NEW YORK -- The Mets' Pete Alonso contingency plans are clearly in motion, revolving around the familiar faces of Mark Vientos and Brett Baty.

Baty and Vientos -- both natural third basemen -- have been taking reps at first to ready themselves in case Alonso doesn't return.

"It's hard not to pay attention to it when you see it on every platform," Vientos said of the Alonso noise. "But you just kind of focus on [being] ready to get back. I'm excited."

"I think it's really fun, honestly," added Baty, who changed his uniform to No. 7 to accommodate incoming slugger Juan Soto. "I've always prided myself on being as athletic as I can, and I think athleticism, you can show it off at any position -- whether it be first base, second base, the outfield, wherever it is. I think it's just been really fun to learn all those new positions."

Vientos already has some decent experience at first base, including 84 games there the past four seasons as the Mets sought to increase his versatility. Baty, by contrast, hasn't played first since he was a sophomore in high school, but he gained exposure to the right side of the diamond last summer at second.

"I've been hammering it the last couple of weeks," he said of first base, adding that he hoped to speak to Keith Hernandez at the team's fan fest on Saturday. "It's been fun working on picks and stuff like that."

Right now, Vientos profiles more as an everyday starter given his breakout season at the plate, which saw him hit .266/.322/.516 with 27 homers over 111 games. But Baty could also play a role at first, in addition to potentially receiving reps at second and third. Outfielder Jesse Winker, who recently re-signed on a one-year deal, has also spoken about his willingness to play first.

"I love playing third base," Vientos said. "But right now, my main focus is, 'What can I do for us to get to a World Series and win a championship?' That's all I want."

Of course, none of this will matter much if Alonso re-signs -- a prospect that may have grown dimmer this week amidst rumors that he was gaining traction on a contract with the Blue Jays, but that nonetheless remains plausible until the day he signs elsewhere.

The Mets -- and their players -- are prepared for either scenario.

"Pete should maximize," shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "He needs to make the best decision for him and his family. He's a family man. So it's a tough question. ... Pete's been here since I've been here. He's been here before me. So yeah, if he's somewhere else, it would be different for sure.'"