Mets’ Carlos Mendoza Shares First Impression on Bo Bichette

With the Bichette era now in full swing, his first day in Port St. Lucie made a nice early impression on Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.

"My impression - gamer. A guy that competes. He's going to give you a quality at-bat. Uses the whole field," Mendoza said. "It seems like the situation is never too big for him, but just the type of person and the type of guy he is. I met him a long time ago and I watched him pretty much throughout his whole career since the first day he got to the big leagues...I'm glad he's on our team."

The 28-year-old provided a welcoming first impression for the Mets on Thursday when he hit a home run during his live batting practice. The homer came against All-Star starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, another one of New York's major acquisitions this winter.

Bichette's prowess at the plate is undeniable; in seven seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, he posted a .294 batting average with 111 home runs, 437 RBI and 60 stolen bases. The infielder has consistently been among the league leaders in hits since 2021, and recorded the second most hits in the majors last year with 181 knocks (tied with Luis Arráez and surpassed only by Bobby Witt Jr.).

After his BP session, the two-time All-Star met with the press for the first time this spring and talked about his level of excitement with his new team.

"Just looking forward to being here. It's a great team. It's an exciting city to play in. I'm excited to be here and excited to get the season started," Bichette said.

Bichette is just one of the additions to the Mets' new-look infield. The Amazins' also brought in Marcus Semien in a trade that sent Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers, as well as signing Jorge Polanco to a two-year deal to be their first baseman after the departure of Pete Alonso.

And while Bichette will be playing the hot corner at third base for the first time in his career, he expressed confidence in his ability to adjust well.

"Having more time at third base is something that I'm getting used to and understanding that I can take a little bit more time," Bichette said.

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