Mark Vientos

Mark Vientos
Vientos with the Mets in 2024
New York Mets – No. 27
Third baseman
Born: (1999-12-11) December 11, 1999 (age 24)
Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 11, 2022, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2024)
Batting average.243
Home runs37
Runs batted in96
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
15U Baseball World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2014 Mazatlán Team

Mark Anthony Vientos (born December 11, 1999), nicknamed "Swaggy V", is an American professional baseball third baseman for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Mets in the second round of the 2017 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2022.

Early life and amateur career

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Vientos was born in Norwalk, Connecticut.[1] His mother Katy Wilmor was born in Nicaragua, while his father Carlos Manuel “Charles” Vientos was born in the Dominican Republic but was raised in New York. Mark’s father became a fan of the New York Mets, whose rooting interest and being taught how to play the game, had passed onto him as well.[2][3]

Vientos grew up a fan of Alex Rodríguez and Manny Machado having liked their “swag” and because they both grew up in Miami as he did and who both also switched from shortstops in their respective careers to third basemen. Vientos because of his dad, also grew up a fan of former Mets captain David Wright, another third basemen. Vientos had worn Wright’s number 5 in his youth admiring how he had played the game.[4]

Vientos spent his first three years of high school at Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Florida.[5] In 2016, as a junior, he hit .321.[6] That summer, he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park.[7] He transferred to American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida for his senior year in 2017.[8] As a senior, he hit .417 over 26 games.[9] After the season, he was selected by the New York Mets in the second round (59th overall) of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[10][11] Vientos signed with the Mets for $1.5 million, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at the University of Miami.[12]

Professional career

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After signing with the Mets, Vientos made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets before being promoted to the Kingsport Mets of the Rookie-level Appalachian League. Over 51 games between the two clubs, he batted .262 with four home runs and 26 RBIs.[13] He returned to Kingsport in 2018, slashing .287/.389/.489 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in sixty games.[14] In 2019, he played with the Columbia Fireflies of the Single–A South Atlantic League, hitting .255/.300/.411 with 12 home runs, 62 RBI, and 27 doubles over 111 games.[15][16] After the season, he was named the Mets Minor League Hitter of the Year.[17]

Vientos did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies of the Double-A Northeast.[19] After slashing .281/.346/.580 with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs over 72 games, he was promoted to the Syracuse Mets of the Triple-A East in early September.[20] Over 11 games with Syracuse, Vientos batted .278 with three home runs.[21]

On November 19, 2021, the Mets selected Vientos' contract and added him to the 40-man roster.[22] He returned to Syracuse to begin the 2022 season.[23] In early June, he was placed on the injured list with knee discomfort, but returned just a little over a week later.[24][25] He was selected to represent the Mets at the 2022 All-Star Futures Game alongside Francisco Álvarez.[26] Over 101 games with Syracuse, he slashed .280/.358/.519 with 24 home runs and 72 RBI.[27]

2022

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On September 10, 2022, the Mets promoted Vientos to the major leagues.[28] He made his MLB debut the next night at Marlins Park versus the Miami Marlins as the team's designated hitter, going hitless over five at-bats with two strikeouts as the Mets won 9-3.[29] On September 15, Vientos recorded his first major-league hit, a single off Eric Stout of the Pittsburgh Pirates.[30] On September 24, Vientos hit his first major league home run, off Oakland Athletics starter Ken Waldichuk.[31]

Vientos with the New York Mets during a wild card playoff game in 2022

2023

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Vientos was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to begin the 2023 season.[32] Through May 16, 2023, Vientos had 13 home runs and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of 1.104. On May 17, the Mets promoted Vientos to the major leagues in an effort to spark their struggling offense. He started at third base that night and hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning.[33] In 65 games for New York, Vientos batted .211/.253/.367 with 9 home runs and 22 RBI.

2024

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Vientos was again optioned to Triple–A Syracuse to begin the 2024 season,[34] but was later called up for the remainder of a series against the St. Louis Cardinals after Starling Marte was transferred to the bereavement list.[35] In that series, he would go 3-for-4 with 3 hits, two RBIs, one run, and a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to avoid a sweep.[36]

On April 30, Vientos was demoted back to Triple–A Syracuse when Starling Marte was activated from the bereavement list.[37] However, on May 15, Vientos was promoted back to the major leagues after Joey Wendle was designated for assignment.[38]

In 2024, Vientos appeared in 111 games for the Mets, batting .266/.322/.516 with a career-high 27 home runs and 71 RBI.[39]

In his postseason debut, Vientos hit a go-ahead 2-RBI single in Game 1 of the 2024 National League Wild Card Series.[40] In Game 2 of the 2024 National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, he hit a go-ahead two-run home run to put the Mets in the lead at 2–0, and later hit another two-run home run to tie the game 6–6, which marked his first two career postseason home runs.[41] In Game 2 of the 2024 National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Vientos hit his first career grand slam in the 2nd inning giving the Mets a 7–3 win. It was also the third postseason grand slam in Mets history.[42][43] During the postseason, Vientos slashed .327/.362/.636 with five home runs and 14 RBIs[44] with the 14 RBIs setting a Mets franchise record for postseason RBIs in a single season.[45]

International eligibility

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Vientos has appeared at the youth level for the United States and captured a silver medal at the 2014 15U Baseball World Cup. Vientos would also be eligible to represent either the Dominican Republic or Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic, due to the places of birth of his parents but he would also be able to instead represent Puerto Rico and even as a native in the Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente. While Vientos’ paternal grandmother was born in the Dominican Republic, his paternal grandfather (her spouse) was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico in 1945, which would effectively give him four eligible countries to choose from and represent in the Classic.[3]

Prior to the 2023 World Baseball Classic, it was initially reported that Vientos would play for Nicaragua but he ultimately did not appear on the team's roster opting to instead participate in practices with his Mets teammates throughout the spring.[46]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Mark Vientos Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Eddy, Matt (October 16, 2017). "2017 MLB Draft Grades: New York Mets". Baseball America. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Maldonado Ríos, Antolín, ed. (October 9, 2024). "La historia de Mark Vientos, el jugador revelación de los Mets y quien tiene ascendencia dominicana y puertorriqueña". El Nuevo Día. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  4. ^ Serby, Steve, ed. (July 14, 2024). "Serby's Sunday Q&A With … Mark Viento's". New York Post. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  5. ^ Crawford, Christopher (June 13, 2016). "Way-too-early look at top players available for 2017 MLB draft - Sports Illustrated". Si.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Kevin Askeland (January 18, 2017). "Top 10 high school Major League Baseball Draft prospects for 2017". MaxPreps. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  7. ^ Fernandez, Andre C. (July 21, 2016). "Locals invited to Perfect Game All-American Classic". Miami Herald.
  8. ^ Zielinski, Dan (August 20, 2014). "Mark Vientos determined to win state championship". The 3rd Man In. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Dusenbury, Wells (June 12, 2017). "McCarthy's Joe Perez, Heritage's Mark Vientos selected in 2nd round of MLB draft". baltimoresun.com.
  10. ^ "Mets draft third baseman Mark Vientos at 59". Mlb.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  11. ^ NJ.com, Joe Giglio | NJ Advance Media for (June 13, 2017). "5 things to know about Mets' 2nd-round pick". nj.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Mets sign Draft pick Mark Vientos". Mlb.com. June 20, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  13. ^ MAYS, KEVIN (June 16, 2018). "'Gifted defenders, gifted hitters, a lot of pitching depth' have K-Mets' Ratliff eager for season". timesnews.net.
  14. ^ Puma, Mike (November 10, 2018). "Mark Vientos Answers Questions And Then Some". www.baseballamerica.com.
  15. ^ "NY Mets: Mark Vientos comes in as team's No. 7 prospect". Northjersey.com. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  16. ^ Cerrone, Matthew (September 20, 2019). "Everything you need to know about Mets' Hitting Prospect of the Year Mark Vientos". SNY.tv. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  17. ^ Puma, Mike (August 26, 2019). "Mark Vientos Named New York Mets 2019 Minor League Player Of The Year". www.baseballamerica.com.
  18. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled". June 30, 2020.
  19. ^ "Rumble Ponies prepare for the start of the season". wbng.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021.
  20. ^ "Mets promote prospect Mark Vientos to Triple-A Syracuse". Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  21. ^ Dykstra, Sam (December 13, 2021). "Meet the Mets' 2021 Organization All-Stars". MiLB.com.
  22. ^ "Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos among four added to Mets' 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 deadline".
  23. ^ @SyracuseMets (April 5, 2022). "Our Opening Day roster is set! Meet your 2022 Syracuse Mets #letsgo" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Mets' Mark Vientos: Managing knee discomfort". June 4, 2022.
  25. ^ "Mets Daily Prospect Report, 6/13/22: P-p-p-p-prospect P-p-p-p-power". June 13, 2022.
  26. ^ Abriano, Danny (July 12, 2022). "Mark Vientos joins Francisco Alvarez on 2022 MLB Futures Game roster". SNY.tv. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  27. ^ Sanchez, Robert (September 10, 2022). "Mets Prospect Roundup: Mark Vientos goes deep for 24th time in Triple-A". SNY.tv. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  28. ^ Hansmann, Adam (September 11, 2022). "Mets assign Starling Marte to IL; call up Mark Vientos". The New York Times.
  29. ^ "Mets' Mark Vientos: Hitting eighth in debut". September 11, 2022.
  30. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates vs New York Mets Box Score: September 15, 2022". Baseball Reference.
  31. ^ "Mark Vientos Heating Up, Cracks First Career Home Run". metsmerizedonline.com. September 25, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "Mets' Mark Vientos: Optioned to Syracuse". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  33. ^ Hoffman, Benjamin (May 17, 2023). "The Mets Get a Shot of Offense by Calling Up a Top Prospect". The New York Times. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  34. ^ "Mets' Mark Vientos: Fails to make Opening Day roster". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  35. ^ McShane, Chris (April 27, 2024). "Mets place Marte on bereavement list, Smith on IL, call up Vientos and Núñez". Amazin' Avenue. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  36. ^ Puma, Mike (April 28, 2024). "Mark Vientos walks off Mets with homer in 11th for win over Cardinals". Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  37. ^ "Mets' Mark Vientos: Heads back to minors". CBSSports.com. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  38. ^ "Mets call up Mark Vientos; Wendle DFA'd". MLB.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  39. ^ "Mark Vientos Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  40. ^ "'Hungry' Mark Vientos, savvy J.D. Martinez 'pass baton' in Mets' Game 1 win". sny.tv. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  41. ^ MLB [@MLB] (October 6, 2024). "Oppo pop for Mark Vientos' first career #postseason home run! #NLDS" (Tweet). Retrieved October 6, 2024 – via Twitter.
  42. ^ "Mets' Mark Vientos hits a GRAND SLAM against the Dodgers | MLB on FOX". FOX Sports. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  43. ^ Sportsdesk, B. V. M. (October 14, 2024). "Mark Vientos Blasts a NLCS Grand Slam". BVM Sports. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  44. ^ Mets see Mark Vientos develop into 'big-time player' despite 'bittersweet' end to season in NLCS at Dodgers, Yahoo Sports, October 21, 2024
  45. ^ Mark Vientos sets Mets franchise record amid tense Game 6 vs. Dodgers, Clutch Points, October 20, 2024
  46. ^ Gabbianelli, Anthony (February 8, 2023). "Morning Briefing: World Baseball Classic Rosters To Be Revealed Thursday". Metsmerized Online. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
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