Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty ‘under consideration’ for September call-up

The major league Mets are about to grow bigger — and possibly more interesting.

Wednesday’s series finale with the Rangers was the last game before the club reaches this year’s reduced round of September call-ups, when each team is allowed (and forced) to extend a 26-man roster into a 28-man roster.

The two most intriguing call-up possibilities, infielders Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty, are “under consideration,” manager Buck Showalter said.

The plan is for the team’s decisionmakers to gather on Thursday’s off day and decide upon the extra position player and pitcher they will activate.

It is possible Luis Guillorme (calf strain) comes off the injured list; Michael Perez could be summoned because teams value a third catcher.

But the debut of Mauricio — or the next chance for Baty — could provide some hope for the future for a team whose present is ugly.

The 22-year-old Mauricio has built a case for an opportunity with his bat.

The switch hitter entered play Wednesday with an .860 OPS and 23 home runs, plus 24 steals, in his first 115 games at Triple-A Syracuse.

He always has been a free swinger, though he has shown better plate discipline this season with a slightly improved walk rate (6.6 percent) and a slightly lowered strikeout rate (18.2 percent).

But the natural shortstop has not found a second position that he plays consistently well.

With Francisco Lindor blocking the path at short, the Mets have moved Mauricio around, without a ton of success.

The reports were not strong at second base, a position he began playing in late April, and he moved to both third base and left field with similar results.

For the past two weeks, Mauricio has shifted back to second base, where Showalter said he “seems to be doing well.”

Showalter said that while Mauricio has handled the spot better the second time around, he made it clear that defense is what has held him back.

“Defense is initially a priority with these guys,” Showalter said at Citi Field. “Got to be able to defend. You got to hit a whole lot to not be a good defender.

“Defense is a premium for young players coming into the big leagues. That’s what allows them to stay in the lineup.”

There is an argument that Mauricio — who is already on the 40-man roster and is the organization’s No. 4 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline — could be learning the spot in the majors.

Danny Mendick and Jonathan Arauz, who do not figure to have long Mets futures, have received plenty of time at second since the Mets sold at the trade deadline.

Until this point at least, the Mets have not shown a willingness to test out Mauricio’s toolsy game without more certainty of his glove.

Baty came up with a poor defensive reputation, but his bat has been a bigger issue than his third-base defense through his first season.

The 23-year-old crushed Triple-A pitching and forced his way to the majors by mid-April, but he could not translate the minor league success into a major league breakthrough.

Baty hit just .216 in 86 games with the Mets, his power (seven homers) mostly absent as he struggled to lift the ball.

Over half of his batted balls (51.8 percent) were directed at the ground, a persistent problem he encountered in the minor leagues.

He did not seem to be making progress and went 0-for-18 in six August games, prompting a demotion.

Since reporting to Syracuse, Baty statistically has been solid, entering play with an .824 OPS boosted by five home runs in 16 games.

Arauz, Mendick and Mark Vientos have seen time at third base since Baty was sent down.

Presuming the Mets select from players on their 40-man roster, their pitching options for a call-up are less intriguing. Joey Lucchesi or Grant Hartwig could return to Queens.

The Mets might not win much in September, but Mauricio or Baty thriving could represent a positive development.

“I’m sure they are [under consideration],” Showalter said before adding, “Who else would you like to see?”