Mets have faith in Mark Vientos filling potential Pete Alonso void at first base

Mark Vientos hasn’t dazzled in his limited exposure to first base, but there is a measure of confidence within the organization he can handle the position if needed. 

The Mets’ decision in recent days to move away from a reunion with Pete Alonso, after the slugging first baseman rejected the team’s last offer — a three-year deal in the $68 million to $70 million range, according to The Post’s Joel Sherman — has left Vientos as a prime candidate for a move across the infield this season. 

Vientos’ first base experience includes 14 games in the major leagues and 70 in the minors. 

“He wasn’t very good at first base,” a scout from a National League team said Friday. “But I thought he had a chance to be better there than at third.” 

Vientos emerged as the Mets’ everyday third baseman last season, and the Statcast numbers were underwhelming defensively: He was minus-seven in outs above average, which placed him in MLB’s sixth percentile for range.

Vientos compensated somewhat with arm strength that placed him in the 62nd percentile. 

But Vientos’ blemishes were easy to dismiss because he largely succeeded in making the routine play and his bat provided heft in a lineup that needed it. 

“I haven’t seen him a lot at first base, but Mark puts a lot of work in so I think wherever he is and wherever he ends up, I think he will be just fine,” Mets infield coach Mike Sarbaugh told The Post. 

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“Last season helped build confidence with him that, ‘Hey, I am able to do this’ — that was the first time he had ever played third on an everyday basis. It was kind of unchartered water for him from the standpoint of doing it on a daily basis, and he handled it and I think that is only going to make him better moving forward.” 

Vientos, according to Sarbaugh, has continued to work out at third base this winter.

If needed, his transformation into a regular first baseman would occur during spring training. 

Sarbaugh recently spent a day in Orlando, Fla., watching Vientos and Francisco Lindor work out.

Lindor worked out with Vientos and Brett Baty last winter as both prospects were preparing to battle for the third base job in spring training. 

“When [Lindor] came to camp last year, I felt like he was ready for the season to start. He was in such good shape,” Sarbaugh said. “[Lindor] is a good player for Mark to be around.” 

Vientos, in 454 plate appearances last season for the Mets, produced a .266/.322/.516 slash line with 27 homers and 71 RBIs.

Vientos received his opportunity after Baty struggled over the first six weeks of the season and was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse. 

It was Baty’s anemic bat more than his glove that sealed his fate last season.

But in a scenario in which Vientos became the full-time first baseman, Baty again would potentially be in play for another shot at third. 

Sarbaugh was asked what he deemed the biggest challenge for a player moving across the infield to first base. 

“I just feel like it’s knowing where to go, where to be, the internal clock,” Sarbaugh said. “Just anything, you move to second base or shortstop, there’s always those things you haven’t experienced, so having to go through those. Those are things [Vientos] would have to entertain, but I feel that anything that is out there he can handle.”