Ronny Mauricio

Ronny Mauricio (born April 4, 2001) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Career

Mauricio signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent in July 2017 and received a signing bonus of $2.1 million (equivalent to $2.6 million in 2023), a team record. He spent his first professional season in 2018 with the Gulf Coast Mets and Kingsport Mets, slashing .273/.304/.410 with three home runs and 35 RBIs over 57 games.

Mauricio spent 2019 with the Columbia Fireflies with whom he was named a South Atlantic League All-Star. Over 116 games, he batted .268/.307/.357 with four home runs and 37 RBIs. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Mauricio split the season between the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, slashing .248/.296/.449 with twenty home runs, 64 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases over 108 games. He was selected to the 40-man roster following the season on November 19, 2021.

Mauricio was optioned to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets to begin the 2023 season. In 116 games for the Triple–A Syracuse Mets, he batted .292/.346/.506 with 23 home runs, 71 RBI, and 24 stolen bases.

On September 1, 2023, Mauricio was promoted to the major leagues for the first time and made his Major League debut against the Seattle Mariners. Mauricio's first Major League career hit was a double to right field off pitcher Logan Gilbert. It was struck so solidly (117.3 MPH) off the bat that it was the hardest-hit ball by a Mets player in more than two years. It was also the hardest-hit first career hit by any player to debut since Statcast began tracking balls in 2015. The prior record was held by Luis Robert Jr. at 115.8 MPH. On September 12, Mauricio hit his first Major League home run, clocking in at 112.4 MPH off the bat, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 2-run, 440-foot blast deep to right field was off of pitcher Ryne Nelson, leading the Mets to a 7–4 victory. In 26 games for the Mets in his debut campaign, he batted .248/.296/.347 with 2 home runs, 9 RBI, and 7 stolen bases.

Before the 2023 offseason, the Mets asked Mauricio not to play in the Dominican Winter League and to rest instead. It was later reported that Mauricio was in dire financial straits and could not afford not to play. On December 12, 2023, it was announced that Mauricio had suffered a torn ACL while playing for the Tigres del Licey.