This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ATLANTA -- From the moment A.J. Ewing entered the big leagues, it seemed inevitable that his blend of speed and plate discipline would inevitably result in him becoming the Mets’ leadoff man.
The coronation happened without much fanfare Friday at Truist Park, where Ewing bumped up to the top spot of the lineup, supplanting Carson Benge. In the eyes of Mets officials, Ewing has the potential to stay there for years. Interim manager Andy Green, who oversaw most of Ewing’s development from 2023 fourth-round Draft pick to 2026 leadoff hitter, trusted Ewing with the role this quickly due to his performance against right-handed pitching.
“When you step back and take a look at what he’s done in a short stint in the big leagues, he’s putting up a .380, .390 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching -- that is incredibly rare for a rookie,” Green said. “[The role] fits his long-term skill set. It’s [his] speed, he sees pitches, grinds out at-bats, shoots the ball around the yard. And it also fits Carson to be a middle-of-the-order type of guy.”
Green went on to call Ewing’s package of abilities “a very top-of-the-order type skill set,” which is precisely what made him a Top 100 prospect before breaking into the big leagues. As a regular leadoff hitter in the Minors, Ewing produced a career on-base percentage of .392 with 101 steals in 251 games. While he hasn’t been quite that successful so far as a big leaguer, Ewing -- still more than a month shy of his 22nd birthday -- has consistently flashed those same capabilities.
So when Green told Ewing he would become the Mets’ leadoff man against right-handed pitchers, his message to the rookie was simple: “Don’t change.”
“I think I see a lot of pitches no matter where I’m at,” Ewing said. “I don’t think that where I’m hitting is necessarily going to change my approach. But I’m comfortable being at the top of the order, and I’m excited for that.”
For now, the Mets will roll with Ewing as their regular leadoff hitter against right-handed pitchers, while subbing Francisco Lindor into that spot against lefties. (Since the time of the decision, the Mets have only faced one right-handed starter, but Ewing should lead off for at least four consecutive games this week.) Given how rapidly the Mets have fallen out of realistic playoff contention, they can afford to be patient with Ewing as he perfects the nuances of batting first at the Major League level.
“We’d love to give him some time to adjust to that spot,” Green said. “He doesn’t complicate life too much. He’s just going to step up and have his at-bat, and his at-bat profiles really nicely in that spot.”