For the New York Mets, the future might still be a few seasons away—but Elian Peña just gave fans a thrilling preview.
The 17-year-old shortstop prospect had been off to a quiet, almost concerning start in the Dominican Summer League.
Through 16 games, Peña had slashed a weak .106/.290/.149, showing patience at the plate but not much else. The hype had outpaced the results—until Thursday.
That’s when Peña turned in the kind of game that grabs attention from top to bottom in the organization. He didn’t just break out—he erupted.
A Historic Afternoon in the Dominican Summer League
In what’s already being dubbed a signature performance, Peña crushed three home runs, including two in the same inning.
He racked up eight RBI, added a double for good measure, and crossed the plate four times. Just like that, he went from zero homers on the season to three in a single game.
An electric three-homer game by Elian Peña — the Mets’ No. 8 prospect — in Rookie ball:
🔹 2 HR in one inning
🔸 8 RBI, 1 2B, 4 R
🔹 First DSL three-homer game since 2023
🔸 Most TB (14) in DSL game since 2019 pic.twitter.com/Fa1EmOHzAw— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 26, 2025
It was the first three-homer game in the DSL since 2023 and the most total bases (14) in a single contest since 2019. The performance was electric.
Peña didn’t just find his swing—he set the league on fire. And after weeks of questions about whether the talent would translate, the Mets finally got their answer.
A Glimpse of What’s to Come
What made the performance more encouraging was how Peña did it—he didn’t abandon his disciplined approach.
He still saw pitches, still worked counts. But this time, when he got something to hit, he didn’t miss. It was the breakthrough scouts had predicted.
Elian Peña was signed for $5 million in January, the most the Mets had ever given to an international prospect. That investment always came with the understanding that development wouldn’t be linear.
Now, the payoff feels a little closer.
Tools That Make Scouts Salivate
What makes Peña so special isn’t just the swing or the numbers—it’s how he combines raw tools with rare polish.
MLB Pipeline noted Peña’s elite bat speed from the left side, paired with plate discipline that’s years ahead of his age group. He sees the strike zone like a seasoned hitter.
That level of maturity, even amid a slow start, was what kept evaluators from panicking. The talent was always there—it just needed a spark.
And on Thursday, that spark turned into a full-on fire.
Turning the Corner After Early Struggles
Every teenage phenom faces a steep learning curve in their first year of pro ball. Peña’s early struggles weren’t a shock.
Adjusting to advanced pitching, new routines, and the daily grind of professional baseball takes time. Even stars like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. had growing pains at the lower levels.
But what separates future stars from flash-in-the-pan prospects is how they respond. Peña didn’t sulk—he adapted.
Thursday’s performance felt like the moment when all the reps, all the adjustments, finally clicked.
A Star Awakening—Right on Schedule
The Mets didn’t sign Peña expecting immediate fireworks—but it sure felt like Fourth of July came early.
There’s still a long road ahead. Peña will need to build consistency, avoid chasing results, and keep refining his game. But for one unforgettable afternoon, he looked every bit like the future star New York hoped he’d become.
In baseball, sometimes a player’s breakout game can feel like the first crack of thunder before a storm. If that analogy fits, Elian Peña may have just rumbled loud enough to be heard all the way to Citi Field.
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