Mark Vientos and J.D. Martinez go way back.
Vientos’ first three years in high school were spent at Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, Fla., the same school Martinez graduated from about a decade prior. They shared a workout facility in South Florida, where Martinez would provide pointers.
Safe to say, Vientos had never wanted to see Martinez less than this spring.
For the majority of camp, Vientos appeared the front-runner for at least a share of the Mets’ at-bats at designated hitter in what would be his first prolonged look at the major league level.
