News Mets Team Notes

[New York Mets]

Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Dylan Ross (18)

Baseball runs in Dylan Ross’ blood. While his grandfather, John Small, was drawn to football, playing for the Atlanta Falcons from 1970-1972 and for the Detroit Lions in 1973 and 1974, every other member of the family with athletic talent has since focused on baseball. Dylan’s uncle, Matt Childers, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1997 and played professionally for roughly ten years in the minor leagues, major leagues, and Japan. Another uncle, Jason Childers, played professionally for roughly ten years in the minor leagues, major leagues, and Mexico. An older cousin, Terry Childers, played for the University of Georgia in the early 1990s and played for the Capital City Bombers and Pittsfield Mets in 1993, and another cousin, Will Childers, was a teammate of his at the University of Georgia who was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Finally, his brother, Dalton, played for Bryan College and the University of Tampa, and is currently playing in the Atlantic League.

Overview​

Name: Dylan Ross
Position: RHP
Born: 09/01/2000 (Age 25 season in 2026)
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 250 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2022 MLB Draft, 13th Round (University of Georgia)
2025 Stats: 10 G (0 GS), 11.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 ER (1.54 ERA), 8 BB, 23 K, .381 BABIP (High-A) / 11 G (0 GS), 10.1 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 5 ER (4.35 ERA), 3 BB, 18 K, .333 BABIP (Double-A) / 28 G (0 GS), 32.0 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 6 ER (1.69 ERA), 22 BB, 39 K, .156 BABIP (Triple-A)

Dylan attended Statesboro High School in Statesboro, Georgia for his freshman and sophomore seasons, but transferred to the Georgia Premier Academy for his junior and senior seasons. In his last year there, he posted a 4.52 ERA in 31.0 innings, striking out 42. Far from a standout performer nor a toolsy player, Ross went undrafted in the 2019 MLB Draft. He appeared in two games for the Leesburgh Lightning of the Florida Collegiate Summer League that summer and then began his college career at Eastern Kentucky University a few months later.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ross barely pitched in his freshman season, appearing in three games in total, allowing 1 earned run in 4.0 innings, allowing 3 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3. He threw some supplemental innings with the Seminole County Snappers, another team in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, and then transferred to Northwest Florida State College, an NJCAA school in Niceville, Florida, for his 2021 season. Appearing in 12 games and starting all 12, the right-hander posted a 3.88 ERA in 60.1 innings for the Raiders, allowing 55 hits, walking 28, and striking out 77. He parlayed that success into a transfer to the University of George, and it initially looked like his stock would be on the rise for the upcoming 2022 MLB Draft, but disaster struck in his second start. After throwing a single inning, he left the game against Wofford University with pain in his arm, pain which turned out to be a tear in his UCL. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery soon thereafter, bringing his season to a sudden end before it could even start.

Despite being on the shelf unable to pitch, the Mets selected Ross in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the 389th player selected overall. He agreed to a $125,000 signing bonus, an amount that would not cut into the team’s bonus pool for post-10th round players, and continued rehabbing and recovering, missing the remainder of the 2022 season, and all of the 2023 season. Due to complications in the healing process, Ross underwent UCL revision surgery in 2023, costing him the majority of the 2024 season as well. On September 7, 2024, Ross threw his first pitch as a professional, tossing a scoreless inning with three strikeouts for the St. Lucie Mets, the only official outing for the 23-year-old. He would then go on to play in the Arizona Fall League, allowing 11 earned runs in 5.1 innings over 6 appearances with 10 hits allowed, 7 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

The Mets assigned the 24-year-old to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and spent roughly a month there, promoted to Double-A Binghamton in mid-May. While in Coney Island, Ross posted a sterling 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings over 10 games, allowing 8 hits, walking 8, and striking out 23. He regressed a bit in Binghamton but was still a solid pitcher that manager Reid Brigniac could rely on. Appearing in 11 games, the right-hander posted a 4.35 ERA in 10.1 innings, allowing 10 hits, walking 3, and striking out 18. In mid-June, the organization promoted Ross from Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse and the 24-year-old finished the season there, greatly raising his standing in the organization by posting a 1.69 ERA in 32.0 innings over 28 games, allowing 11 hits, walking 22, and striking out 39. All in all, Ross posted a cumulative 2.17 ERA over 49 games, allowing 29 hits, walking 33, and striking out 80 over 54.0 total innings.

The 6’5”, 250-pound Ross throws from a three-quarters arm slot with simple, dart-thrower mechanics. The right-hander pushes off the mound and generates an average of seven feet off the mound. He utilizes a four-pitch mix consisting of a four-seam fastball, splitter, slider, and curveball, throwing his fastball and splitter at roughly 33% rates, his slider at a 30% rate, and his curveball for the remaining 4%. His repertoire can play down when he does not have his command, but when he is able to hit his spots, Ross has four average-or-better pitches to work with.

His four-seam fastball sits in the mid-to-high-90s, averaging 96.9 MPH during his time with Triple-A Syracuse. According to ballpark radar, he hit triple-digits multiple times while playing with Brooklyn, Binghamton, and Syracuse, but according to statcast data during his time in Triple-A, Ross hit as high as 99.5 MPH with the pitch. The pitch does not have the best shape, averaging 2,200 RPM, but between its high velocity and the seven feet of extension he generates, the pitch bears down on batters quickly, the primary reason why it resulted in a slightly above-average Z-Contact% but lower-than-average SwStr% and Chase% rates.

He complements his fastball with a splitter that is a true plus pitch. The pitch sits in the mid-80s-to-low-90s, averaging 89.7 MPH and topping out at 93.2 MPH. The pitch averaged 700 RPM while he pitched in Syracuse, ranging from 330-1,160 RPM, causing it to absolutely dive off the table. On average, the pitch had 28.3 inches of downward vertical movement, roughly fifteen inches more than his fastball, making it extremely effective when tunneled with his fastball. Batters hit a paltry .024/.180/.024 against it with a 23.1% SwStr%, 66.7% Z-Contact%, and 35.5% Chase%.

His slider, a mid-to-high-80s offering with gyro movement gives him a pitch that has some east-west movement. The pitch is mainly used against right-handed hitters, thrown away to get them to chase. With a 30.3% Zone% and 34.3% Chase Rate, Ross walked more batters with his slider than he did his fastball or splitter. Rounding out his arsenal, Ross throws the occasional curveball, a get-me-over offering to change a batter’s eye level and cross up their timing.

2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List​

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/mets-m...-25-mets-prospects-for-2026-rhp-dylan-ross-18