Age: 26 (1/20/2000) B/T: L/L
Traditional Stats: 1-0, 1.66 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 26 SO, 4 BB, HR, 21 2/3 IP, 21 G
Advanced Stats: 248 ERA+, 32.9 K%, 5.1 BB%, 2.16 xERA, 1.85 FIP, 2.93 xFIP, .229 BABIP, 0.9 fWAR, 0.9 bWAR
2026 salary: $780,000
Grade: A
2026 Review
Five years and a month after he was drafted in the 14th round out of the University of Illinois, Nate Lavender was summoned to make his MLB debut against the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 draft with two on and two out in the seventh inning and the Mets holding a 5-2 lead in Cleveland.
He struck out Travis Bazzana looking at a 2-2 fastball.
“Unbelievable. Unbelievable. You know, it’s been a long journey,” he said after the Mets won on Aug. 4. “Drafted here in ’21, in the system, spent some time in Tampa, you know, dealt with some injuries and stuff. But you know, all that doesn’t matter. It’s part of the journey and it feels absolutely unbelievable.”
The “long journey” and “injuries and stuff” included Tommy John surgery, a bone spur operation and a year in the Tampa Bay organization after they selected him in the December 2024 Rule 5 draft. He didn’t pitch for the Rays because he was injured and was ultimately returned to the Mets.
Lavender’s night wasn’t done after he struck out Bazzana. He worked a scoreless eighth, walking a batter but erasing him on an inning-ending double play.
“I think what really energizes a group of guys is having a guy make a debut, come in and get a huge out in a tough situation against a very good hitter,” Andy Green said. “And then go back out there and throw really well the next inning. I thought the dugout was as alive in that Nate Lavender punch-out as it’s been in some time.”
Lavender showed over the final two months of the season that he can be more than a feel-good story. He can be a key part of a major-league bullpen. Left-handed hitters went 8-for-40 against him and righties were 4-for-35. Overall, opponents hit .160/.203/.280.
With a runner on second and nobody out, Green brought in Lavender to face Jackson Merrill of the Padres on Aug. 19. He struck him out, did the same to Luis Rengifo and then got Luis Campusano to ground out to short. Nine pitches, nine strikes, the long journey continued with his first major-league win.
2027 Preview
David Stearns said at a news conference the day after the season that he was impressed with how Lavender, Dedniel Núñez and Daniel Duarte pitched down the stretch after the Mets moved several veteran relievers at the trade deadline. Expect Lavender to be part of the bullpen.
