Mark Vientos is movin’ on up.
The Mets promoted the third baseman, their No. 6 overall prospect, to Triple-A Syracuse, sources told the Daily News on Monday.
Vientos, 21, crushed 22 home runs and slashed .281/.346/.580 in 72 games for Double-A Binghamton this season. He split time between third base (41 games), left field (12 games), first base (11 games) and designated hitter for Binghamton as the Mets continue to develop Vientos defensively.
Vientos was drafted in 2017 by the Mets in the second round (59th overall) as a 17-year-old out of American Heritage High School in Florida — the same program that produced All-Star Eric Hosmer. The Mets signed Vientos to a $1.5 million bonus, about half a million above the recommendation for the slot, which kept him from attending the University of Miami instead.
Vientos leads all Mets minor leaguers in home runs this year as power remains the slugger’s biggest asset. He has spent four seasons in pro ball, plus 2020 at the Mets alternate training site in Brooklyn.
He is expected to make his major-league debut in 2022.
DOM RETURNS TO ACTIVE ROSTER
Dominic Smith returned from the bereavement list on Monday before the Mets’ series finale against the Nationals in Washington. Smith was not in the lineup against left-hander Patrick Corbin, but he was available off the bench.
The Mets optioned catcher Chance Sisco to Triple-A Syracuse as the corresponding move. In addition, right-hander Stephen Nogosek was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
J.D. OUT VS. CORBIN
As manager Luis Rojas continues to play the red-hot hand in Jonathan Villar at third base, J.D. Davis was out of the starting lineup against Corbin and the Nationals despite his terrific career numbers against the southpaw. Davis is hitting .345 (10-for-29) with four home runs and six RBI in his career against Corbin.
Rojas said it was tough to bench Davis on Monday, but he had to start Villar at third given his scorching performance at the plate of late. Villar could move around the infield and play shortstop or second base against Corbin, but Francisco Lindor and Javy Baez are both playing well, too.
So, Davis was assigned to a bench role before he entered the game in the seventh to pinch-hit against Corbin. He immediately got on base, lining an infield single that deflected off Corbin’s foot to leadoff the frame.
Davis has started just four games in the past two weeks for the Mets, seeing his playing time decrease with Villar ripping 16 hits since Aug. 28, the most in the majors, and batting .457 in that span.
JAKE SLOWLY RAMPING UP
Jacob deGrom (right elbow inflammation) has yet to progress to throwing off the slope as he rehabs his way back from an injury that has caused him to miss the second half of the season. DeGrom is continuing to play catch at 100 feet on flat ground. Rojas said on Monday that once he plays catch at 120-150 feet in distance, the Mets will begin talking about his next step, which is advancing to the mound.
The calendar is working against deGrom as the Mets have just over three weeks remaining on the regular-season schedule to make their final push for the playoffs. The team had previously expected deGrom to return to the rotation in mid-September, but that target date seems increasingly unlikely given the speed at which he is ramping up.
