RSS Mets Team Notes

[New York Mets]

Chris Devenski as The Anonymous MIRP

Every offseason here at Amazin’ Avenue, our overlords editors set up a spreadsheet for season reviews and send out a for us writers to claim them. There’s an initialrush for the best players – Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Nolan McLean – though most folks usually show a modicum of discipline and don’t claim too many of the elite guys. Personal favorites get snapped up next, followed by the large group of guys in the middle. Your useful contributors, like Tyrone Taylor and Luis Torrens and Max Kranick.

Then there’s a Mexican standoff as most of us look at the remaining spots on the sheet. Did that guy really play for the Mets last season? Did his presence matter in any way other than for comprehensive record keeping? Do we really need to write about him? These are the folks that you and most everyone else will forget on the annual Sporcle quizzes, leaving you frustrated as you sit at 55/63 and can’t progress any further. Slowly, but inevitably, those guys get claimed, and we eventually finish out the list.

It is in this spirit that we now discuss Chris Devenski, who did indeed actually pitch for the Mets in 2025. He appeared in 13 games, starting once (as an opener) and tossing 16.2 innings of 2.16 ERA ball with a 3.50 FIP. It was a disjointed tenure in Queens; Devenski had a single outing in April, another in May, got two outings in the middle of June, actually stuck around for a bit in July with 7 appearances, and then finished the season with single appearances in each of August and September. In between, he spent his time posting a broadly similar performance for Triple-A Syracuse. If anything, the most impressive part of this performance was his willingness to put up with the Triple-A / MLB shuttle as a 34-year-old veteran.

Was any of this particularly memorable? No, not really. Even though Devenski was broadly decent as an up-and-down guy, this is the sort of performance that gets lost in the wash of a 162-game season. Don’t feel guilty about not remembering though because it doesn’t seem anyone else around the league noticed either; Devenski signed a minor-league deal with the Pirates in early January. So it goes for the late-career middle reliever. Just do your best to remember him on your next Sporcle quiz.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/general/89776/mets-season-review-2025-chris-devenski

 

[New York Mets]

Daily Question: February 1, 2026

Sep 17, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

This is the first post in a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.

What’s the best reason to believe that the Mets’ 2026 season won’t get derailed?

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...ets-2026-season-questions-lindor-soto-peralta

 

[New York Mets]

Robert Stock hopes to continue his improbable career

Jul 7, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Robert Stock (89) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It’s February 1st, which means that we are just about two weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting. And while we are all excited to see the return of our favorite players, let’s be real. There’s very little that Francisco Lindor or Juan Soto could do on a spring training field that would change much for their status on the club.

But there are 35ish people who will be in camp whose performance over the six weeks of spring training will mean everything to them. To some, it will allow them to make their big league debut; for others, this may be their last chance at the spotlight. For others, it is the difference between bus rides and plane rides between games. These are the real stories of spring training, even if, for the vast majority of fans, they will go unnoticed.

That brings us to Robert Stock. Stock is a 36 year old veteran pitcher who has logged time with five MLB franchises – including the Mets in 2021 – as well as played in Korea, Mexico, and has even suited up for that station of the cross for so many journeymen: the Long Island Ducks.

Stock is an unusual signing not just because of his age, but because of the type of player he’s been in his career. Yes, he’s had a cockroach-like ability to adapt and survive in a game where many players flame out a decade earlier than where Stock is now. Yes, it’s a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, so it’s not exactly a financial burden to the Mets to take a chance on Stock. But Stock never had that one ‘pop’ in his career that teams are trying to recapture when they sign him.

Stock agrees that this is unusual, as he posted on Twitter shortly after his signing was announced:

“I’m 36 years old and have had extremely limited MLB success. And yet MLB teams continue to give me chances. Why? Because I continually find new ways to improve. Newest trick for 2026 – the knucklecurve.”

Stock is right – there aren’t many pitchers of his age with his lack of easy to point to successes (a career -0.5 bWAR) who keep getting the call to travel to Florida or Arizona each year to give it another try. But his curiosity and his ability to move beyond what is expected of him and try new things – like the aforementioned knucklecurve – that allows him these opportunities. He’s also a thoughtful and interesting follow on Twitter, where he talks about baseball in a way that belies his professional pedigree.

If Stock works out for the Mets, he’s likely looking at some time split between Syracuse and the big league club. That would be considered, objectively, a good outcome for him. Could magic happen and he earns a full-time role with the Mets? It seems unlikely, but sure, that’s possible. Could he earn a high-leverage spot by taking his 20+ years of baseball knowledge and applying it in a new way, stunning not just the Mets but baseball in general?

He could. Even though that possibility is slight, it is still a possibility. And that is what makes the next eight weeks so intriguing for fans and players alike. We’ve all got our dudes that we root for, despite their longshot status. We know the stories of the guys not willing to trade in their sliders for Adidas sliders just yet. And we hope that maybe, just maybe, one of our dudes can have a year and make all of this look even more romantic and magical than it already does to our frostbitten eyes on the eve of a new season.

Good luck, Robert.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/genera...rt-stock-pitching-journeyman-bullpen-syracuse

 

[New York Mets]

Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Jonah Tong (3)

A native of Markham, Ontario, Canada, Jonah Tong grew up in a family of athletes. His skill at baseball quickly became apparent, but given that the family lived in Ontario, there was a distinct lack of opportunities for him to learn, grow, and highlight his skills to professional scouts and evaluators. A student at Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham, he transferred to the Georgia Premier Academy for his senior season in 2022.

Overview​

Name: Jonah Tong
Position: RHP
Born: 06/19/2003 (Age 23 season in 2026)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 180 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2022 MLB Draft, 7th Round (Georgia Premier Academy, Georgia)
2025 Season: 20 G (20 GS), 102.0, 50 H, 20 R, 18 ER (1.76 ERA), 44 BB, 162 K, .258 BABIP (Double-A) / 2 G (2 GS), 11.2 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 0 ER (0.00 ERA), 3 BB, 17 K, .320 BABIP (Triple-A) / 5 G (5 GS), 18.2 IP, 24 H, 20 R, 16 ER (7.71 ERA), 9 BB, 22 K, .396 BABIP (MLB)

Tong had a commitment to North Dakota State University but ended up signing with the Mets after they drafted him in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft and offered him a $225,800 signing bonus, exactly slot value. He did not pitch in 2022 and his 2023 season got off to a late start when the Mets initially held him out from organized games until late June. Assigned to the FCL Mets, the 20-year-old finally made his professional debut on June 30. He made 7 appearances for the team, pitching roughly once a week, and threw a total of 12.2 innings, allowing 9 earned runs, giving up 9 hits, walking 13, and striking out 25. He was promoted to Single-A St. Lucie at the end of August and made three appearances with them, allowing 5 earned runs in 8.1 innings, allowing 8 hits, walking 9, and striking out 13. All in all, it was a forgettable first year as a professional, Tong posted a 6.00 ERA in 21.0 innings over 10 games, allowing 17 hits, walking 22, and striking out 38. Despite the poor results, data collected from his pitches showed that the young right-hander was exceptionally talented as a pitcher, and that he had major potential.

That off-season, seeking to improve his control, Tong adopted a new mentality of not attempting to fine-tune his pitch placement. He also added a new slider to his pitching repertoire, seeking to add a pitch to his arsenal to be a middle-ground bridge between his overhand fastball and his big 12-6 curveball. When the 2024 season began, the changes to his mentality and repertoire were immediately apparent. Assigned to the St. Lucie Mets, he went unscored for 18.2 innings, scattering just 7 hits, giving up 5 unintentional walks, and striking out 36 of the 68 total batters he faced. He was promoted to High-A Brooklyn at the beginning of May, and while he had his share of growing pains there, he added his name to the annals of great Brooklyn Cyclone pitchers, posting a 3.71 ERA in 85.0 innings with 74 hits allowed, 38 walks, and 110 strikeouts. He was promoted to Double-A Binghamton at the beginning of September and ended his season just as strong as he started it, allowing 3 earned runs in 9.1 innings with 4 hits, 4 walks, and 14 strikeouts. In 113.0 cumulative innings between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, he posted a 3.03 ERA with 85 hits allowed, 47 walks, and 160 strikeouts, the most of any Mets minor leaguer in 2024.

Ranked as the Mets’ 4th top prospect coming into the season, the 22-year-old quickly picked up where he left off when the season began. The right-hander needed a few weeks to get his pitching legs under him, but by the end of April, he embarked on a magical season, the kind where any start was liable to be a no-hitter (and twice, Tong threw six or more no-hit innings). By the time the organization promoted him to Triple-A Syracuse, the right-hander had a 1.59 ERA in 102.0 innings with the Rumble Ponies with 50 hits allowed, 44 walks, and 162 strikeouts. Tong dominated Double-A hitters and it quickly became apparent that Triple-A hitters would stand no chance against him. In two starts with the Syracuse Mets, Tong threw 11.2 innings and did not allow a run, scattering 8 hots, walking 3, and striking out 17.

On August 26, Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns announced that the 22-year-old would be called up to the Mets, joining the recently promoted Nolan McLean, citing how dominant the right-hander had been and how he had exceeded all expectations set for him. On August 29, he made his first major league start, facing the Miami Marlins. The right-hander allowed one earned run over five innings, scattering 6 hits, walking 0, and striking out 6. That was the high-water mark for Tong in his late-season cup-of-coffee. Heralded as a savior for a floundering, moribund team, Tong simply was not up to the task, highlighting that beneath it all, he was still just a fallible 22-year-old kid. In his next four starts against the Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, and Chicago Cubs, Tong posted a 9.88 ERA in 13.2 innings, allowing 18 hits, walking 9, and striking out 16. In those games, there were flashes of brilliance but not enough to be the change the Mets needed. In the end, Tong posted a 7.71 ERA in 18.2 innings in Queens, allowing 24 hits, walking 9, and striking out 22. With Binghamton and Syracuse combined, the 22-year-old posted a combined 1.43 ERA in 113.2 innings, allowing 58 hits, walking 47, and striking out 179, and was named Minor League Pitcher of the Year by various baseball outlets. His 162 strikeouts with Binghamton set a Rumble Ponies record and were the most by a Binghamton player since Jesus Sanchez struck out 176 batters in 165.1 innings in 1997; his strikeout total is third in Binghamton franchise history, behind the aforementioned Sanchez and Bill Pulsipher, who struck out 171 in 201.0 innings in 1993.

Tong throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot, standing from the far third base side of the rubber. As he pushes and drives off of the mound, extending 6.8’, his torso rotates towards first base, effectively raising his arm slot; the 64-degree arm angle that Tong throws from was third only to San Diego Padres right-hander Jeremiah Estrada and his 66-degree arm angle and Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia and his 65-degree arm angle. Between his lithe stature, the long stride and extension off the mound, and the near over-the-top release point, his mechanics are reminiscent of Tim Lincecum. The similarities are more than just coincidence, as Tong modeled his pitching mechanics after the two-time Cy Young Award winner. While the violence in his delivery contributed, to one degree or another, to the hip and back issues that ultimately ended his career, Tong’s mechanics are not as violent as Lincecum’s were, and his 6’1”, 180-pound frame is able to ergonomically carry the kinetic energy produced by his pitching motions better than the 5’11”, 170-pound Freak.

Tong has a full four pitch repertoire consisting of a four-seam fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. In his five-game sample size with the Mets, he threw his four-seam fastball 57% of the time, his changeup 28% of the time, his curveball 12% of the time, and his slider 3% of the time. His slider was recently incorporated into his arsenal in 2024 and his changeup revamped in 2025.

His four-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s, ranging 92-98 MPH, averaging 95 MPH, improved as compared to 2024, when the pitch sat in the low-to-mid-90s. While the pitch’s 2270 RPM spin rate is roughly average for a four-seam fastball, it was devastatingly effective in the minor leagues and extremely effective at the major league level as well. With a spin efficiency of 99% at a 12:30 spin axis, Tong was able to generate 19 inches of induced vertical break from those 2270 RPM, putting him in the top 1%. Additionally, the 3.5 inches of natural cut put the pitch in the top 10% among four-seam fastballs as well. In his limited major league innings, the pitch resulted in a 17% Whiff%, and when thrown upstairs, a 38.2% Whiff%.

During the 2024 off-season, Tong developed a new grip for his changeup, a pitch that he used sparingly as compared to his slider and curveball and mainly to neutralize left-handers. Now using not just a Vulcan grip, but a modified two-seam Vulcan grip as opposed to the ordinary four-seam Vulcan grip, Tong unlocked a pitch that quickly ascended and has become his best secondary pitch. Sitting in the mid-80s, the pitch averages 1700 RPM with a 99% spin efficiency from a 1:45 spin axis. This gives his changeup roughly 28.5 inches of vertical drop and 14 inches of horizontal arm-side movement, the latter number atypical for a changeup coming from an arm slot as high as Tong’s. The right-hander does not telegraph the pitch by maintaining his arm speed and maintained a 22.2% Whiff% with the pitch in the limited MLB innings that he threw in 2025.

His curveball sits in the mid-to-high-70s, ranging 75-79 MPH and averaging 77.5 MPH. Averaging a spin rate of 2,600 RPM with an 81% active spin percentage and enhanced by his release point, the pitch saw a whopping 62.7” of vertical drop, making it a massive 12-6 bender. While the optics of the pitch are impressive, it doesn’t have much bite to it and is not so much a strikeout pitch as it is a change-of-pace offering or a strike stealer, dropping into the zone for a called strike. Tong throws it about equally to left-handers and right-handers, and it has been slightly more effective against left-handers than right-handers.

His slider, which was developed over the 2023 off-season, was a weapon for the right-hander during the 2024 season but was less effective and used more sparingly in 2025. In 2024, when it was at its best, the mid-to-high-80s pitch featured hard, gyroscopic break that was almost cutter-like in its sudden horizontal slice with roughly 34 inches of vertical movement and 5.7 inches of glove-side horizontal movement. In his limited major league innings, Tong barely used the pitch, but when he did use it in the minors in 2024 and 2025, it is used as an east-west weapon to use against batters for swings-and-misses and a bridge his fastball and curve.

Tong’s control is leagues better than it was when he was drafted, but he can still have bouts of command problems and have trouble hitting the strike zone. He maintained a 16.3% line drive rate, 52.9% groundball rate, and 30.8% flyball rate over the course of his time in Binghamton and Syracuse and a 25.0% line drive rate, 37.5% flyball rate, and 37.5% groundball rate in his limited major league innings. He was hit harder at the major league level, but his propensity for keeping the ball on the ground and limiting damage combined with his high-octane strikeout stuff is why he was the 2025 MiLB Pitcher of the Year and why he has legitimate top of the rotation potential.

2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List​

4) Jett Williams*
5) Brandon Sproat*
6) A.J. Ewing
7) Jacob Reimer
8) Ryan Clifford
9) Will Watson
10) Jack Wenninger
11) Mitch Voit
12) Jonathan Santucci
13) Elian Peña
14) Zach Thornton
15) Nick Morabito
16) R.J. Gordon
17) Chris Suero
18) Dylan Ross
19) Ryan Lambert
20) Antonio Jimenez
21) Edward Lantigua
22) Eli Serrano III
23) Randy Guzman
24) Daiverson Gutierrez
25) Boston Baro

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...p-25-mets-prospects-for-2026-rhp-jonah-tong-3

 

[New York Mets]

Will Carl Edwards Jr.’s late-career shift to starting pay off?

Apr 14, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. (58) throws to the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

As much as we would like to believe otherwise sometimes, baseball teams have no crystal balls. Sometimes things happen out of the prescribed order, gambles don’t pay off, or players who you just brought in may almost instantly become redundant.

The latter might be what happened to Carl Edwards Jr.

Not that when Edwards was signed to a minor league deal, he was promised a spot on the major league roster. But he seems like a player who David Stearns and co. had a specific vision for, and that vision might be a better fit for another player now.

A three-pitch pitcher who relies on his four-seamer and curveball for the bulk of his work, the right-hander, when going right, gets soft contact and ground balls off the bat. Edwards has an over-the-top arm angle with a large extension, resulting in a lot of spin on his fastball.

Edwards was drafted by the Rangers in 2011 and was traded to the Cubs as part of the Matt Garza deal in 2013. After many accolades in Chicago’s minor league system, he made his MLB debut as a reliever in September of 2015, but was called up for good in June and was a part of the Cub’s World Series run.

From there, Edwards compiled a journeyman’s career out of the bullpen. He stuck in the majors for most of the 2010s with the Cubs before being traded to the Padres in 2019 where he had as disastrous of a two-game stint as you can imagine, putting up a six earned runs in an inning and two-thirds of work. He signed with Seattle before the 2020 season, but appeared in just five games in the COVID-shortened season.

2021 was another lost year, bouncing around the Atlanta, Toronto, and White Sox organizations, making a handful of big league appearances. In 2022, Edwards found some success with the Nationals, appearing in 57 games with a 3.19 ERA. This led to a $2.25 million contract with Washington for 2023, but shoulder injuries limited him to just 32 appearances.

A total of five big league appearances between three teams over 2024 and 2025 only tell part of Edwards’s most recent story, however. Outside of the MLB games, Edwards has been starting more than relieving since 2024, starting nine games for the El Paso Chihuahuas in the Padres system, eight games across the Angels and Rangers systems in 2025, and 14 for the Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Mexican League this past offseason. And while he hasn’t turned into Sandy Koufax on the hill, it hasn’t been all bad. He’s put up an ERA in the high fours and, based on Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal’s reporting, this may be what attracted the Mets to Edwards.

With plans to stretch him out into a starter, the Mets might’ve been looking at Edwards as a swingman who could give them some bulk innings out of the bullpen and a spot start here and there. That seemed like the most likely path for Edwards to make the club until Tobias Myers came over from the Brewers in the Freddy Peralta trade. Myers is a more established version of what the Mets hoped Edwards could be and seems likely to have that role for the 2026 team.

Where does that leave Edwards? It’s unclear, but teams make these sort of signings all the time with the knowledge and, perhaps, expectation that they won’t work out. That’s cold comfort to the players themselves, but if Edwards has a good spring, there are plenty of teams looking for essentially the same role. Thus is the life of a journeyman pitcher.

Post-script: As a society, we don’t use his nickname of “the String Bean Slinger” nearly enough. Let’s make it happen.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/genera...edwards-jr-pitching-bullpen-starting-new-york

 

[New York Mets]

Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Carson Benge (2)

Carson Benge grew up with two older brothers, Garrett and Tyler. All four grew up baseball rats and were mainstays on the fields across their native Yukon, Oklahoma. Garrett went on to attend Cowley Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas in 2015, was drafted by the Cleveland Indians with their 22nd round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, did not sign and attended Oklahoma State University in 2016 and 2017, was then drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 13th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, playing in their system for three years. Tyler attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma and played at the collegiate level for a pair of seasons. Youngest brother Carson may have the most potential and brightest future of the three.

Overview​

Name: Carson Benge
Position: OF
Born: 01/20/2003 (Age 23 season in 2026)
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 185 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2024 MLB Draft, 1st Round (Oklahoma State University)
2025 Stats: 60 G, 225 AB, .302/.417/.480, 68 H, 18 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 41 BB, 50 K, 15/17 SB, .372 BABIP (High-A) / 32 G, 126 AB, .317/.407/.571, 40 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 18 BB, 23 K, 4/6 SB, .337 BABIP (Double-A) / 24 G, 90 AB, .178/.272/.311, 16 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 BB, 19 K, 3/3 SB, .188 BABIP (Triple-A)

From an early age, Carson was dedicated to baseball, following along in the footsteps of his older brothers. He would use his brothers’ equipment and would play with his brothers and their friends, who were anywhere between three to five years older than him. By the time he began his freshman year at Yukon High School, a growth spurt had left him a tall, lanky young man, and his wild, childhood swing had been refined into a powerful left-handed stroke. Benge had much of his high school baseball experience muddied by the COVID-19 pandemic, with his entire junior season cancelled and parts of his senior year as well, but he put up impressive numbers when he was able to get on the field. In his senior year, he was named OCABCA North Player of the Year and earned COAC Offensive Player of the Year honors as well, as a senior in 2021, hitting .490 and posting an 8-1 record with 124 strikeouts on the mound.

Benge had previously committed to Oklahoma State University prior to graduating and went unselected in the 2021 MLB Draft as a result, strongly preferring to attend college as opposed to going pro early. His freshman season winded up ending before it even began, as he injured his elbow just prior to the start of the 2022 season and needed Tommy John surgery to correct, costing him the year. He returned to the field in 2023, his redshirt freshman season, and immediately showed that he was a premium talent. Appearing in 59 games, Benge hit .345/.468/.538 with 17 doubles, 7 home runs, 8 stolen bases in 10 attempts, and drew 42 walks to 32 strikeouts, his batting average and on-base percentage leading the team. Additionally, he pitched 35.0 innings for the Cowboys and posted a 6.69 ERA with 38 hits allowed, 24 walks, and 35 strikeouts. Benge was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team, the All-Big 12 First Team as a utility player, and the All-Big 12 Second Team as an outfielder. He was also finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, but the award ultimately went to Clemson senior Caden Grice.

That summer, he played for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League. He appeared in 9 games and hit .345/.424/.414 with 1 triple and threw a scoreless inning on the mound, giving up a hit while striking out two. He returned to OSU for his redshirt sophomore season in 2024 and once again was a true two-way player. As a batter, he hit .335/.444/.665 in 61 games with 24 doubles, 2 triples, 18 home runs, 10 stolen bases in 14 attempts, and 49 walks to 51 strikeouts. As a pitcher, he appeared in 18 games and posted a 3.16 ERA in 37.0 innings, allowing 26 hits, walking 11, and striking out 44. Once again, he was a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award but lost out on it for a second consecutive year, this time to University of Florida star Jac Caglianone.

Benge was selected by the Mets with their first-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 19th overall pick. Coming into the season, he had been seen as a player who would be selected in the back-half of the first round by most evaluators and analysts, and with the Mets’ selection, their prediction came to pass. Benge signed with the team fairly quickly, agreeing to a signing bonus worth $3,997,500, slightly below the MLB-assigned slot value for the 19th overall pick, $4,219,200. He was assigned to the Low-A St. Lucie Mets, where he would be focusing only on hitting. He appeared in 15 games and hit .273/.420/.436 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 stolen bases, and 11 walks to 14 strikeouts. On the power of his college season and his limited professional debut, Benge was ranked the Mets’ 3rd top prospect for the 2025 season by Amazin’ Avenue.

The outfielder began the 2025 season with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and had one of the better seasons by any player in a Cyclones uniform, short-season or full. Appearing in 60 games, he hit .302/.417/.480 with 18 doubles, 5 triples, 4 home runs, 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts, and drew 41 walks to 50 strikeouts. The Mets promoted Benge to Double-A Binghamton at the end of June, and he showed no signed of being overwhelmed by the tougher competition; in fact, Benge was better. In the 32 games he ended up playing in Binghamton, he hit .317/.407/.571 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and drew 18 walks to 23 strikeouts. In mid-August, Benge was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse. His time there got off to a rough start, as he was placed on the injured list a few days later for an undisclosed injury, but when he got back on the field at the end of the month, he really couldn’t get going. He ended up appearing in 24 games for Syracuse and hit .178/.272/.311 with 1 double, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 3 stolen bases in as many attempts, and drew 9 walks to 19 strikeouts. Overall, it was an incredible season for the outfielder, and he hit a combined .281/.385/.472 with 25 doubles, 7 triples, 15 home runs, 22 stolen bases in 26 attempts, and drew 68 walks to 92 strikeouts.

In college, Benge had mechanics at the plate that could have been regarded as yellow flags based on the history of being problematic in a professional wood bat setting. The 6’1”, 185-pound left-hander stood extremely open, holding his hands high behind his head and wrapping his bat behind his head at 10:00. As he would load up, he would raise his hands and angle his bat parallel to the ground before lowering them and angling his bat perpendicular to the ground at 12:00 before returning it back to its original position during his front leg strike and swing, sometimes with compensatory bat wiggle. At some point during his 2024 season with the Cowboys, the hand movement during his load became less pronounced and he got them back into hitting position much quicker, with most of the extra movement and momentum removed. As evidenced by his solid 2024 professional debut with St. Lucie and his strong 2025 season with Brooklyn, Binghamton, and Syracuse, his modified mechanics have been effective with a wood bat in a professional setting.

The left-hander has a lightning-fast bat that stays in the zone and makes a lot of quality contact because of a strong sense of the strike zone and an advanced eye for spin. His cumulative 42.4% Swing% and 8.1% SwingStr% were just under the 2025 MLB averages, while his 80.9% Contact% was just a little over it. When he makes solid contact on pitches and hits them squarely, he has produced exit velocities over 110 MPH as per publicly available statcast data with Syracuse. While he does hit the ball hard, Benge still needs to work on improving the damage that he does with those balls.

In his last year in college, Benge focused on hitting the ball in the air more and tapping into more of his power. He was more or less successful in doing so, running a 15% line drive rate, 46.5% groundball rate, and a 38.5% flyball rate in his last year with the Cowboys, as opposed to his 18.1% line drive rate, 53% groundball rate, and 28.9% flyball rate the year before. In 2025, the outfielder had a 24.7% line drive rate, 42.5% groundball rate, and 31.4% flyball rate, specifically with an 8.3% pulled fastball rate. Benge posted a suboptimal median launch angle of less than 10-degrees in 2024, and in 2025 averaged a 9-degree launch angle during his time in Syracuse, where publicly available statcast data exists. Lifting the ball more will unlock more of Benge’s natural power and continues to be his main area of improvement.

Because of his swing’s length, Benge naturally goes to the opposite field, shooting pitches middle or away to left-center. In totality in 2025, he pulled the ball at a 39.1% rate, went back up the middle at a 22% rate, and went to the opposite field at a 38.9% rate. His swing showed platoon splits at Oklahoma State, highlighting a weaknesses against left-handers, and while they did not manifest themselves in his brief professional debut in 2024, they reared their heads in 2025. Against right-handers, Benge hit .295/.379/.512, but against left-handers, he hit .232/.407/.326. He can be a pesky at-bat for southpaw pitchers, since he has a natural feel for going the other way, but pitches inside have been a problem for Benge, with a best case scenario of inside-outing balls that dunk in for hits instead of getting jammed.

Defensively, the wiry outfielder generally gets good reads off the bat, takes efficient routes to the ball, and has solid range thanks to his average-to-above-average speed. He does not have a dynamic first step or the afterburners that true above-average runners have, but he reaches his reaches his striding speed quickly and can cover plenty of ground. When he was drafted, scouts and evaluators were split on whether or not he had enough range to play centerfield in the long term. The slim, athletically built Benge has demonstrated that he has enough speed and range to play the position in the near long term, with future mass addition and how it develops on his body being the true deciding factor. In a corner, he has a plus arm and profiles well in right field as a result.

2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List​

3) Jonah Tong
4) Jett Williams*
5) Brandon Sproat*
6) A.J. Ewing
7) Jacob Reimer
8) Ryan Clifford
9) Will Watson
10) Jack Wenninger
11) Mitch Voit
12) Jonathan Santucci
13) Elian Peña
14) Zach Thornton
15) Nick Morabito
16) R.J. Gordon
17) Chris Suero
18) Dylan Ross
19) Ryan Lambert
20) Antonio Jimenez
21) Edward Lantigua
22) Eli Serrano III
23) Randy Guzman
24) Daiverson Gutierrez
25) Boston Baro

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...-25-mets-prospects-for-2026-of-carson-benge-2

 

[New York Mets]

Carlos Beltrán to wear Mets cap on HOF plaque

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 01: Carlos Beltran #15 of the New York Mets at bat against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on July 1, 2011 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Carlos Beltrán will officially wear a Mets cap on his Baseball Hall of Fame plaque, according to a Tuesday afternoon announcement. Beltrán, who was elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on January 20 with 84.2% of votes, will be just the third Hall of Famer to wear a Mets cap in Cooperstown along with Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza.

Over the course of his twenty-year career, Beltrán tallied 435 homers and 312 stolen bases, becoming one of just five players in baseball history with 400+ homers and 300+ stolen bases. Beltrán played for seven different teams, winning a Rookie of the Year Award with the Royals and a controversial World Series with the Astros in 2017, but he spent the bulk of his prime (from ages 27 to 34) in Queens. During his six and a half seasons in New York, Beltrán hit 149 homers, recorded 559 RBI, and stole 100 bases, while earning three All-Star selections, three Gold Glove Awards, and a pair of Silver Slugger Awards. In 2006, Beltrán helped lead the Mets to a division title with a stellar 8.2 bWAR, matching a Mets record at the time with 41 home runs.

Beltrán will be inducted at Cooperstown alongside fellow players Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent on July 26. Beltrán will also be inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame alongside Lee Mazzilli and Bobby Valentine at Citi Field sometime this summer.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...f-fame-hof-cooperstown-tom-seaver-mike-piazza

 

[New York Mets]

Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Nolan McLean (1)

A standout on the baseball diamond as well as the gridiron, Nolan McLean was a two-sport star while attending the eponymously named Garner High School in Garner, North Carolina. As a football player, he lettered three years and threw for 6809 yards for 62 touchdowns. He was a three year letterman in baseball as well, dominating on both sides of the ball. As a batter, he hit a cumulative .381/.589/.719 in 53 games with 11 doubles, 0 triples, 12 home runs, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and drew 64 walks to 28 strikeouts. As a pitcher, he posted a cumulative 2.05 ERA in 54.2 innings over 26 games with 38 hits allowed, 25 walks, and 88 strikeouts. His senior season was mostly a wash because of the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the baseball season, leading to him honor his commitment to Oklahoma State University. There was a chance that, had the season not been cancelled prematurely, McLean be drafted by a professional team in a high enough round to have made it worthwhile for him, but because of the uncertainty of the pandemic and the extremely abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft, he elected to signal to teams that he would be attending college and went undrafted.

Overview​

Name: Nolan McLean
Position: RHP
Born: 07/24/2001 (Age 24 season in 2026)
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 215 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2023 MLB Draft, 3rd Round (Oklahoma State University)
2025 Stats: 5 G (5 GS), 26.1 IP, 20 H, 4 R, 4 ER (1.37 ERA), 12 BB, 30 K, .313 BABIP (Double-A) / 16 G (13 GS), 87.1 IP, 58 H, 31 R, 27 ER (2.78 ERA), 38 BB, 97 K, .239 BABIP (Triple-A) / 8 G (8 GS), 48.0 IP, 34 H, 13 R, 11 ER (2.44 ERA), 16 BB, 57 K, .275 BABIP (MLB)

Unlike many prep players who go to college, Benge did not abandon football to focus only on baseball. In the fall of 2020, he made the Oklahoma State football team as a walk-on as the third-string quarterback. He did not appear in any official games for the 8-3 Cowboys, who went on to win the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl, beating the Miami Hurricanes 37-34. When the football season ended, his focus returned back to baseball. He appeared in 39 games for Oklahoma State, missing some time from a back injury, and hit .263/.410/.526 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 1 stolen base in 2 attempts, and drew 27 walks to 50 strikeouts, playing all over the infield and outfield. Additionally, he appeared in a pair of games on the mound, giving up 4 earned runs in 2.0 innings with 2 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. That summer, he played for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League and hit .261/.469/.522 in 8 games with 2 home runs, 0 stolen bases, and 9 walks to 12 strikeouts.

When the summer ended and fall began, McLean decided to hang up his football pads permanently. Rather than play football and possibly reaggravate his back, he decided to focus on baseball. As a draft-eligible sophomore due to his age, focusing on baseball would give him the best opportunity to go pro. His new focus on baseball paid off in 2022, as he excelled as a hitter and also got to show off his ability to pitch. Splitting time between second and third base, spending most of it third, McLean hit .285/.397/.595 with 16 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and drew 37 walks to 107 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 23 games and posted a 4.97 ERA in 25.1 innings with 20 hits allowed, 13 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The Baltimore Orioles liked what they saw and selected him with their third-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the 81st overall pick, designating him a pitcher. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement after Baltimore seeing some post-draft physical MRI results they were concerned about and McLean ended up being the highest selected played in the 2022 MLB Draft to go unsigned, and one of two third round selections to not sign with a team, along with New York Mets third round pick Brandon Sproat.

After an unexpectedly free summer, McLean returned to Oklahoma State University for his junior year, his primary defensive position now moved from the infield to the outfield. He appeared in 43 games, missing time in April after crashing into the outfield wall attempting to make a play and injuring his MCL, and hit .250/.379/.532 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 27 walks to 57 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 14 games, making 3 starts late in the season, and posted a 3.30 ERA in 30.0 innings, with 30 hits allowed, 17 walks, and 34 strikeouts. The Mets selected him in the 2023 MLB Draft with their third round selection, the 91st pick overall, and the two sides agreed to a $747,600 signing bonus, exactly the MLB-assigned slot value. As opposed to the Orioles, who designated McLean a pitcher when they drafted him, the Mets designated him a two-way player and used him as such. He split the rest of the summer with the FCL Mets and the St. Lucie Mets, appearing in 8 total games as a hitter and two as a pitcher. At the plate, he hit a cumulative .125/.375/.313 with 1 home run, 1 stolen base, and 7 walks to 11 strikeouts. On the mound, he threw 1.1 innings total, allowing one earned run on 1 hit and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts.

That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked McLean the Mets’ 25 prospect on the 2024 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects list. Assigned to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, the organization continued using him as a two-way pitcher, and McLean quickly began racking up strikeouts. He remained in Coney Island until the end of May and posted a 2.57 ERA in 28.0 innings over 7 starts with 20 hits allowed, 10 walks, and 36 strikeouts while hitting .224/.297/.552 in 63 at-bats, drawing 6 walks and striking out 38 times. Highlighting why the Mets were developing the right-hander as a two-way hitter, an astounding 12 of McLean’s 15 hits went for extra bases, resulting in a Barry Bonds-ian .328 ISO.

At the end of May, McLean was promoted to Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and was sluggish to get out of the gate early on. After roughly a month of play, the decision was made to end the two-way player experiment and for McLean to focus only on pitching. The right-hander settled down after a rough month to begin his Double-A career and ended up having a solid season on the mound. In 81.2 innings over 18 starts, he posted a 4.19 ERA, allowing 76 hits, walking 32, and striking out 80.

Based on his upside as a pitcher, made clearer thanks to impressive pitch metric data and in-person looks from scouts and evaluators, McLean gained a lot of helium that off-season and was ranked 5 on the Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospects List for the 2025 season. The right-hander began his season with the Rumble Ponies but was promoted after a month that saw him post a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings over 5 starts with 20 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 30 strikeouts. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in mid-May and barely missed a beat against the tougher competition in a more hitting-friendly league. The right-hander appeared in 16 games for the Syracuse Mets, starting 13 of them, and posted a 2.78 ERA in 87.1 innings, giving up 58 hits, walking 38, and striking out 97. Altogether, between Binghamton and Syracuse combined, McLean posted a 2.45 ERA in 113.2 innings, allowing 78 hits, walking 50, and striking out 127.

In mid-August, with the Mets’ playoff chances beginning to fade as a compromised starting rotation and beleaguered bullpen became highly problematic, the decision was made to call McLean up to the Mets, leapfrogging fellow top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong. His name had been bandied about for a few weeks as a potential bullpen aid, but with the organization fortifying the bullpen at the trade deadline, the organization elected to call the 23-year-old up to strengthen the starting rotation instead. Frankie Montas was shifted to the bullpen and McLean took his place, giving him the opportunity to show what he could do over a handful of starts, not just one singular spot start.

McLean’s audition went better than anybody could have predicted. In his first start on August 16th, he threw 5.1 shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners, allowing 2 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8. In his next start on August 22nd, against the Atlanta Braves, he allowed two runs over 7.0 innings, giving up 4 hits, walking none, and striking out 7. In his next start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 27th, McLean threw 8 shutout innings, allowing four hits, walking none, and striking out 6. The right-hander was just as good as the calendar flipped to September and ended up making 5 starts, posting a 2.93 ERA in 27.2 innings with 24 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 36 strikeouts. All in all, McLean stayed just under the rookie limits, throwing 48.0 innings at the big league level, and posted a 2.06 ERA in his 8 starts, allowing 34 hits, walking 16, and striking out 57.

The 6’2”, 215-pound McLean has a sturdy, durable pitching frame. He throws from a low-three-quarters arm slot, his release point magnified even further with his extension off the mound from his drop-and-drive delivery. The ball explodes out of his hand, heightened by its lower approach angle. McLean also stands on the far third base side of the rubber, making the ball more difficult to pick up mid-flight because, thanks to his arm slot, it is much further to the side than most other pitchers.

The right-hander throws three fastballs, a four-seamer, a sinker, and a cutter, a sweeping slider, a curveball, and a changeup.

While in Triple-A, he threw his sweeping slider 28% of the time, his sinker 23% of the time, his four-seam fastball 21% of the time, his cutter 11% of the time, his curveball 9% of the time, and his change-up 8% of the time. In his MLB cup-of-coffee, he threw his sinker 28% of the time, his sweeping slider 26% of the time, his curveball 16% of the time, his four-seam fastball 13% of the time, and his change-up and cutter both 9% of the time. Against major leaguers, the ratios of those pitches more or less stayed the same against left-handers and right-handers, throwing fewer sinkers and sliders against lefties and more changeups, cutters, and curves.

McLean’s four-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s, ranging 92-98 MPH, averaging 95 MPH. Thanks to his arm slot, the pitch has a fairly flat approach angle, but with an average spin rate that measured 2,270 RPM in Syracuse and 2,310 in Queens, the pitch does not have much life to it. While the right-hander has had no real issues getting swings-and-misses with the pitch, posting a 22.4% Whiff% with it in Triple-A and a 37.1% Whiff% in the majors, the pitch is better suited as a set-up pitch rather than a go-to strikeout pitch.

McLean’s sinker is in a similar boat. Sitting in the same velocity band, averaging 94.5 MPH, the pitch also has below-average spin rates for a sinker and is not a big strikeout pitch for the right-hander. Triple-A batters hit .165/.250/.253 against it and MLB hitters hit .193/.281/.316 against it, but they swung-and-missed at a 22.0% and 18.7% rate, respectively. The pitch is effective at getting outs, inducing a great deal of groundballs, but not necessarily swings-and-misses.

When the right-hander needs strikeouts, he turns to his breaking balls: the right-hander throws a plus sweeper and a plus curveball, both of which have elite pitch characteristics.

McLean’s sweeping slider averaged 85 MPH last season, sitting anywhere between 81 to 89 MPH. The pitch features 2,435-3,230 RPM of spin, giving it 37.8 inches of vertical movement and 16.8 inches of horizontal movement. The right-hander commands the pitch well despite the amount of movement it has and is one of the most adroit pitchers in baseball today in regards to pounding the strike zone with a sweeping slider. Coupled with McLean’s arm slot and the side angle that the pitch is coming in from in relation to the plate, the pitch is a true plus breaker that is one of the best in Major League Baseball today. Ironically, in his 48 innings at the major league level, big league batters had no problem with the pitch, hitting it to the tune of a .361/.425/.528 batting average against with a 20.3% Whiff%; in a larger sample of his work in Syracuse, batters hit .185/.250/.326 with a 30.2% Whiff%.

Sitting in the high-70s and featuring spin rates ranging from 2,915 to 3,510 RPM, McLean’s curveball featured an average of 57.6 inches of vertical drop and 18.7 inches of horizontal movement, making it a plus pitch as well. In Triple-A, batters hit a paltry .121/.194/.212 against it with a 48.4% Whiff% and in the majors, batters hit .074/.107/.074 against it with an even 50% Whiff%. Unlike his sweeping slider, McLean’s command of the pitch is fleeting. The pitch was still extremely effective, as hitters chased it out of the zone with regularity, but the right-hander only managed a 17.9% Zone% with it.

To mitigate whatever advantages left-handers might have, McLean also throws a cutter and change-up. His cutter sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s and features slight glove-side hop. It is McLean’s weakest pitch overall, hit the hardest and for the highest batting average against, but it also sets up his sweeper and/or change-up.

His changeup was only recently developed, a “kick” changeup en vogue among Mets pitching developmental staff of late. Prior to the 2025 season, McLean had always been experimenting with a changeup, using different grips and figuring out what worked best for him, but the changeups he threw generally were little more than change of pace offerings, as opposed to consistent swing-and-miss pitches. His new kick grip has improved his command the mid-to-high-80s offering and has also given it more bite the pitch has, increasing its vertical drop and giving the pitch an elite 38.8 inches of tumble to go along with its above-average 13.4 inches of arm-side movement.

Far from an issue, McLean’s control and command wavered earlier in his career. At this point, while his walk rate is still a bit inflated and his command of certain pitches in his arsenal are better than others, it is only a conceptual weakness.

2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List​

2) Carson Benge
3) Jonah Tong
4) Jett Williams*
5) Brandon Sproat*
6) A.J. Ewing
7) Jacob Reimer
8) Ryan Clifford
9) Will Watson
10) Jack Wenninger
11) Mitch Voit
12) Jonathan Santucci
13) Elian Peña
14) Zach Thornton
15) Nick Morabito
16) R.J. Gordon
17) Chris Suero
18) Dylan Ross
19) Ryan Lambert
20) Antonio Jimenez
21) Edward Lantigua
22) Eli Serrano III
23) Randy Guzman
24) Daiverson Gutierrez
25) Boston Baro

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...25-mets-prospects-for-2026-rhp-nolan-mclean-1

 

[New York Mets]

Baseball Prospectus includes seven Mets prospects on top 101 list

BINGHAMTON, NY - SEPTEMBER 18: AJ. Ewing #7 of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies looks on during the game between the Somerset Patriots and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Baseball Prospectus has published its annual list of the top 101 prospects in baseball ahead of the 2026 season, and seven Mets prospects are included on the list: Nolan McLean (4), Carson Benge (10), Jonah Tong (23), A.J. Ewing (38), Jacob Reimer (70), Ryan Clifford (86), and Will Watson (96). And both Jett Williams (41) and Brandon Sproat (76), who the Mets dealt to the Brewers for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers, made the list, as well.

The inclusion of that many Mets prospects is a testament to the excellent state of the organization’s farm system, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the sport.

All seven of the Mets prospects who made the list were included in our top 25 here at Amazin’ Avenue, as our post-Brewers rankings would have them in the same order as they appear on the Baseball Prospectus list.

1. Nolan McLean
2. Carson Benge
3. Jonah Tong
4. A.J. Ewing
5. Jacob Reimer
6. Ryan Clifford
7. Will Watson

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...l-prospectus-101-2026-mclean-benge-tong-ewing

 

[New York Mets]

Mets Morning News: Freddy Peralta won’t pitch in WBC

Mar 24, 2018; Jupiter, FL, USA; A New York Mets hat with sunglasses sits on a glove in the dugout during a spring training game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Meet the Mets​

Newest Met Freddy Peralta is already in camp and said he will not pitch for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Nolan McLean also reported early and is looking forward to his first big league camp.

Spring training officially starts next week and Anthony DiComo wrote an handy guide for everything fans need to know when it gets under way.

The Pirates are reportedly interested in acquiring Brett Baty or Mark Vientos but no trade involving either player is imminent.

Seven Mets prospects made Baseball Prospectus’s top 101 Prospect list.

Around the National League East​

The Braves released their non-roster invitee list made up of both prospects and veterans hoping to make the team out of camp.

Jim Bowden gave the Marlins a solid grade after the moves president of baseball operations Peter Bendix made this offseason.

Despite being the reigning division champions, the Phillies will have a tough battle on their hands this season with the other teams in the divison improving over the winter.

Around Major League Baseball​

The Tigers reportedly signed free agent Framber Valdez to a three-year deal worth $115 million.

Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal had his arbitration hearing and the ruling is expected shortly.

Former Tiger hero Mickey Lolich passed away at the age of 85.

The Red Sox signed infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a one-year, $6 million contract.

The fight over control of the Padres between the widow of late owner Peter Seidler and his brothers appears to be over but the club could still end up being sold.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue​

Brian Salvatore previewed Christian Scott’s season.

Nolan McLean is Steve Sypa’s number one prospect in the Mets system.

This Date in Mets History​

On this date in 1903 the team’s first owner, Joan Payson, was born.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...alta-wont-pitch-in-wbc-spring-training-mclean

 

[New York Mets]

Which Mets prospect will take the biggest step forward in 2026?

Ryan Clifford | Photo: Chris McShane

This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.

Which Mets prospect will take the biggest step forward in 2026?

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...tion-day-prospects-minor-league-2026-breakout

 

[New York Mets]

An updated look at the Mets’ DH position and bench

May 10, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Mark Vientos (27) congratulates third baseman Brett Baty (7) for hitting a two run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

With the recent moves made by David Stearns and the Mets, the team’s starting lineup has finally come into focus. As everyone’s positions and roles have become more clear as a result, so has the bench situation for the Mets, and it’s looking to be a fairly strong group, though the DH position is one of the few places that still could be open to some interpretation for New York.

Last year, the Mets relied heavily on Starling Marte (when healthy) to man the DH spot, and with Mark Vientos’ subpar defense, he spent a lot of his time DHing as well. The bench mostly consisted of younger guys like Brett Baty, the now-traded Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio taking turns shuffling between the minors and majors depending on their play. In addition, guys like Jared Young got a lot of playing time with the Mets. Behind the plate, Luis Torrens mostly manned the bench spot held set aside for the backup catcher, though Hayden Senger spent a lot of time in the majors as well when Torrens was filling in for an injured Francisco Alvarez.

This year, the DH spot is likely to be split between Baty and Vientos, neither of whom necessarily has a set position with the club. Stearns alluded to Baty getting a lot of time at a number of positions, something Joel Sherman’s recent article referenced, so you can expect to see Baty get some reps at third, second, and even a lot of action in left field, depending on how Carson Benge impresses in spring training and whether the club wants him to get some more time in the minors. However, if he’s still on the team come Opening Day, DH also makes a lot of sense. Vientos, meanwhile, doesn’t really have a home anywhere else. He’ll probably be expected to pick up a first baseman’s glove this year and could split time with Jorge Polanco (another guy who could spend some time at DH). However, should Vientos remain a Met, DH makes the most sense for him, since his bat is more valuable than his glove.

The Mets will also likely use the DH spot to give some guys a breather from the field. The club will probably try to get Juan Soto some at-bats at DH when they want to rest him in the field, and the same could go for Bo Bichette, who is learning a new position at third. Should Alvarez’s bat finally progress like the club is expecting, he would also be a solid candidate to start a game or so a week at DH, in order to keep his bat in the lineup while giving the defensively-superior Torrens some reps behind the plate.

As for the bench, the team will carry four guys (13 pitchers: six starters and seven relievers; 13 position players: nine starters and four bench players). Torrens has an automatic spot on the bench (with Senger serving as the emergency catcher on the 40-man roster, and Austin Barnes waiting to battle it out in spring training). From there, one of Vientos or Baty (whoever is not serving as Designated Hitter) also has a guaranteed spot on the bench. That leaves two openings: One for a fourth outfielder, and one for a utility player. On the former, Tyrone Taylor, now relegated to the bench after the Luis Robert Jr. trade, is going to be the main guy on the bench and see plenty of action (as mentioned, Baty will also get his chance in the outfield, especially in left).

That leaves one spot remaining to fill. The club recently acquired Vidal Bruján in a trade with the Twins, and as he played almost every position last season for Minnesota, he couple be a valuable asset for New York. He was a former top-100 prospect, but he has not enjoyed anything remotely resembling success in the majors. To date, he has hit .199/.267/.276 with five home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a 54 wRC+ over parts of the past five seasons. Nick Morabito is on the 40-man, but that was mostly to protect him from the Rule V draft, and there’s little chance he snags a spot on the Opening Day roster.

So there are basically two options to compete with Bruján right now: Jared Young and Ronny Mauricio. Young hit .186/.234/.488 with four home runs in 43 at-bats last season. Young brings a lot of potential power, which is demonstrated in the fact that four of his eight hits left the yard. However, he doesn’t provide much beyond that, as his hitting overall is hardly something to write home about, and he’s mostly someone who would play outfield and DH, though he could see a little time at first two. That leaves Mauricio, who struggled in his first season back from a torn ACL. He hit .226/.293/.369 with six home runs in 168 at-bats for New York last year. Mauricio can play a number of positions, including second, third, and short, but with Baty around, he may be seen as redundant and not worthy of a roster spot. He also has an option left, so stashing him in Triple-A to start the year makes the most sense for the club as opposed to DFAing one of the other players.

The Mets could still acquire someone to play left field instead of rolling with Baty or Benge (they have been linked to guys like Lars Nootbar via trade and Austin Hays via free agency so far), which could change the equation in terms of the DH and bench spots. However, as things stand today, you can expect Baty and Vientos to split the DH duties on most days, and the bench to consist of whomever is not DHing, alongside Torrens, Taylor, and either Bruján, Young, or Mauricio. The safe bet is for Mauricio to start the year in Triple-A, giving Young and Bruján the leg up, unless the team makes another move to fortify their bench. All that said, you could make a case that the team’s bench is in a better spot than last year, while the production they receive at DH depends largely on how well Vientos rebounds from a rough 2025 (or how well Baty progresses at the plate after an up-and-down 2025 campaign).

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...h-designated-hitter-2026-baty-torrens-vientos

 

[New York Mets]

Here are the Mets on 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters

Sep 20, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The full rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were revealed on Monday, featuring 17 different Mets players across the tournament’s 20 teams. It’s the most players the Mets have ever had rostered in a WBC, beating their previous record of 16 set in 2009 and matched in 2023. The following is a list of all 17 Mets, in alphabetical order:

• Josh Blum (Israel)

• Huascar Brazobán (Dominican Republic)*†

• Alex Carrillo (Mexico)*†

• Jamdrick Cornelia (Netherlands)

• Daniel Duarte (Mexico)*

• Jordan Geber (Israel)

• Carlos Guzman (Venezuela)

• Clay Holmes (United States)*†

• Daviel Hurtado (Cuba)

• Nolan McLean (United States)*†

• Nick Morabito (Italy)†

• Jose Ramos (Panama)

• Benjamin Simon (Israel)

• Juan Soto (Dominican Republic)*†

• Robert Stock (Israel)*

• Mark Vientos (Nicaragua)*†

• Jared Young (Canada)*†

* = Has played at the major league level

† = Currently on the Mets’ 40-Man Roster

Notable former Mets participating in the WBC include Harrison Bader (Israel), Edwin Díaz (Puerto Rico), Andrés Giménez (Venezuela), Amed Rosario (Dominican Republic), Luis Severino (Dominican Republic), Gregory Soto (Dominican Republic), and Taijuan Walker (Mexico). Francisco Lindor and former Met Javier Báez were planning to play with Team Puerto Rico for a third consecutive WBC, but Lindor was one of several players to face insurance issues while Báez was ineligible because he tested positive for marijuana use during the 2023 WBC.

The Classic will kick off with the first game of pool play on March 5 (the night of March 4 in U.S. time), and the Championship game is scheduled for March 17 at loanDepot Park in Miami. The Mets will open their regular season nine days later against the Pirates at Citi Field.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...lassic-wbc-mclean-soto-lindor-holmes-new-york

 

[New York Mets]

José Ramos will try to make his big league debut in 2026

José Ramos | / Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Having spent the entirety of his professional baseball career in the Dodgers organization until he signed a minor league deal with the Mets this offseason, José Ramos has yet to get a shot in the big leagues. And heading into his age-25 season, he seems most likely to begin the year in Triple-A Syracuse.

After signing with Los Angeles as an international free agent out of Panama in 2018, Ramos first played in the Dominican Summer League in 2019, putting up a relatively pedestrian .739 OPS. Like all minor league players, he didn’t play in any games in 2020, but he came back strong in 2021 with a .329/.396/.576 line and 11 home runs in just 288 plate appearances in Rookie and Single-A ball.

As he moved up the ranks of the Dodgers’ system, though, Ramos tended to see worse results. In 2022, between Single-A and High-A, he finished with an .818 OPS. And in Double-A the following year, he wound up with a .742 OPS. The Dodgers had him repeat the level in 2024, and things went worse the second time around, as he hit just .221/.308/.388. He started the 2025 season in Double-A once again, and things didn’t improve, as he hit ten home runs but had just a .688 OPS in 58 games at the level to start the year.

Despite those struggles, the Dodgers bumped Ramos up to their Triple-A affiliate for the first time in July. The change of scenery seemed to help, even if the Pacific Coast League features some particularly hitter-friendly parks. Ramos hit .295/.359/.557 with eight home runs in 167 plate appearances.

Defensively, Ramos has played center field the majority of the time in his minor league career, but he’s logged significant innings in right field and played a little bit of left field, as well. That relative flexibility could give him a better chance at getting his first look in the big leagues this year with the Mets, as the team’s outfield is perhaps the most uncertain part of its roster.

Luis Robert Jr. hasn’t been the most durable player, Tyrone Taylor struggled mightily at the plate last year, and Carson Benge isn’t a lock to hit the ground running this season, even if there’s very good reason to be excited about the Mets leaving the left field job open for him to win in spring training. And we’ll see if the Mets really intend to use Brett Baty at all in left field.

Ramos would have to establish himself as the team’s best option should they need to call someone up from the minor league ranks, and he won’t be without competition. Mets prospects A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito might both start the year in Syracuse and have center field experience and at least some innings logged in a corner outfield spot. And Ramos isn’t the only mid-to-late 20s outfielder who will be in the mix, either.

There are quite a few variables in the mix here, but we know that David Stearns likes a center fielder who can hit home runs. We’ll presumably get a look at Ramos a bit in spring training and then plenty more in Syracuse, and if he’s a good defender in center, even a decent line at the plate in Triple-A might be enough to get him a look.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...ason-preview-jose-ramos-outfield-center-field

 

[New York Mets]

Mets Morning News: Fantasizing about lineups until spring training starts

Mar 24, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) looks on from inside the dugout against the New York Yankees during the third inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Meet the Mets​

What might the Mets’ lineup look like coming out of spring training?

Around the National League East​

The Phillies top three hitters in their lineup this year is bound to be Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper, but in what order?

The Braves ae bringing veteran infielder Kyle Farmer into spring training as a non-roster invitee.

The Marlins made a swap with their Florida counterparts, dealing Victor Mesa Jr. to the Rays in exchange for minor league infielder Angel Brachi.

Federal Baseball broke down their list of top 30 Nationals prospects.

Around Major League Baseball​

Veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is returning to the Yankees on a one-year deal.

Longtime Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez has announced his retirement.

Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior expressed excitement at getting to see Shohei Ohtani in his full form this season.

MLB.com listed one prospect for each team who has a chance of securing a spot on the opening day roster this spring.

Mark McGwire is back in the Athletics organization in a player development role.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue​

Brian Salvatore discussed Austin Barnes’s effort to serve as depth for the the 2026 Mets.

The Amazin’ Avenue minor league staff ranked Peter Kussow on their list of top minor league prospects entering the 2026 season.

Vasilis Drimalitis examined the current state of the team’s DH and bench positions.

Linus Lawrence provided a list of the Mets players who will be participating in the World Baseball Classic.

This Date in Mets History​

Happy birthday, Endy Chavez!

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...-spring-training-starts-baseball-new-york-mlb

 

[New York Mets]

Jared Young, blocked again

Last December, we took a look back at Jared Young’s 2025. It was an uneven affair, particularly at the major league level, but much of what made him an exciting minor league signing remained true. His Triple-A damage numbers were excellent, his approach solid, and his contact metrics viable enough to make him look like a useful depth piece. What was most exciting (to me, at least) at the time was that Young seemingly had a path to more playing time in 2026 where he’d hopefully get a chance to actualize those skills at the major league level.

Needless to say, a lot has happened in the intervening months. Jorge Polanco was brought in to play first base. Bo Bichette signed to play third base in January, and then Luis Robert was acquired to play center. With Carson Benge in line to get the first shot at the left field job and neither Mark Vientos nor Ronny Mauricio traded at this point in the offseason, there’s now no clear pathway for Young to get major league playing time. Per Roster Resource, he’s slated to start the year in Triple-A.

Objectively, this is all a very good thing of course. The Mets brought in several good players—ones clearly better than Young—and now have both a stronger major league roster and intriguing depth in the minors. You’d much rather be the Mets of 2026 than the Mets of the 2010s, who lacked the resources or savvy to make these sorts of additions and wound up relying on guys like Young with nothing even resembling a backup plan.

Still, I can’t help but miss those days just a little bit. There was something special, magical even, in the exercise of convincing ourselves that this washed up veteran or that former top prospect would work out, and that the Mets were geniuses were for scooping them up. Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the state of the world around us, or perhaps it’s simply succumbing to nostalgia; whatever the root cause, I long on some level for that special blend of delusion and hope unique to going all in as a fan on this sort of player.

Overtly philosophical commentary aside, Young is set to play a similar role this season to last. He’ll likely have a narrow window of opportunity before the upper minors prospects—Ryan Clifford, Jacob Reimer, A.J. Ewing—push him even further down the depth chart. I for one will continue to delude myself into believing he’ll work out, and I hope he gets a chance to prove me right.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-york-mets-roster/89962/mets-season-preview-jared-young

 

[Zedster]

The Mets roster flexibility situation is pretty fascinating to follow right now. Stearns has done a solid job building depth, but you can see the logjam forming, especially with guys like Vientos, Baty, and now all these utility options competing for limited spots.

I think the DH platoon between Baty and Vientos makes a lot of sense on paper. Vientos really needs to bounce back offensively because his glove isn't doing him any favors. If he can't figure it out at the plate, that's a tough situation for a guy with no real defensive home.

The WBC participation is cool to see - 17 players is impressive. Interesting that Lindor had insurance issues keeping him out. McLean representing the US is a nice nod to his development.

Feel bad for Jared Young honestly. Guy put up solid Triple-A numbers and seemed like he might carve out a role, then the front office just kept adding pieces above him. That's baseball though - better to have too much depth than not enough. The article's point about the old days of convincing ourselves fringe guys would work out hit home a bit. Different era now with how the Mets are operating.

The José Ramos signing is an interesting low-risk flier. His Triple-A numbers after the promotion last year were encouraging, and with Robert's injury history, there's always a chance an outfield spot opens up. Syracuse is going to be stacked with outfield options competing for call-up opportunities.

Spring training should clarify a lot of these battles. Benge's performance in particular could shift things around significantly.

 

[New York Mets]

Mets sign MJ Melendez to Major League deal

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 10: MJ Melendez #1 of the Kansas City Royals singles bats during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on April 10, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Mets and MJ Melendez agreed to a one year, $1.5m deal (with $500k in incentives) in the twilight of the 2026 offseason, giving the Mets another option to fill out their bench, and giving Melendez a legitimate shot to open the 2026 season on a Major League roster. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic it is a split deal, meaning his salary differs depending on whether he is in the big leagues or in the minor leagues.

Melendez, now 27, spent his entire professional career up until now with the Kansas City Royals. The Daytona Beach, Florida native was drafted in the second round by the Royals in 2017, forgoing a commitment to Florida International University to turn pro. He eventually became one of the best prospects in the sport, earning Top 100 prospect status from Baseball Prospectus (#35), Baseball America (#42) and MLB Pipeline (#51) prior to the 2022 season, then as a catcher. He eventually made his debut in 2022, moving positions and converting to the corner outfield, where he has been a regular part of the Royals Major League roster, until last season.

He never reached the heights he did as a prospect in the Majors, putting together three okay seasons at the plate (97 wRC+ in 2022, 93 wRC+ in 2023, 86 wRC+ in 2024) before falling off a cliff in 2025, hitting .083/.154/.167 (-14 wRC+) in 23 games before getting sent to Triple-A for the remainder of the season. He was non-tendered after the season, and became a free agent. He comes to the Mets a career 215/.297/.388 hitter, with 52 home runs in 435 games, good for an 88 wRC+.

The Mets were in clear need of someone who can handle the corner outfield, especially after the acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. and the continued presence of Tyrone Taylor (and, frankly, the likely debut of Carson Benge) leaving them completely covered in center field. They could also use someone who could hit left handed off the bench, as their roster became right-handed heavy over the course of the offseason.

For the Mets, Melendez represents a chance to get some pop off the bench, and a chance to recapture some of his former Top 100 prospect status that he had not too long ago. He also put together some roughly league average season as a Major Leaguer, and that is a welcome development from a bench player if they can get him back to that. He can serve as cover in the corner outfield, perhaps first base (again, according to Sammon), and will likely serve has the emergency catcher if he does make the roster. He will be a project for the new hitting apparatus of Jeff Albert and Troy Snitker. He also, according to FanGraphs, still has an option remaining, which still leaves David Stearns open to acquiring someone else for the role and stashing Melendez in Syracuse.

For Melendez, the Mets represent a competitive environment that has a pretty open bench spot, so the combination of being on a Major League roster on a good team on Opening Day is likely too good to pass up for him.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...ajor-league-contract-spring-training-outfield

 

[New York Mets]

Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Writer’s Thoughts (25-11)

Boston Baro (25)​

Steve says:

Boston Baro had a solid 2024, establishing himself as a player to keep an eye on, but his progress and development took a backslide in 2025. He still has youth on his side but is currently being fueled more by how he has room to improve rather than how he has improved. Without one standout tool, his ultimate upside is a well-rounded player who does a lot of things fairly well, but profiles like that can fall into obscurity fairly quickly.

Lukas says:

It was a real let-down season for Baro, who failed to hit in High-A and saw his stock tumble while most of the system around him surged. It wasn’t a complete disaster and he’s still only 21 (and spent most of the season at 20) so it’s too early to give up entirely. At the same time, his power remains middling (ISO below .100) and the hit tool promise hasn’t materialized either. There are more exciting guys I’d have preferred here.

Daiverson Gutierrez (24)​

Steve says:

Daiverson Gutierrez thoroughly impressed me in 2024. After an unimpressive first season as a professional in the DSL, he rebounded with revamped mechanics at the plate and killed it. He was roughly an average hitter last season, posting a 98 wRC+ in his 91 games with St. Lucie, and while there is probably a lot of variance in his offensive profile because of a lack of in-game power to count on, he has well-rounded defensive chops, giving him a solid floor as a developmental starting point.

Lukas says:

The just-missed list features a couple other formerly well regarded top catching prospects, but Gutierrez managed to keep his head above the waterline for another season. He posted average-ish slash line in his first full season stateside with some positive hit-tool and approach markers under the hood, and even a decent pulled fly ball rate to boot. The lack of exit velo – and corresponding lack of damage (.067 ISO) – is the main thing holding Gutierrez back right now. If he can add some more oomph without degrading his other skills, there might be something here. But he’s also a young catcher so…you know how that goes.

Randy Guzman (23)​

Steve says:

Controversial is not the right word, but Randy Guzman is, I think, the most out of nowhere player on the list this year. He earned it though. His surface stats were great and the underlying metrics powering his surface stats were just as strong. Guzman is still young enough with no real track record that we can’t completely negate the idea that he had a flash in the pan season, but outside of a BABIP that seems way too high to be sustainable and whiff rate a bit higher than normal, there is nothing that screams Guzman was a complete illusion.

Lukas says:

After two seasons in the DSL – neither of which was particularly impressive – Guzman came out of nowhere and now looks like a real prospect. He posted a 108.5 90th percentile exit velocity – well above the major league average of ~104 and a 70 on the 20 – 80 scale – as a 20-year-old in St. Lucie, and his max of 111.9 MPH is excellent as well. You might expect horrific contact problems but no, Guzman puts bat to ball at a totally fine level. He even pulls the ball in the air a good amount, often a flaw for younger players. These are most of the ingredients to be a really exciting prospect, but Guzman is ranked in the 20s because he chases nearly 44% of the time. Some guys are able to improve that sort of flaw, and it’s worth noting that Guzman did walk more on the complex. Many others don’t, oftentimes because it’s a fundamental pitch recognition issue. We’ll see which side of that dichotomy Guzman winds up on.

Eli Serrano III (22)​

Steve says:

I was not a fan of Eli Serrano’s selection in the 2024 draft, not because he is a bad player necessarily but because his path for professional success seemed unnecessarily complicated as compared to other players who were still available and seen as reasonable selections for the 4th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. Here we are a year-and-a-half later, and Serrano still hasn’t popped, but neither has anyone else who was selected in the rest of the round (sans Dakota Jordan, who signed for more than three times what Serrano did). As long as nobody else blooms, I am fine with Serrano having plenty of time to put in the work.

Lukas says:

Serrano was a personal favorite last offseason, and I shoved him all the way up to #12 on the basis of a limited pro sample where he changed his approach to pull the ball in the air more often. That thesis seemed to be playing out early-on; through May 23rd, Serrano batted .243/.366/.441 with nearly as many walks as strikeouts, good for a 144 wRC+ in the pitcher-friendly Maimonides Park (both due to brutal wind that blows right-to-left and a horrific batter’s eye for left-hand hitters). Then he missed two weeks with a lower-body injury and was a below average hitter the rest of the way, with a paltry .212/.308/.304 line. Some part of this may have been normal regression or the league figuring him out, but the timing suggests the injury played a role in the reduced production. Serrano still had a good year overall, implementing a swing change and maintaining decent contact and damage metrics. We’ll hopefully see him in Double-A in 2026 where he’ll have a chance to demonstrate that his strong first half was more representative of his underlying talent.

Edward Lantigua (21)​

Steve says:

Last year, Edward Lantigua was a wildcard who was getting some helium thanks to a projectable body, solid surface numbers, and metrics that backed up the legitimacy of those numbers. A year later, all of that remains the same, except the outfielder passed his first test by doing the same kinds of things that got him helium in the first place at the Port St. Lucie complex. Lantigua will presumably begin the 2026 season in Single-A St. Lucie and any kind of sustained success there will certainly catapult him into the ranks of bona fide Mets prospects.

Lukas says:

On the surface, Lantigua had a really nice season in the complex last year, demonstrating good bat-to-ball skills and an excellent eye at the plate. A couple of years ago, I’d be falling over myself to rank this sort of guy closer to the top-10. Nowadays, the signs of passivity are a bit more of a warning sign. Yes, Lantigua walked more than he struck out and that’s undeniably a good-outcome; however, it can also be a sign of passivity at the plate, a trait which can artificially inflate hit tools as well. None of this is to say Lantigua is a bad prospect, there’s an intriguing blend of average or slightly-above tools and a good degree of polish. Nevertheless, there’s a reason a dude with a 144 wRC+ last season isn’t getting blown up, and he’ll need to continue proving this OBP-heavy approach works as he moves up the ladder.

Antonio Jimenez (20)​

Steve says:

Like Eli Serrano above, Jimenez was another player whose selection I didn’t like at the time because I felt like there were better players still on the board when the Mets made the 102nd pick. That said, Jimenez’ path to success seems much more linear than Serrano’s; unfortunately, what he needs to work on might be one of the most difficult things a hitter can improve on. He swings hard and swings at everything, resulting in a lot of loud contact yes, but a lot of swings-and-misses and weak contact as well. I don’t think we know enough about Jimenez as a person and as a player to say that he won’t be able to reign in this Achilles heel of his, but it is a testament to the Mets’ developmental pipeline that it will all be okay if he doesn’t; not that I want Jimenez to be a bust, if he does, his failure will not be a catastrophic hit to the organization.

Lukas says:

Jimenez was admittedly not my favorite selection in last year’s draft. There’s undeniable athleticism, bat-to-ball ability, and bat speed here, all positive traits that you’re excited to get from an underslot pick in 3rd round. The swing decisions though…they’re ugly The folks running the Mets’ draft are widely regarded as some of the best in the game, and they’re clearly placing an emphasis on the sort of high-end athletic traits that Jimenez has, a philosophy that has already paid clear dividends. I can’t shake my long-standing belief that approach is one of the trickiest things to teach, however, and is indeed often tied to a different set of athletic traits (e.g., eyesight, processing speed, etc.). For that reason, I remain a bit lower on Jimenez even while acknowledging the clear upside here if he can rein in the aggression.

Ryan Lambert (19)​

Steve says:

The Mets drafted a bunch of right-handed pitchers in the middle rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft that all had roughly the same kind of pitch characteristics: a fastball with high induced vertical break, a sharp slider, and not a lot of mileage on their arms. Ryan Lambert fit those criteria, but he also did something that none of the other pitchers in that grouping did: throw incredibly hard. In a world of spin rates and spin axis’ and spin efficiencies, there is still something just viscerally appealing about seeing a pitcher blow a triple-digit fastball by a batter. Lambert’s walk rate is problematic, but given how few hits he allowed and for how little power the preponderance most of those hits were, you can tolerate the bases on balls.

Lukas says:

We really shouldn’t be ranking relief prospects, or at least not as often as we used to. The Mets’ system is better than that at this point. But when a guy posts an ERA under 2 over 50 innings across two levels with a K% approaching 40%, you take notice. Even after a promotion to Double-A where his walk rate ballooned to 14.7%, Lambert still bordered on unhittable. The fastball remains gross, an IVB-heavy offering that Lambert is able to blow by hitters at the top of the zone, and his secondaries have become highly effective as well. Two things to watch here; the control, of course, and also how these pitches play given Lambert’s release traits. Put simply, the vert-heavy movement profile he gets is close to what you’d expect coming out of an over-the-top arm, reducing the deception. Still this looks like a potential late-inning arm that should help the Mets in 2027 – fantastic outcome for an 8th round pick.

Dylan Ross (18)​

Steve says:

Similar to Ryan Lambert, Dylan Ross’ walk rate was problematic, but given how few hits he allowed and for such little damage, you can live with the walks. Ross does his damage with a true splitter, which is not something that too many other pitchers in the system utilize, and the pitch is one of the better ones in all of minor league baseball. It’s pretty incredible and a testament to the team’s developmental system that, even factoring in a first-round bust, the 2022 MLB Draft class seems poised to be one of the strongest in Mets history.

Lukas says:

Ross is yet another late-round success story for the Mets, a 13th rounder in 2022 that now looks the part of a legitimate late-inning weapon. Both his slider and splitter are nasty offerings, with 90th percentile or better quality metrics in Triple-A per Rob Orr and whiff rates to match. He also throws in the upper 90s and has touched 102. Sounds great, but there are some warts. Ross’s fastball has pretty poor shape, something he gets away with due to the velocity but not ideal, particularly if you value fastball whiff rates (something I put a lot of emphasis on). Second, his command collapsed in Triple-A, with a BB% of 17.3%. Now he still had a 1.69 ERA in Syracuse, demonstrating how unhittable he can be, but I worry the lack of command and bad fastball ultimately all makes this play down a bit, more in the “annoying 7th inning guy that should be more” role.

Chris Suero (17)​

Steve says:

It’s hard not to root for Chris Suero; he’s a likable, down-to-earth, locally raised kid. There are two ways to look at his 2025, in particular his second half, which saw him promoted to Double-A Binghamton. Has he hit a developmental wall? Or is it a case of a young kid being exposed to tougher pitching and needing more time to adapt? Suero’s approach at the plate, coupled with very few changes to his batting line or approach save the lack of power does worry me that it could be the former, but there is no rush and no need for Suero to be pushed aggressively. I think the catcher-outfielder has plenty of time to get more at-bats under his belt and crack the nut that is Double-A pitching.

Lukas says:

I was a big believer in Suero last offseason and he had, by any top-line measurement, an extremely successful season – 140 wRC+ across two levels, finishing in Double-A as a 21-year-old. Despite that, I don’t think I’m all that much higher on him than I was last offseason, primarily because of the contact concerns. Suero spent much of 2025 swinging out his shoes resulting in both better damage on contact but also a big spike in strikeout rate. After getting promoted to Double-A, the strikeouts remained but the improved damage largely vanished. Suero still looks like a very fun multi-positional backup, but it’s trending more TTO than I would’ve expected – would love to see him reign things in slightly and find a happy medium this upcoming season.

R.J. Gordon (16)​

Steve says:

If you would’ve told me on July 16, 2024 that R.J. Gordon was going to be a top prospect in the minor league system, I would’ve laughed at you. Gordon did not exactly have an impressive college career, and the stuff, while fine, did not exactly jump off the page at you. He then developed a “kick” changeup, the same kind of changeup that Nolan McLean developed, and here we are. The right-hander only made 10 starts (11 appearances) in Double-A Binghamton last year, so presumably he will begin the 2026 season there, but if he continues putting up the numbers he did last year, you could make a strong case that Gordon’s name should be found somewhere in the 2026 Mets pitching depth chart.

Lukas says:

Gordon is a 24-year-old who spent only half his season at Double-A last year. That’s not a great way to start a report, but then you remember that he posted an ERA over 5 with middling peripherals for Oregon one season prior. That he’s a notable prospect at all is a huge developmental win, one of many college arms littered across the system that the Mets have demonstrably improved since draft time. Gordon’s arsenal is a rather generic 95-and-a-slider package, but the slider is legitimately good and he ran a K% in the high 20s. As is, he’s a nice potential back-end starter or flexible relief piece. I also wouldn’t rule out more though; it’s not immediately obvious to me that there’s more juice here, but the Mets just keep finding ways to make arms better.

Nick Morabito (15)​

Steve says:

Nick Morabito’s selection in the 2022 MLB Draft wasn’t seen as a complete head scratcher, per se, but the profile along with the early underwhelming numbers and unimpressive first professional looks didn’t exactly inspire confidence. Here we are a few years later, and improbably, the outfielder is on the cusp of being a major league contributor. Granted, his offensive profile is extremely hard to make work at the major league level, but Morabito has a high defensive floor, and in centerfield no less, which should help keep his name in the conversation for a roster spot somewhere or other for years to come.

Lukas says:

The Morabito selection was widely derided in 2022, and his post-draft showing didn’t build much confidence. All he’s done since then is hit though, working his way up the system through 2023 and 24 before logging a very successful full season at Binghamton in 2025. Much better than many thought he’d be post draft to be sure, but there’s still reasons for healthy skepticism. Morabito remains a BABIP-dependent player, one who doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard or at particularly good angles most of the time. His speed and groundball tendencies eat up minor-league fielders, but that won’t work in the majors, and he lacks both meaningful power and the ability to play centerfield. I have some concerns about his bat-to-ball ability too, though he bounced back from some early troubles there in Double-A. He’s a proximal 4th / 5th OF prospect.

Zach Thornton (14)​

Steve says:

Zach Thornton is your classic “package is greater than the sum of its parts” pitchers, and players like that are hard to gauge sometimes. Thornton reminds me a lot of P.J. Conlon; the left-handedness, the pinpoint control, the funk in the delivery, the success in the minor leagues despite not having true elite stuff. Given how pitching rich the minor league system is currently and the fact that the left-hander is a clear tier or two below some of the other names, I’m not really sure where Thornton fits in. Regardless of how he fits into future plans- or where- I think there is a definite major league floor in some capacity.

Lukas says:

Starting this blurb bold: I think we’re too low on Zach Thornton. He’s a lanky lefty that throws pitches more suited for the 1990s in terms of velocity, but he also ran a K-BB% of 24.5% in Double-A during his abbreviated season. The fastball blows by people thanks to outstanding IVB even though it sits 89. Couple that with a good slider and a deep repertoire of other stuff – cutter, change, curve – and you get a diverse arsenal that I suspect would rank highly on BP’s surprise metric. Mix in excellent command, and you’ve got a junk baller that I think is at least a 4th starter type. The upside beyond that is capped barring a velocity jump, but Thornton is probably my favorite non-elite guy in the system at this point.

Elian Peña (13)​

Steve says:

I have been told by many, many people that they do not share my opinions about ranking extremely young and raw players. It’s not a ding against a player per se, but the less playing time and experience they have, the less data we have to show that they can do X, Y, or Z, which is an anathema to the entire concept of taking a big group of players, weighing them on their merits, accomplishments, and potential, and ranking them in ordinal lists. At times, people have gotten on my case, but based on the volatility of these young players (hey Collin Houck, hey Trey Snyder, hey Colt Cabana, how ya doing?), the carriage is being put before the horse way too often. All that said, Elian Peña forced himself into the conversation of whether or not he should be considered a top organizational prospect with his 2025 performance, and looking over the limited data that could be mined from his 2025 campaign in the Dominican Summer League, he doesn’t seem to be a mirage. His swing looks good. The data shows he’s hitting the ball hard. He’s pulling and lifting the ball for damage. He’s not too rambunctious. He’s got wheels. Despite being a 17-year-old with 55 games of DSL experience, Peña does seem to be legit. Hopefully, in a year, we’ll be having this same discussion about Wandy Asigen.

Lukas says:

More than ever, ranking prospects is a data game. What were the EVs? The swing and miss? How’s the approach look? What are the spray characteristics? All quantifiable and, for many domestic leagues, quite accessible. The DSL is a different nut, where the data is harder to get your hands on and of lower quality if you do, and where the competition level makes evaluation – particularly for hitters – quite challenging. For all these reasons, I hate trying to rank guys like Peña. He certainly looks the part of “good IFA who probably moves off short but has a potent enough bat to make it work”. The data, which I’ve not seen first hand, supposedly backs that up, with a solid blend of contact and thump and a penchant for pulling the ball in the air. Couple that with the incoming pedigree and this is about the right spot to slot him. Check back in throughout the seasons as we build up a more real factbase on the actual quality of prospect here.

Jonathan Santucci (12)​

Steve says:

Jonathan Santucci had a strong professional debut last season, pitching acceptably well in High-A Brooklyn and then very well in Double-A Binghamton. The Mets have done a very good job in the last few years maximizing players with Santucci’s profile, and we saw the learning in real time last season, with the southpaw getting better as the year went on, getting a better feel for his changeup and curveball and improving his command. I get Steven Matz vibes from Santucci, where the stuff was very much obviously there, but many evaluators were hesitant to give him his due for a while because of the injury history. Despite turning 23 next season and already having 50 innings in Double-A under his belt, I don’t think we need to rush Santucci; he is in a weird developmental position where he still only has a total of 246.0 high-level baseball innings under his belt, with 117.2 of them, almost half, coming from his time in Brooklyn and Binghamton last year. Santucci is Schrödinger’s Pitcher, somehow raw and a finished product at the same time.

Lukas says:

Santucci is probably my least favorite of the recent college arms (I had him a good deal lower than this, though it’s all a bit of a blob anyway). The stuff is good, but not great, and the scattershot command makes it all play down a bit. Now, he was excellent in the second half, including a 50 inning run in Binghamton with an ERA of 2.52 and peripherals to back it up. He’s also largely stayed healthy since being drafted, a major concern that made him available to the Mets in the 2nd round in the first place. This is all tracking towards the archetype of a frustrating back-of-the-rotation arm who flashes better quality but never quite puts it all together. He’ll be part of the Mets’ (very deep) rotation depth chart in 2026.

Mitch Voit (11)​

Steve says:

Voit’s selection in the 2025 MLB Draft was underwhelming to me, to say the least. Obviously, making their first selection with the 38th overall pick, there is going to be a lack of luster on the players available as compared to other true first-rounders, but there were still a handful of players floating around who signed for a comparable amount that I would have preferred, such as Brendan Summerhill, Zach Root or Cam Cannarella. Voit gives me Bryson Stott vibes- an overall well-rounded hitter, with more of an emphasis on speed and stolen bases rather than power and home runs in Voit’s case, that will spend most of his time at second base. If he develops enough to make it to the major leagues and becomes a Stott-ish player, that’s a great outcome, but nothing about Voit right now makes me feel like he will turn into a real standout kind of player. That’s still a win for the developmental system obviously, and luckily the organization is in a position where every cashout doesn’t need to be a jackpot.

Lukas says:

Despite not having a selection until #38 overall, it seems like the Mets managed to get another interesting prospect in last year’s draft in Voit. He fits the recent organizational trend of selecting two-way college guys (Nolan McLean, Carson Benge being other notable examples), a pathway to potentially untapped developmental runway. Voit already saw both contact and approach improvements in his final collegiate season after giving up pitching, and post draft there were further positive markers in terms of his defensive acumen. That said, there were some notable swing and miss challenges in pro ball, and the exit velocities were middling at best. I’m still bullish on Voit overall, but you should expect more “potential solid regular” rather than another high-level breakout like Benge.

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...cts-for-2026-writers-thoughts-prospects-25-11

 

[New York Mets]

Mets announce 29 non-roster invitees to spring training

The Mets announced their full slate of invitees not on the 40-man roster ahead of this Wednesday’s pitchers and catchers reporting date.

Among the more interesting names are top prospects Carson Benge, Ryan Clifford, A.J. Ewing and Jack Wenninger. Veterans Craig Kimbrel, Austin Barnes, and Carl Edwards Jr. are among the players hoping to extend their careers on the backend.

With the M.J. Melendez signing not yet official, the 40-man roster is still in a state of flux, but we can presume that the Mets will have 37 of the 40 on their roster in big league camp, with Reed Garrett, Tylor Megill, and Dedniel Núñez all out for the season after arm surgeries.

That means that the Mets will have 66 (give or take once the Melendez signing becomes official) players in camp. While the 26-man roster is fairly predictable at this point, there area few spots at the fringes that will be interesting stories this spring. Plus, this will be many fans’ first looks at some prospects who may wind up being key players for the club this year and beyond. Spring training, same as it ever was.

All of that is to say…baseball’s (nearly) back, baby.

The full list of both NRIs and members of the 40-Man Roster is below:

[Names in italics are non-roster invitees, underlined expected to miss the full 2026 season]

Pitchers:​

• Huascar Brazobán
• Alex Carillo
• Luis García
• Reed Garrett
• Joey Gerber
• Justin Hagenman
• Clay Holmes
• Sean Manaea
• Nolan McLean
• Tylor Megill
• A.J. Minter
• Tobias Myers
• Dedniel Núñez
• Freddy Peralta
• David Peterson
• Jonathan Pintaro
• Brooks Raley
• Dylan Ross
• Christian Scott
• Kodai Senga
• Jonah Tong
• Austin Warren
• Luke Weaver
• Devin Williams
• Adbert Alzolay
• Mike Baumann
• Nick Bundi
• Daniel Duarte
• Carl Edwards Jr.
• Kevin Herget
• Joe Jacques
• Craig Kimbrel
• Ryan Lambert
• Nate Lavender
• Anderson Severino
• Robert Stock
• Matt Turner
• Brandon Waddell
• Jack Wenninger

Catchers:​

• Francisco Alvarez
• Hayden Senger
• Luis Torrens
• Austin Barnes
• Kevin Parada
• Chris Suero

Infielders:​

• Brett Baty
• Bo Bichette
• Vidal Bruján
• Francisco Lindor
• Ronny Mauricio
• Jorge Polanco
• Marcus Semien
• Mark Vientos
• Christian Arroyo
• Ryan Clifford
• Jackson Cluff
• Grae Kessinger
• Jacob Reimer
• Jose Rojas

Outfielders:​

• Nick Morabito
• Luis Robert Jr.
• Juan Soto
• Tyrone Taylor
• Jared Young
• M.J. Melendez (not yet official)
• Ji Hwan Bae
• Carson Benge
• A.J. Ewing
• Cristian Pache
• Jose Ramos

Source: https://www.amazinavenue.com/new-yo...ining-2026-full-roster-port-st-lucie-new-york