Ronny Mauricio is set to turn 25 on April 4, and while that’s still young in the big picture, in baseball terms, he’s reaching a critical point in his development arc. Once a top-100 prospect - peaking at No. 42 on Baseball Prospectus’ list heading into 2021 - Mauricio has been on the radar for years. But for all the hype and promise, his journey with the New York Mets has been anything but straightforward.
Now, under new manager Carlos Mendoza, the plan is clear: Mauricio will start the 2026 season in Triple-A, and he’s going to play - a lot. Mendoza was transparent about the decision, emphasizing the importance of consistent at-bats for Mauricio’s continued growth. After all, the final two months of last season offered him little in terms of playing time, and sitting on the bench at the major league level doesn’t help a young player sharpen his tools.
Last year, Mauricio appeared in 61 games and logged 184 plate appearances. His performance from the left side of the plate showed promise, but he struggled to contribute from the right. It wasn’t a complete wash, but the inconsistency left questions about how the Mets have handled his development - or perhaps more accurately, how they haven’t maximized it.
So where do the Mets really stand on Ronny Mauricio?
That’s a complicated question, in part because of the shifting front office landscape. Mauricio didn’t get a serious look in the majors until 2023, despite being on the 40-man roster since before the 2021 Rule 5 Draft.
That was back when Billy Eppler was still calling the shots, before David Stearns took over baseball operations. In a season where the Mets leaned into young talent - giving extended runs to Francisco Álvarez, Brett Baty, and Mark Vientos - Mauricio was left waiting in Syracuse until rosters expanded in September.
It took a red-hot August to finally force the Mets’ hand and get him to the big leagues.
But even before that, the timeline felt off. Mauricio had a strong 2022 season in Double-A, showing off his power with 26 doubles and 26 homers.
The on-base percentage? Just .296 - a sign of his ongoing struggles with plate discipline.
He was striking out too much and not walking nearly enough. Still, the raw tools were there, and it seemed like the right time to challenge him with Triple-A pitching.
Instead, he stayed in Double-A for the full season.
That decision had ripple effects. The Mets burned his first minor league option in 2022 and used another in 2023, when he spent most of the year in Triple-A.
Then came the offseason injury in Winter League play, which cost him essentially all of 2024. That setback wasn’t the Mets’ fault - injuries happen - but by that point, they had already lost valuable development time.
Now, as the 2026 season approaches, the Mets are nearing a familiar crossroads. Mauricio is out of minor league options after this year, meaning they’ll soon be faced with a decision: either he sticks in the majors, or he’s exposed to waivers. It’s a tightrope walk they’ve been on before with other prospects, and it puts added pressure on Mauricio to make this year count.
Then there’s the position shuffle. For years, Mauricio played exclusively at shortstop in the minors.
That made sense when he was drafted, but once Francisco Lindor signed his long-term deal, the writing was on the wall. Still, the Mets didn’t begin experimenting with Mauricio at other positions until 2023.
By then, he was already deep into his minor league career. He logged 26 games in left field that year, but the experiment didn’t stick - a curious move considering Brandon Nimmo had already been locked into a long-term role in center.
The late transition to third base also raised eyebrows. If Lindor was the shortstop of the present and future, why wait so long to start grooming Mauricio for another infield spot? It’s a fair question, especially with the team looking to build a sustainable core of young talent.
At this point, Mauricio remains a big “maybe.” The tools are still there - the power, the athleticism, the switch-hitting potential - but the window for figuring it all out is narrowing. The Mets are hoping that regular playing time in Triple-A will help him find his rhythm and give them a clearer picture of what he can be at the major league level.
The clock is ticking, but the story’s not over yet. Mauricio’s journey has been winding, and maybe even a little mishandled, but the next chapter is his to write.