The Mets are sending three position players to the Arizona Fall League, which starts play on Saturday and runs through Nov. 14. The AFL is a six-team league made up of minor leaguers from the 30 MLB teams. The Mets will join prospects from the Guardians, Phillies, Rangers and Royals to form the AFL’s Surprise Saguaros.
New York will also send five pitchers, which MMO will cover in a separate article.
Below is a look at the trio. (Credit to MMO’s Robert Colonna for providing the “what to watch” sections for each player.)
Cole Mathis (1B-3B)
Mathis, 23, was a second-round pick of the Cubs in 2024 out of the College of Charleston who came to the Mets in the David Peterson trade. He posted an .860 OPS and hit three homers, nine doubles and two triples in 25 games for High-A South Bend before the trade. He was injured at the time of the deal and went 2-for-24 in seven games for High-A Brooklyn. MMO’s Mike Mayer, avid follower of minor leaguers, has him ranked No. 16 on his list of Met prospects.
What to Watch: Exit Velocities and Arm Strength
Mathis has had recurring elbow issues since undergoing Tommy John surgery after he was drafted, which has affected his ability to play third base, moving him largely to first. His exit velocities since returning from the injured list were unavailable, but they will be in the AFL, and power is a big part of his game.
Bruin Agbayani (SS-2B-3B)
The 19-year-old son of Benny Agbayani came to the Mets with first baseman Billy Amick in the A.J. Minter trade with the Twins, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 draft out of a Honolulu high school. Mayer ranked him No. 35.
What to Watch: Plate Discipline and Pull Fly Ball Rate
Agbayani’s game is plate discipline and hitting to the gaps. He needs to pull the ball more, and more would be once as far as pulling the ball in the air. He did not pull one in the air this season in 64 plate appearances. Like Mathis, he was injured (shoulder) at the time of the trade. He went 2-for-12 with five strikeouts in three games for Low-A St. Lucie.
Boston Baro (SS-2B-3B)
The Mets selected Baro, 22, in the eighth round of the 2023 draft out of a Southern California high school, luring him away from a commitment to play for UCLA. He posted a .602 OPS and stole 28 bases in 30 tries in 103 games for Brooklyn in 2025, but injuries limited him to 11 games this year.
What to Watch: Barrel Rate and Exit Velocity
Baro is a contact-over-power hitter. In his 33 plate appearances for St. Lucie after an IL stint, he didn’t barrel a ball or hit one over 96.6 mph. The Mets will want to see his exit velocities improve and his max EV in the 104-105 range, where they were prior to a shoulder injury.
