sent down following the MLB trade deadline, Mauricio returned to second, where he's expected to play in the majors. 

Mauricio's fielding remains a work in progress, as he's made 23 errors — 12 of which have come at second base — this season for the Syracuse Mets. His hitting, however, should translate nicely to the MLB, with the young slugger sporting the most hits in the International League at 143 entering play Thursday.

Several fellow "Baby Mets" have already expressed their excitement about reuniting with Mauricio in the majors as they look to solidify their role with the Mets in 2024 and beyond.