The Arizona Fall League started the day after the MLB season ended. The Mets sent nine prospects to the AFL, with catcher Kevin Parada highlighting the group.
Through the first seven games, the Glendale Desert Dogs—the Mets’ AFL afiliate—are just 2-5. The Mets’ player contributions have left a bit to be desired.
Kevin Parada. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Here’s a quick rundown of how the Mets’ prospects have faired so far:
Offensive prospects:
- Kevin Parada: He’s 2-for-14 with a walk and five strikeouts. He’s played in four games (three at catcher and one at DH), and on the defensive side, he’s allowed two stolen bases but caught two people stealing, too.
- Rowdey Jordan: Jordan is 4-for-13 with three doubles and three RBIs. His 1.053 OPS (in 12 plate appearances) is second on the team, though he’s played in just three games.
- JT Schwartz: The first baseman is 3-for-10 in three games with an RBI and a walk.
- D’Andre Smith: The 2022 draft pick doesn’t have a hit in 11 plate appearances, though he walked and scored the only time he was on base.
- Jordan Geber: The 24-year-old righty started one game for the Desert Dogs so far, allowing four runs in four innings without recording a strikeout.
Pitching prospects:
- Trey McLoughlin: McLoughlin has pitched two innings in relief without allowing a run. He’s walked three and struck out two but hasn’t allowed a hit.
- Brendan Hardy: In his lone inning so far, Hardy allowed a home run that wound up as the game winner on Thursday.
- Nolan Clenney: Like McLoughlin, Clenney has pitched two clean innings, notching a strikeout in each inning. The 27-year-old was a reliever in Binghamton and Syracuse this season.
- Tyler Thomas: Continuing the trend of two scoreless outings, Tyler Thomas has done the same! He’s collected three strikeouts across two frames.
The AFL regular season runs through November 9 before two days of playoffs. The Devil Dogs have 24 more games to play, so the Mets’ prospects—especially their bats—have plenty of more time to make an impact.
