5 Potential Mets September Call Ups in 2023

There are two weeks left in August, so that means rosters are close to expanding for the final month of the season. The September call ups used to line up with the end of the Triple-A season, so you don’t see as many bigger names getting the call for a cup of coffee in September as you used to. Plus, there is now a limit of 28 players—14 pitchers max—on the active roster, just two more than the other months of the season. (Teams used to be able to call up as many players on the 40-man roster as they wanted.)

But with the Syracuse Mets not in any sort of playoff contention, and the MLB Mets also playing for a better draft pick, it’d be worth it for the Mets to use their extra two roster spots with players who haven’t gotten any run at the big-league level yet. (This means Brett Baty, Jeff Brigham, Joey Lucchesi, and others won’t be involved in this discussion, though they certainly could be on the MLB roster again at some point over the next seven weeks.)

On top of all of this, the Mets have a “softer” schedule in September, playing a slew of teams who, despite still being in playoff races, have largely struggled in the second half.

Here are five potential September call ups—all on Triple-A Syracuse right now—for the Mets in 2023. (Note: Every player but Mauricio would have to be added to the 40-man roster.)

Ronny Mauricio

This one is obvious. Ronny Mauricio has been on top prospects lists for what feels like a decade now. Still only 22, Mauricio has slashed .289/.338/.493/.831 with 49 extra-base hits over 470 plate appearances in Triple-A this year. Though he’s cooled off from a scorching hot start over the last two months, his overall numbers are about average for the International League.

Should Mauricio have locked down a permanent position, he’d likely already have his MLB shot. But the Mets have played Mauricio at second base, third base and left field with mixed results over the last couple of months. The Mets are going to have to try him out in the majors at some point—especially if he’s not involved in some sort of trade this offseason. The Mets may use September to keep playing him at various positions and working on his defense in Triple-A, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he finally got his call up at some point later this year.

Carlos Cortes

Carlos Cortes has had his hot and cold streaks throughout his minor league career, but he’s scorching hot right now. Over the last month in Triple-A, he’s slashed .343/.458/.627/1.085 across 83 plate appearances. He plays both corner outfield spots, where the Mets don’t really have anyone else young worthy of playing over him right now.

Cortes doesn’t project to be an everyday starter, but he could wet his feet in the majors while the team sees what it has for 2024.

Mike Vasil

Mike Vasil has rocketed up the Mets’ minor-league system the last two years, starting 2022 at Low-A and ending this year at Triple-A. The 23-year-old’s year reached an apex last week with a near-no-hitter, taking the bid into the ninth inning. And though his 5.48 Triple-A ERA isn’t pretty, the International League has become known for its inflated offense—especially this year.

Vasil is one of the team’s top pitching prospects, and as the team debates how to use Kodai Senga for the rest of the season, there could be an opening in the rotation down the stretch. At the same time, Vasil already has a career high in innings (95.1), and the team could shut Vasil himself down before the end of the year.

Luke Ritter

Luke Ritter has been the Mets’ best power threat prospect in the minor leagues this year (outside of Mark Vientos), amassing 23 home runs over 421 plate appearances in Double-A and Triple-A. The 26-year-old also walks over 15 percent of the time, and he can play multiple spots on the infield. Like Cortes, Ritter doesn’t project as an everyday starter, but the Mets sorely lacked depth this year, and they’ll need solid options for next season. He’s more than earned a September call up, and he’s a more intriguing option for regular at-bats than Jonathan Araúz or Danny Mendick.

Nate Lavender

Nate Lavender is probably the Mets’ most intriguing bullpen arm at Triple-A that hasn’t had a shot in the majors yet.

The lefty has a 2.63 ERA this year across Double-A and Triple-A, and he strikes a ton of people out (65 in 41 innings). But he also walks a ton of batters (4.4 per nine innings) and it remains to be seen if his fastball, which has played up throughout the minors and averages between 90 and 91 mph, will make it in MLB. The Mets need to fill up their bullpen again in 2024, and Lavender could be an under-the-radar candidate to make the team next spring. The team could give him a shot next month.