Mark Vientos in a familiar spot needing to again prove his Mets worth

Mark Vientos has been here before. In fact, he is quite used to it. 

And while he and the Mets would obviously prefer the exception — to be coming off a breakout season like he was at this time last year, looking like a key part of the club’s future — Vientos is embracing a familiar feeling in an uncertain offseason following a rough year in Queens. 

“It feels like last year was a lot different from every other year, so I think [this year] is a lot similar to every other year that I had to come back and prove myself again,” Vientos said Friday after handing out turkeys to hundreds of people in need at the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation, part of a city-wide effort through the Amazin’ Mets Foundation ahead of Thanksgiving. 

“But I’m excited. I love proving myself. I love just getting better and trying to improve. I feel like this season I learned a lot about myself, and I’m excited for it.” 

After hitting .266 with 27 home runs and an .837 OPS in 111 games in 2024, Vientos regressed in 2025, batting .233 with 17 home runs and a .702 OPS in 121 games.

He also continued to be a liability defensively at third base, though the Mets could have lived with some of that more if his bat were holding up its end of the deal.