The visual of 22-year-old Jett Williams taking ground balls in the Arizona dirt alongside Alex Bregman is the kind of offseason content that usually makes Mets fans dream of a homegrown dynasty.
According to Pat Ragazzo of SI, Williams is training alongside Bregman this offseason.
It is a passing of the torch moment—the scrappy, undersized prospect soaking up wisdom from a two-time World Series champion who defined the “winning player” archetype for a decade. But while the optics are fantastic, the reality facing Williams is far more complicated than a few Instagram clips suggest. He isn’t just training to get better; he is training to save his spot in an organization that just traded one of its most beloved sons to block his primary path to the majors.
The recent blockbuster trade sending Brandon Nimmo to Texas for Marcus Semien signals a shift in philosophy from David Stearns: the Mets are done waiting for potential.
By acquiring a 35-year-old Gold Glove second baseman with a $26 million salary, the front office has effectively nailed a “Do Not Enter” sign on the middle infield for the next two seasons. Williams is no longer the immediate heir apparent at second base/shortstop; he is now a luxury asset fighting for airtime in a roster constructed to win yesterday.
The Tale of Two Seasons: Why the “Bregman School” Matters
If you want to know why Williams needs every ounce of Bregman’s mentorship, look no further than his 2025 campaign. He tore up Double-A Binghamton, slashing .281/.390/.477 and looking every bit the top-tier prospect we were promised, but his 34-game cup of coffee in Triple-A Syracuse was a sobering reality check. His average cratered to .209, the outs piled up, and the game seemed to speed up on him a bit. It’s not a huge red flag, but it’s worth noting.
This is exactly where a guy like Bregman becomes invaluable, not because he’s going to sign with the Mets (don’t hold your breath on that free agent fantasy), but because he mastered the mental game that Williams is currently wrestling with.
Bregman wasn’t the biggest or fastest guy on the field, but his preparation and defensive positioning were surgical. If Williams can absorb even 10% of that veteran savvy—learning how to slow the game down and anticipate hops before they happen—he transforms from a raw athlete into a guy Stearns can’t justify keeping in the minors.
Forced to Force the Issue
The addition of Semien combined with Francisco Lindor’s iron grip on shortstop means Jett Williams is officially a man without a position. He played 130 games last year and flashed legitimate power-speed potential with 17 homers and 34 stolen bases, but those numbers are empty calories if there’s nowhere to put him in the lineup. The truth is that unless Williams forces a conversation by tearing the cover off the ball in Port St. Lucie, he is looking at another season riding buses in the International League or, worse, becoming the headline piece in a trade for pitching.
Training with Bregman is the right move because it shows Williams understands the stakes are higher than just “getting ready for the season.” He is preparing for a war of attrition where he has to prove he is more valuable than a $175 million veteran or a trusted utility option. The Mets have built a fortress of veterans to protect their championship window, and Williams is currently on the outside looking in, trying to find a crack in the wall.
Looking Ahead: The Spring Training Gauntlet
When pitchers and catchers report in February, the narrative won’t be about Jett Williams’ cute offseason workouts; it will be about whether he can beat out established big leaguers for a bench spot or force a position change to the outfield. Fans are is still high on him, but patience in New York has a shelf life of roughly two weeks. If he comes into camp looking like the lost kid from Syracuse rather than the dynamic playmaker from Binghamton, the calls to trade him for a number two starter will be deafening.
Williams is doing everything right by seeking out the best in the business to sharpen his tools, but the Mets have made their move, and it wasn’t a vote of confidence in their farm system. The pressure is now squarely on the kid’s shoulders to prove that investing in Marcus Semien was a panicked overcorrection rather than a necessary upgrade. He has the talent, and now he has the mentorship; the only thing left is to go out there and force management’s hand to give him a chance.