Brett Baty makes immediate impact for New York Mets, who place Eduardo Escobar on injured list

ATLANTA — The New York Mets called up top prospect Brett Baty on Wednesday to fill in at third base for ailing Eduardo Escobar, putting the 22-year-old in the middle of a spirited race for the NL East title.

He made an immediate impact.

Baty, hitting eighth and playing third base in his major league debut against the Braves in Atlanta, hit a home run in his first at-bat, a two-run shot in the second inning that gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.

Baty, who is from Round Rock, Texas, said pregame that his mother, father, sister and several other relatives had flown to Atlanta for his big league debut. They reacted to his home run accordingly.

The Baty family was in Atlanta to see <a href=«https://twitter.com/baty_brett?ref_src=» https:>@baty_brett

's MLB debut. Their reaction to his HR says it all. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uw5EhrLpQL

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Baty is the fifth player with a home run in his first career plate appearance in Mets history and first since Mike Jacobs in 2005.

Ranked the 37th-best prospect in baseball by ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, Baty was called up to the big leagues just a week after being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

«It wasn't on my mind at all,» Baty said pregame of the call-up. «I was just thinking about winning ballgames for Syracuse. But now I'm here, so it's about winning ballgames for the New York Mets.»

Escobar was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's game after working out on the field before batting practice. Manager Buck Showalter said Escobar's left oblique injury had taken a turn for the worse and he didn't want to risk a long-term issue. Escobar went on the IL, retroactive to Tuesday, clearing the way for Baty to join the club.

The No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 draft,