Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Scranton (9-7) vs Syracuse (8-8)

6:35 PM

Scott gets the start for the Mets. He was terrific his last time out with seven strikeouts in five scoreless innings. He allowed only two hits and one walk as he works his way back from TJS. At some point, maybe soon, he could become an option for the Mets big league rotation.

The best offensive player for Syracuse to start the season: as you all guessed, catcher Hayden Senger. He has five home runs and 11 RBIs already. The home runs match a career high. The rest of the offense has been disappointing as Nick Morabito is second on the team with a .786 OPS.

Double-A

Binghamton (5-4) vs Akron (6-4)

6:35 PM

Left-hander Zach Thornton gets the start for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Thornton tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his first outing of the season.

The Rumble Ponies offense has been led by leadoff hitter A.J. Ewing and the versatile Chris Suero. Suero leads the team with three home runs, nine walks and a 1.210 OPS, while playing catcher, first base and left field. Ewing leads the team with five doubles, five steals and has walked more (8) than he has struck out (5). Eli Serrano III is also off to a good start with a .922 OPS in eight games.

High-A

Greensboro (7-3) vs Brooklyn

4:00 PM

Right-hander Channing Austin gets the start for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Despite walking five in his first start of the season, Austin allowed only one run in four innings.

As a team, the Cyclones are hitting .164/.289/.280 with 113 strikeouts in 293 at-bats. Daiverson Gutierrez (.807), Trace Willhoite (.806) and John Bay (.805) are the OPS leaders. Mitch Voit started the season off slow but has reached base nine times in his last three games.

Low-A

St. Lucie (5-5) vs Daytona (3-7)

6:35 PM

Hard throwing lefty Nicolas Carreno gets the start for the Low-A St. Lucie Mets. The 19-year-old has eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings to start the season.

Elian Peña has been the big story for the St. Lucie offense with a .914 OPS and four stolen bases in nine games. AJ Salgado has a .995 OPS and Sam Robertson leads the team with seven stole bases.

All of the games can be watched on MiLB tv (prescription necessary) and Bally Sports. They can also be followed on gameday and Baseball Savant.

The post Mets Minors Game Chat: Christian Scott Pitching for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The top five consist of an incoming power source, a speed demon, a Canadian Cannon and two Oklahoma State former roommates. We’ll let you guess who is who.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

No. 5: Ryan Clifford

B/T: L/L, Age: 22
Height: 6’3, Weight: 200 lbs
Acquired: 2023 Trade with Astros for Justin Verlander
Position: 1B/OF
2025 Stats (AA/AAA): .237/.356/.470 (.826 OPS), 579 PA, 29 HR, 93 RBI, 23 2B, 85 BB, 148 SO
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

Per MLB Pipeline, Clifford holds a 60-plus power grade, making him one of the Mets’ top power-hitting prospects. Coming to the Mets’ organization along with Drew Gilbert for Verlander in 2023, Clifford’s power has been on display ever since making his pro ball debut. While he hasn’t hit for average in the minors, mustering a .242/.370/.453 (.823 OPS), his power has been his calling card. He’s hit 74 home runs and 75 doubles while driving in 252 in 408 minor league games. Clifford produced an elite .257 ISO, signaling his ability to produce extra base hits constantly.

While he carries the ball, he’s extremely prone to the strikeout. He tied with William Lugo for the second-most strikeouts amongst his teammates in 2025 (113), and walked 63 times with Double-A Binghamton. He didn’t fare much better in 34 games with Syracuse, striking out 35 times. However, his walk rate slightly improved to 15.5%, up from 14.4%.

The 22-year-old saw more time than ever at first base in 2025 after playing predominantly in the outfield throughout his career. With the first base spot flexible between Brett Baty and Jorge Polanco, Clifford can find space on the 2026 roster at some point. As mentioned, he played 34 games with Syracuse in 2025, hitting .219/.359/.395 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. Before he can debut, he needs more at-bats at the level.

A key for Clifford in 2026 is to continue working on decreasing his strikeout percentage. He’s on the right path, starting his career with strikeout percentages around 36.4% in his first go-around in the Mets’ organization back in 2023. He ended his 2025 campaign with a 25.6% strikeout percentage between Binghamton and Syracuse.

Standout Stat

Clifford led all Eastern League batters in home runs (24), while hitting the second-most homers among all Double-A players in 2025 (Twins prospect Kala’i Rosario hit 25).

AJ Ewing
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

No. 4: A.J. Ewing

B/T: L/R Age: 21
Height: 5’10, Weight: 160 lbs
Acquired: Fourth round of 2023 MLB Draft (NYM)
Position: OF/2B
2025 Stats (A/A+/AA): .315/.401/.429 (.830 OPS), 564 PA, 3 HR, 55 RBI, 26 2B, 10 3B, 70 SB, 68 BB, 105 SO
ETA: 2027

Player Profile

The Mets selected A.J. Ewing with a compensation pick in 2023 thanks to … Jacob deGrom signing with the Texas Rangers.

Simply put, A.J. Ewing is a hitting machine. The 21-year-old dominated in 2025 and was rewarded for his hard work, starting the season with Single-A St. Lucie and ending the campaign with Double-A Binghamton. Between three levels, Ewing hit an absurd .315/.401/.429 (.830 OPS) with three home runs, 55 RBIs, 26 doubles, 10 triples, and an absurd 70 steals.
There’s plenty to note on Ewing, but what stands out most about his game is the ability to steal bases. On an 80-scale, MLB Pipeline gave Ewing a 70-plus grade for his run game, on par with MLB’s No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin (Ewing came in at No. 97 overall on MLB’s prospect list). With St. Lucie, Ewing stole 14 bases in 16 attempts, 44 bases in 51 attempts with Brooklyn, and 12 bases in 14 attempts with Binghamton. That’s 70 steals in 124 games.

While he’s never going to hit 20 home runs (although if he did, he might unlock true five-tool status), Ewing can pretty much do it all. He profiles as a typical leadoff guy who likes to use all sides of the field to get on base, then lets his legs do most of the work the rest of the way.

Impressively, Ewing cut his strikeout percentage by ten points in a year, ending 2024 with a 28.5% strikeout percentage and 2025 with one near 18%. Of slight concern, his walk rate percentage took a drastic dip once he reached Binghamton (5.3% from 13.1% in Brooklyn, from 18.5% in St. Lucie), so that is something to keep an eye on as he starts the year with Binghamton.

On the defensive side, the former second baseman was able to easily transition to center field thanks to his innate speed and 60-plus fielding grade.

Standout Stat

Ewing led the entire Mets organization with 70 steals, and stole the fifth-most bases amongst all minor league players in 2025. He also led the South Atlantic League (High-A) in batting average, hitting .288/.387/.388 (.775 OPS) in 78 games with the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

No. 3: Jonah Tong, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 22
Height: 6’1, Weight: 180 lbs
Acquired: Seventh round of 2022 MLB Draft (NYM)
Position: SP
2025 Minors Stats (AA/AAA): 22 GS, 1.43 ERA, 10-5, 113.2 IP, 179 K, 47 BB
2025 MLB Stats: 5 GS, 7.71 ERA, 2-3, 18.2 IP, 22 K, 9 BB
ETA: Debuted August 29, 2025

Player Profile

The Canadian Cannon, AKA Jonah Tong, has been on a whirlwind journey ever since the Mets drafted him in 2022. He squarely made a name for himself in 2024 after skyrocketing through the Mets’ minor league system. Between A/A+/AA, Tong pitched to a 3.03 ERA in 25 games (23 GS), compiling a 6-4 record across 113 innings pitched. He struck out 160 batters and posted a 2.33 FIP and 2.88 xFIP.

Tong took things to another dimension in 2025, posting an insane 1.43 ERA across 113.2 innings of work (22 GS), nearly identical to his 2024 appearances. However, in 2025, he struck out 179 and posted a 1.68 FIP and 2.16 xFIP.

Things took a bit of a dip for Tong when he made his MLB debut. While he didn’t qualify statistically, he ranked below average in xERA (4.96), xBA (.261), chase percentage (22.0%), whiff percentage (22.1%) and walk percentage (10.3%). He was slightly above average in strikeout percentage (25.3%). For reference, batters posted a .148 average against him between Binghamton and Syracuse in 2025, and a .308 average with the Mets. In addition, he posted a 40.3% strikeout percentage and 10.6% walk percentage in the minors in 2025.

There are questions about whether the Mets rushed his debut; after all, Tong only made two starts in Triple-A before his debut (two scoreless starts). He’ll start 2025 in Syracuse, where he’ll be better able to develop his pitches more. His repertoire includes his four-seamer, which he throws more than 50% of the time, a Vulcan changeup (second-most used pitch), a slider and a new cutter he’s been working on to use all planes of the strike zone. Before 2026, he was an extreme vertical pitcher, utilizing the north and south zones. The hope with the cutter is to utilize the east and west planes as well to better deceive batters.

For example, hitters obliterated Tong’s four-seamer, which he threw 57.4% of the time in 2025. They hit .356 against it with a .275 xBA, .600 SLG and .509 xSLG. His Vulcan changeup was by far his best pitch, holding hitters to a .227 BA, .234 xBA, .364 SLG and .372 xSLG.

Before Tong can rejoin the Mets, he needs to finesse his repertoire and work on his command (walks have always been an issue for him).

Standout Stat

Tong obliterated the minors in 2025, leading all minor leaguers in strikeouts (179) and ERA (1.43) during his time with Binghamton and Syracuse. As a result, he was named 2025 MLB Pipeline Pitching Prospect of the Year.

Carson Benge
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

No. 2: Carson Benge, OF

B/T: L/R, Age: 23
Height: 6’1, Weight: 184 lbs
Acquired: First round of 2024 MLB Draft (NYM)
Position: OF
2025 Stats (A+/AA/AAA): .281/.385/.472 (.857 OPS), 519 PA, 15 HR, 73 RBI, 25 2B, 7 3B, 22 SB, 68 BB, 92 SO
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

Carson Benge, welcome to The Show! The 23-year-old made the Mets’ 2026 Opening Day roster and MLB debut, and his strong spring is just one small reason why. In his first full year of professional ball in 2025, Benge posted a .281/.385/.472 (.857 OPS) and hit 15 home runs, 25 doubles and seven triples across three levels. He drove in 73, while striking out 92 times and walking 68 times. Benge’s 13.1% walk percentage would have placed him in the 93rd percentile (good for 17th best in baseball in 2025 with the likes of Ian Happ, Geraldo Perdomo and Corey Seager).

While he excelled in A+ and AA ball (168 wRC+ and 184 wRC+, respectively), Benge posted a 53 wRC+ in 24 games with Triple-A Syracuse. For reference, he played in eight more games with Double-A Binghamton, where his wRC+ was over 130 points higher. While fatigue might play a role, Benge showed no signs of struggling to hit big league pitchers in spring training. He hit .366/.435/.439 over 14 games with a 140 wRC+.

A former two-way player who immediately committed to hitting, Benge possesses plus-plus hit and arm skills, making him a natural right fielder, while also displaying above-average run ability. While he has some pop, Benge’s greatest asset is going the other way. As a former pitcher, he’s able to unload from right field, dialing in at 96 mph, which would have ranked in the 99th percentile in 2025 per Baseball Savant.

Standout Stat

Benge was named the Mets’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2025 in his first full season of professional baseball.

Nolan McLean (26) Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

No. 1: Nolan McLean, RHP

B/T: R/R Age: 24
Height: 6’2, Weight: 214 lbs
Acquired: Third round of 2023 MLB Draft (NYM)
Position: SP
2025 Minors Stats (AA/AAA): 21 G/18 GS, 2.45 ERA, 8-5, 113.2 IP, 127 K, 50 BB
2025 MLB Stats: 8 GS, 2.06 ERA, 5-1, 48.0 IP, 57 K, 16 BB
ETA: Debuted on August 16, 2025

Player Profile

Nolan McLean was able to go under the radar for so long. After splitting time between Binghamton and Syracuse in 2025, where he posted a 2.45 ERA in 113.2 innings with 127 strikeouts, McLean made his debut with the Mets and was somehow even better.

After posting a 10.06 K/9 rate, 3.96 BB/9 rate and 3.66 FIP in the minors, McLean went on to pitch to a 10.69 K/9 rate, 3.00 BB/9 rate and 2.97 FIP. While hitters averaged .191 off him in the minors, major league hitters mustered a .200 average against the Mets’ No. 1 prospect. Even though he didn’t qualify, the 24-year-old would have landed in the 91st percentile in strikeout percentage (30.3%), better than Paul Skenes‘ 29.5%. In addition, his +8 pitching run value would have been second-best among starters behind Clay Holmes.

McLean possesses one of the most versatile pitch arsenals in the game, throwing a kitchen sink of a sinker, sweeper, curveball, four-seamer, changeup and cutter. Hitters did most damage on his sweeper, batting .361 with an xBA of .380, .528 SLG and .601 xSLG. His other pitches tell a different story, with the curveball proving lethal; batters mustered a .074 BA against McLean’s pitch with a xBA of .076. He threw this pitch around 15% of the time.

His number one pitch, his sinker, helps produce groundouts (60.2% in 2025), and McLean will continue to rely on that pitch as his bread and butter.

Standout Stat

McLean became the first Met in franchise history to win his first three starts, defeating the Mariners, Braves and Phillies to complete the feat.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-16, 15-11, 10-6

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 5-1 Features Faces of The Future appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-16

Nick Morabito. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

No. 15: Nick Morabito, OF

B/T: R/R , Age: 22
Height: 5’10” , Weight: 185 lbs
Acquired: 2nd round (75), 2022 draft, compensatory pick for Noah Syndergaard.
Position: OF
2025 Stats (AA Binghamton): .273/.348/.385, 119 H, 27 2B, 49 SB
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

The Mets acquired Nick Morabito after Noah Syndergaard decided to sign with the Angels following the 2021 season. Since being drafted, Morabito has soared up the rankings of the Mets’ prospects. He was the 2024 Mets Minor League Player of the Year after slashing .312/.403/.398 with 59 stolen bases in 119 games between Single-A and High-A.

Morabito is a contact-oriented outfielder who finds his way on base. He batted .273 last season with 119 hits in 118 games, yet still walked 47 times to register a .348 OBP. The 22-year-old then followed his 2025 season with a ridiculous performance in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .362/.450/.464 with 16 stolen bases in 17 games.

The 2022 MLB draft pick is on the verge of making the Mets roster. He’s on the 40-man roster, and he has a case for being the first call-up from Syracuse if a Mets outfielder goes down. Or at the very least, he could be a late-season addition to the bench to steal a base. He has played all three outfield positions in the minors, but is a primary center fielder.

Standout Stat

Morabito’s standout stat is his blazing speed. The prospect has a 70 grade for run, and has stolen 108 bases over his last two minor league seasons. He finished second in the Eastern League in stolen bases last year behind Aidan Miller.

Credit: MLB

No. 14: Wandy Asigen, SS

B/T: L/R  Age: 16
Height: 6’0”, Weight:  180lbs
Acquired: Jan. 15, 2026, international signee
Position: SS
2025 Stats (Rookie level DSL): None
ETA: 2031

Player Profile

Wandy Asigen landing with the Mets didn’t seem likely. He had a verbal agreement to sign with the Yankees, but withdrew it after the Yankees failed to meet his new asking price, leading him to land with the Mets for $3.9 million.

The price may seem high, but Asigen has shown monstrous potential at 16 years old. The lefty has already registered exit velocities of 110 miles per hour, above-average launch angles for his age, and quick hands. Asigen has also flashed plus running potential, and scouts believe his athleticism will keep him at shortstop. He was ranked the second-best international prospect in the 2026 class.

The Mets’ newest international signee originates from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, the same hometown as former major leaguers Nelson Cruz and Tony Batista.

Standout Stat

Asigen has the potential to be a power-speed threat in the majors. His highest graded tools are his power (60) and speed (60), which have led to exit velocities exceeding 110 mph and 6.5-second 60-yard dash times.

No. 13: Chris Suero, C/1B/RF

B/T: R/R, Age: 22
Height: 5’11”, Weight: 205 lbs
Acquired: March 8, 2022, international signee
Position: C/OF/1B
2025 Stats (A+Brooklyn/AA Binghamton): .233/.379/.407, 88 H, 16 2B, 16 HR, 68 RBI, 70 BB, 35 SB
ETA: 2027

Player Profile

Chris Suero moved from the Bronx to the Dominican Republic as a teenager, allowing him to sign with the Mets as an international free agent in 2022. Since then, he has been profiled as one of the Mets’ most intriguing prospects.

Suero splits time primarily catching and playing first base, but also registered 21 games in the outfield. And despite playing a historically slow position, Suero swiped 35 bases in the minors in 2025, a number that led all minor league catchers.

The 22-year-old matched his speed with strong exit velocities. He clubbed 16 homers in ’25, but only hit three in 41 games after being promoted to Double-A Binghamton. There’s still much to be excited about in the future, as Suero records high exit velocities and maxes out at 112.5 mph in the AFL.

Standout Stat

Suero’s power is the eye-grabber in the minors. He posted 13 homers in Brooklyn last season, and then clubbed five homers in 15 AFL games with a .567 slugging percentage.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by Binghamton Rumble Ponies

No. 12: Jonathan Santucci, LHP

B/T: L/L, Age: 23
Height: 6’2”, Weight: 205 lbs
Acquired: 2nd round (46), 2024 draft
Position: SP
2025 Stats (A+ Brooklyn/AA Binghamton): 3.06 ERA, 117 2/3 IP, 41 BB, 138 K, 1.16 WHIP, .219 AVG
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

Jonathan Santucci was a punch-out machine in his first full minor league season. He registered 138 strikeouts across 117 2/3 innings between Brooklyn and Binghamton, while also posting an 11.3 K/9 and 10 K/9.

The Massachusetts native relied heavily on a fastball/slider combo to retire batters. His fastball ranged from 92-95 mph, which he tunneled well off his slider that he felt comfortable throwing to both righties and lefties. Santucci also throws a low-80s curveball and changeup, but the starter barely utilized those two offerings.

Santucci’s next test will be command. He only walked 41 batters last season, but relied on batters swinging at pitches outside the zone for strikeouts. If he continues to register strong strikeout numbers and low walk rates, Santucci could fast-track his way to the majors.

Standout Stat

Santucci’s standout stat is his K/9. He registered an 11.3 K/9 in his first taste of the minors in Brooklyn, then a 10.0 K/9 when called up to pitch in Binghamton. It’s mostly due to his 60-grade slider, which peaks at 88 mph.

Eli Serrano III. Photo Credit: Bella Dunning / Brooklyn Cyclones

No. 11: Eli Serrano, OF

B/T: L/L, Age: 22
Height: 6’5”, Weight: 201 lbs
Acquired: 4th round (111), 2024 draft
Position: OF
2025 Stats (A+ Brooklyn): .222/.332/.358, 72 H, 21 2B, 46 RBI, 50 BB
ETA: 2027

Player Profile

Eli Serrano was drafted as an upside player in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. The lefty went to N.C. State and slashed .285/.380/.431 with nine homers in 61 games before being drafted.

Serrano didn’t produce eye-popping numbers his first season in Brooklyn, but that shouldn’t cause anyone to panic. The lefty plays in the harshest minor league park toward lefty bats, and still posted 21 doubles and .332 OBP in 88 games.

The next step for Serrano will be swing decisions. He has a knack for swinging at changeups and sliders below the zone, not because he is fooled, but because his long frame allows him to make contact with the pitches. This led to a 40.6% ground ball rate last season, leading to Serrano failing to take advantage of his plus exit velocities.

Standout Stat

Serrano’s standout stat has been his keen eye at the plate. He walked in 13.1% of his at-bats last season, and only struck out 20.1% of the time.

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 15-11 Features Speedy Outfielders appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

No. 20: Dylan Ross, RHP

B/T: R/R Age: 25 (09/01/2000)
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 251 lbs
Acquired: 13th round, 2022 Draft
Position: RHP
2025 Stats (High-A Brooklyn/AA Binghamton/AAA Syracuse): 49 G, 54 IP, 2.17 ERA, 1.148 WHIP, 2-0, 80 K, 33 BB
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

After spending his collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky, Northwest Florida State and Georgia, the Mets selected Ross in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB Draft.

The right-handed reliever did not make his professional debut until 2024, pitching in a single game for Low-A St. Lucie that year, after undergoing two separate UCL surgeries.

After a rough go of it in the Arizona Fall League in 2o24, posting a 17.47 ERA in six appearances totaling 5 2/3 innings, Ross broke out in 2025 to the tune of a 2.17 ERA with 80 strikeouts across a combined 49 appearances and 54 frames between High-A Brooklyn, Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.

Ross’ contract was selected by the Mets during the final series of the regular season last September against the Miami Marlins, though he never got into a game and thus has yet to make his major league debut.

The  25-year-old’s arsenal features a four-seam fastball that can reach above 100 mph but generally sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. Additionally, Ross utilizes a splitter and slider, which are typically thrown as out pitches against lefties and righties, respectively, while mixing in a curveball on occasion.

Standout Stat

While Ross misses plenty of bats, his command is an area of concern, as he walked 5.5 hitters per nine in 2025.

No. 19: Boston Baro, INF

B/T: L/R  Age: 21 (08/23/04)
Height: 6’0″, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: 8th round, 2023 Draft
Position: INF
2025 Stats (High-A Brooklyn): .224/.282/.321/.602, 88 H, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 28 SB
ETA: 2028

Player Profile

The Mets were able to convince Baro to forego his commitment to UCLA after selecting him in the eighth round of the 2022 MLB Draft as a high schooler with a $700,000 signing bonus.

The left-handed hitting infielder appeared in seven Florida Complex League games in 2023, posting an .879 OPS across 24 plate appearances, before slashing .278/.358/.390 with four home runs in a combined 95 games between Brooklyn and St. Lucie in 2024.

Baro took a step back at the plate last season, however, batting .224/.282/.321 with four homers and 38 RBIs over 433 plate appearances while remaining with Brooklyn for the entire year.

The 21-year-old was just placed on the 60-day injured list, meaning he’s slated to miss a good chunk of time to begin the 2026 minor league campaign.

With some positional versatility on the infield coupled with upside both defensively and on the base paths, however, Baro is a name worth monitoring moving forward.

Standout Stat

After stealing just nine bases in 2024, Baro more than tripled that total in 2025 by swiping 28 bags.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

No. 18: Ryan Lambert, RHP

B/T: R/R Age: 23 (09/02/2002)
Height: 6’3″, Weight: 222 lbs
Acquired: 8th round, 2024 Draft
Position: RHP
2025 Stats (Brooklyn/Binghamton): 46 G, 50 IP, 1.62 ERA, 1.160 WHIP, 2-1, 81 K, 27 BB
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

After spending the final season of his collegiate career at Oklahoma, the Mets chose Lambert in the eighth round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

He turned in two scoreless outings in his first taste of pro ball that same year for Brooklyn before putting together an incredibly impressive 2025 season, recording a 1.62 ERA in 46 outings and 50 innings with 81 strikeouts between Binghamton and Brooklyn.

Lambert’s four-seam fastball, which sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and can touch 100 mph with plenty of spin, is his bread-and-butter. The 23-year-old also has a slider that sits in the mid-to-high 80s and is a strong secondary offering.

The right-hander was reassigned to minor league camp on March 15, but he did not give up an earned run in three Grapefruit League appearances this year.

Standout Stat

Lambert’s 14.6 strikeouts per nine last year was otherworldly, but his 4.9 walks per nine was a bit concerning.

No. 17: Randy Guzman, OF/1B

B/T: R/R Age: 20 (04/19/2005)
Height: 6’4″, Weight: 215 lbs
Acquired: Signed as an international free agent in 2022
Position: OF/1B
2025 Stats (FCL/St. Lucie): .302/.375/.524/.898, 76 H, 10 HR, 57 RBI, 2 SB
ETA: 2028

Player Profile

The Mets signed Guzman for just $10,000 as an international free agent in September 2022.

He struggled over his first two years in the Dominican Summer League, posting an OPS of .627 over 46 games in 2023 and .691 across 21 contests in 2024, but he broke out in 2025.

In 75 games and 283 plate appearances, the 20-year-old slashed .302/.375/.524 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs.

Guzman’s raw power is his standout trait, which makes him such a tantalizing prospect, though his chase rate of 41.58 percent at St. Lucie was too high for comfort.

Standout Stat

Per MLB Pipeline, Guzman’s 90th-percentile exit velocity of 108.5 mph at St. Lucie in 2025 was higher than No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin‘s mark of 107.7 mph in the same league.

No. 16: Zach Thornton, LHP

B/T: L/L Age: 24 (01/17/2002)
Height: 6’3″, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: 5th round, 2023 draft
Position: LHP
2025 Stats (Brooklyn/Binghamton):
ETA: 14 G (14 starts), 72 2/3 IP, 1.98 ERA, 0.812 WHIP, 6-2, 78 K, 11 BB

Player Profile

A fifth-round pick out of Grand Canyon in the 2023 MLB Draft, Thornton is yet another promising arm to watch in a system chock-full of them.

After posting a 4.10 ERA over 20 outings (12 starts) and 68 innings between St. Lucie and Brooklyn in 2024, Thornton logged a 1.98 ERA in 72 2/3 frames with 78 strikeouts between Brooklyn and Binghamton last season before suffering an oblique injury in June.

The left-hander has produced positive results in his pair of Grapefruit League appearances this spring as well, putting up a 1.35 ERA in 6 2/3 innings.

Thornton’s fastball typically sits in the low-90s, and his slider is often regarded as his best offering. The 24-year-old’s arsenal also features a curveball, cutter and changeup, and he’s shown impressive command across the board.

Standout Stat

Thornton’s 1.36 walks per nine in 2025 was the lowest mark among Mets minor leaguers who threw at least 10 innings.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 20-16 Features High-Upside Bullpen Arms appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The group below is an interesting mixture of pitchers and position players headlined by a 2025 draft pick.

No. 25: Daviel Hurtado, LHP

B/T: L/L, Age: 21 (01/26/2005)
Height: 6’1″, Weight: 166 lbs
Acquired: International free agency, 2023
Position: LHP
2025 Stats (FCL Mets/Low-A St. Lucie): 18 G (12 starts), 65 2/3 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.173 WHIP, 1-2, 75 K, 24 BB
ETA: 2028

Player Profile

Signed as an international free agent in 2024, Hurtado enjoyed a bit of a breakout season in his first full season of professional ball. The 20-year-old southpaw allowed just one earned run in 19 innings in Rookie Ball before being promoted to Low-A St. Lucie, where he posted a 2.70 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. Hurtado uses a five-pitch mix – a four-seam fastball and sinker that sit in the low-to-mid 90s, a curveball, slider and change-up. Both of his breaking pitches had hitters off balance in 2025 – his curveball produced a .273 xSLG and 31.7% whiff rate, while his slider held hitters to a .193 xSLG and 40% whiff rate.

Standout Stat

While he at times struggles with control, Hurtado excelled at keeping the ball in the yard in 2025, allowing just three home runs in 65 2/3 innings.

No. 24: Marco Vargas. INF

B/T: L/R Age: 20 (05/14/2005)
Height: 5’11”, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: Trade with MIA, 2023
Position: INF
2025 Stats (Low-A St. Lucie, High-A Brooklyn): 463 PA, .258/.352/.323/.675, 103 H, 2 HR, 47 RBI, 40 SB
ETA: 2028

Player Profile

Vargas came over from the Marlins in the deal that sent David Robertson to Miami in 2023. After an injury-plagued 2024, Vargas got off to a hot start in St. Lucie and was promoted to High-A Brooklyn early in the season. Vargas only recorded 18 extra-base hits in 463 plate appearances, but he had a strong 12.5% walk rate and swiped 40 bases in 48 tries. Primarily a shortstop entering the year, Vargas played 49 games at second base and 45 games at shortstop in 2025.

Standout Stat

Vargas’ 40 steals ranked third in the Mets’ organization behind A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito.

R.J. Gordon. Photo by Bella Dunning/Brooklyn Cyclones

No. 23: R.J. Gordon, RHP

B/T: R/R Age: 24 (10/26/2001)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 195 lbs
Acquired: 2024 Draft, 13th round
Position: RHP
2025 Stats (High-A Brooklyn, Double-A Binghamton): 26 G (21 starts), 128 2/3 IP, 3.36 ERA, 1.236 WHIP, 11-3, 147 K, 46 BB
ETA: 2027

Player Profile

In his first taste of pro ball, Gordon began the year in High-A Brooklyn and pitched well enough to earn a promotion to Double-A Binghamton over the summer. Gordon continued to impress for the Rumble Ponies, finishing the year with a 3.36 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings between the two levels. Upon arriving in Binghamton, Gordon cut his walk rate down from 10.6% in Brooklyn to 6.1%.

Gordon uses a low-90s fastball that hit 96 mph last season, and he gets above average induced vertical break on it. Part of his success in 2025 was linked to the development of his kick change that he got more comfortable with as the season went on. He also mixes in a slider and curve, and he showed improved command of both pitches in 2025. Check out the interview we did with him during the 2025 season.

Standout Stat

Gordon had an ERA north of 5 and a strikeout rate below 20% during his time at the University of Oregon, but he boasted a solid 27.3% strikeout rate in 2025.

No. 22: Edward Lantigua, OF

B/T: R/R, Age: 19 (11/13/2006)
Height: 6’1”, Weight: 174 lbs
Acquired: International free agency, 2024
Position: OF
2025 Stats (FCL Mets): 194 PA, .288/.433/.399/.832, 44 H, 3 HR, 27 RBI
ETA: 2030

Player Profile

Lantigua saw improved results in 2025, with OPS increasing from .792 in 2024 to .832. While he doesn’t hit for much power, Lantigua boasted a strong 17% walk rate in 194 plate appearances and swiped 13 bases. Defensively, Lantigua spent most of the year playing center field, appearing in 43 games there and seven games in the corners.

Standout Stat

Lantigua drew 33 walks against 29 strikeouts, and both marks were improvements from his 2024 campaign.

No. 21: Antonio Jimenez, INF

B/T: R/R Age: 21 (06/15/2004)
Height: 6’1″, Weight: 200 lbs
Acquired: 2025 Draft, second round
Position: INF
2025 Stats (Low-A St. Lucie Mets): 110 PA, .263/.345/.274/.619, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 8 SB
ETA: 2029

Player Profile

Jimenez enjoyed a strong 2025 season at the University of Central Florida, batting .329/.407/.575 with 11 homers, 14 doubles and 11 steals in 242 plate appearances. The Mets drafted him in the second round, and he spent the rest of the season in Low-A St. Lucie. While he posted just a .619 OPS in pro ball, Jimenez posted a solid 10.9% walk rate and swiped eight bases in 11 tries. Almost exclusively a shortstop in college, Jimenez played 12 games at shortstop and five games at third base for St. Lucie.

Standout Stat

Jimenez ranked in the 88th percentile of the Florida State League in speed, getting a 7.52 speed rating from FanGraphs.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 25-21 Features Young Talent appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Let me start by clarifying what I mean by “Team of the Decade.” This is not going to be the best Mets team of the last ten years, nor will it be a listing of the best players from the last ten years. The rules here are simple: build a team of 10 – one for each position player, plus a starter and a reliever – where you can only choose one player from each of the past 10 seasons.

A couple of caveats here: first is that I’ve removed from consideration the Small Sample Size COVID Season (SSSCS) of 2020. There’s way too much noise in there and it’s too difficult to make sense of what was actually a good season and what was just a hot streak. Second, there’s no DH position. Because it’s still a relatively new position on NL clubs, the options are too limited.

That leaves us with our 10 slots coming from the 2025-2021 and 2019-2015 seasons.

First thing I did was check to see team leaders per year. I wanted to see if there were any individual seasons that stood out as far and away better than anyone else’s and therefore couldn’t be ignored. My initial takeaway was to be surprised that, by WAR, Lindor was just behind Soto in 2025. My second takeaway was “HOLY CRAP…how did those 2015 and 2016 teams make the playoffs??” I always think of Asdrubal Cabrera for two things: his walk-off vs. the Phillies with the best/worst bat flip ever, and for taking OTHER players’ helmets off after THEY hit home runs. Turns out he was also the most valuable (by WAR) batter on the 2016 wild card winning squad, who knew?

But I digress. There were three outliers who had seasons that just blew everyone else’s away, and those are 2024 Lindor at SS, 2019 Pete at 1B and 2018 deGrom at SP.

After his underwhelming first season in Flushing, Lindor steadily climbed back to elite in 22 and 23. But he reached his peak as the most valuable position player in the NL in 2024, losing the MVP award to full-time DH Ohtani in still the highest Mets finish since Straw was robbed in 1988 (side note: Gibson wasn’t even the MVP of his own team that year, but that’s another argument for another day). It doesn’t hurt Lindor’s case when you remember that Lindor he was batting under .200 as late as May 21st of that season AND he missed 11 games in September and was STILL just a steal away from 30-30 at a premium position. Thing is, he could take this spot for just three of his swings that season: top 9 game 161, grand slam game 4 vs Philly and top 1 game 2 NLCS vs the Dodgers.

Pete’s 53 homers in 2019 were both a rookie record and the only time a Met has ever led all of MLB in homers. Considering he’s up against a couple of Lucas Duda seasons and a few years of Wilmer Flores and James Loney (yup, 2016 team leader in games played at 1B), this was another no-brainer. As a bonus bit of info, with all the guff he’s getting as a fielder, he was actually one run ABOVE average in defensive runs saved in 2019 (for context, he was rated nine runs below average for this past season.

Going into this thought exercise, I predicted that choosing between deGrom’s two Cy Young seasons was going to be tough. But as good as Jake was in 2019, the previous season was clearly better. He had more Ks and a lower ERA and WHIP in more innings pitched. He had a higher WAR and led the league in ERA+ and FIP. Dude only went 10-9 and still got 29 of 30 first-place Cy votes. I think it’s safe to say that we have our starter and we feel good about it.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Great! 3 down, 7 to go. Where to next?

We are coming up on the one-year anniversary of the biggest free agent signing in Mets history. We still have more than a decade before we will know how this all ends, but the early results are prettay prettayyy good. Still not even in his age 27 season, Juan Soto just had his SIXTH top 10 MVP finish. In what was considered a down year for him, he still managed to lead the NL in walks and OBP, tie for the league lead in steals (wha?) and set a career high in homers. As amazing as this sounds following a nearly 40-40 season, I feel like if I ever look to build this team again there will be even better Soto years to choose from.

The Mets have only had 2 players win a batting crown (and both sat out the final game of the season to make sure they didn’t drop in the rankings, the less we talk about this the better). The first was Jose Reyes in 2011, and the second was our Team of the Decade, starting 2B Jeff McNeil from 2022. This was a 101-win team with 5 players receiving MVP votes, but McNeil led them in WAR. He wasn’t exclusively a 2B, but that’s where he played the most games, so he’s taking that spot.

There’s no way this team can be complete without an appearance from Yoenis. His 2015 stretch puts him into the conversation for the greatest trade deadline acquisition in history. What was surprising was that his 2016 follow-up wasn’t too shabby, either. He slowed towards the end and was overmatched by Bumgarner’s high heat in the WC loss, but still finished the season with over 30 homers, an all-star appearance, a silver slugger, and a few down-ballot MVP votes.

So far, I’m feeling pretty good about this team with three positions to go. We are now looking for a catcher, third baseman and center fielder with the years 2023, 2021 and 2017 to choose from. These are an ugly bunch of seasons where the Mets didn’t manage to break 80 wins, so it’s a safe assumption that they didn’t have historic performances. But maybe we can find some diamonds in the rough?

Luckily, we have support from the team’s longest-tenured player (editor’s note: this piece was submitted before the trade), Brandon Nimmo. Their first round pick in 2011, Nimmo had a slow start to his career before a breakout 2018 campaign where he set career highs in OBP and total bases – thanks in no small part to leading the league in times being hit by a pitch. A solid SSSCS was sandwiched between two injury-plagued years in 19 and 21, so there was concern that he couldn’t stay on the field until he started a very impressive current run of 4 straight years with 150+ games played. 2022 was his best year in terms of WAR, but someone really needs to explain that stat to me because in 2023 he had more hits, more homers and a higher OPS. It was also his last year playing primarily center, so that’s where he slots for us.

Down to two positions/years.

Mets catchers have been a long line of disappointments since Paul Lo Duca’s all-star 2006 season. Prime seasons from Gary Carter, Mike Piazza and that one 41-homer campaign from Todd Hundley spoiled us (I didn’t say anything about Mackey Sasser, did you say anything about Mackey Sasser?). We thought we had our new savior at the position when the Mets traded reigning Cy Young Winner R.A. Dickey for, among others, Noah Syndergaard and Travis d’Arnaud. At the time of the trade, Baseball America had d’Arnaud as the #17 overall prospect in the league and the prime piece for the Mets. When he clanged one off the apple in 2015, I had dreams of a bright future. He never did put it all together. Even his one Silver Slugger year with the Braves is due to an insanely out-of-nowhere BABIP tha’ts more than .100 better than any other season of his career. Luckily for our team, his 2017 was a perfectly respectable one with 16 homers, a .735 OPS and 1.4 WAR.

Which leaves 2021 and third base. Quick trivia question: who played the most games at third base for the Mets in 2021? If you guessed Eduardo Escobar or J.D. Davis….you’re wrong. The correct answer is Jonathan Villar of the Villar-Pillars. And he was….not terrible! 18 homers, 14 steals and a .738 OPS in 142 games. Hey, it could’ve been worse.

That makes our Mets Team of the Decade:

Batting 1st: 2024 Lindor at SS

Batting 2nd: 2025 Soto at RF

Batting 3rd: 2016 Cespedes at LF

Batting 4th: 2019 Pete at 1B

Batting 5th: 2022 McNeil at 2B

Batting 6th: 2023 Nimmo at CF

Batting 7th: 2017 d’Arnaud at C

Batting 8th: 2021 Villar at 3B

SP: 2018 deGrom

Closer: 2015 Familia

Think you can make a better team? Be my guest.

This MMO Fan Shot was contributed by Brian Wertkin. Have something you want to say? Share your opinions with the best and most diverse Mets community on the web! Send your Fan Shot to michael.mayer4@gmail.com.

The post Fan Shot: Mets Team of the Decade appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the World Series officially in the rearview mirror, today’s as good a day as any for a requiem of the 2025 Mets season.

First things first: while I feel pretty confident that the Mets would’ve faired a little better than the Reds and at least put up a fight against the Dodgers…let’s be honest that they weren’t going to win it all this year. Questionable managerial choices may have doomed them in game 162 (see: making the decision to attempt to get 22 outs from a poorly performing bullpen when the score was still 0-0 and Manaea hadn’t actually given up a hit, or strong contact, was asking for someone to be exposed). And that someone was Stanek, but there were deeper flaws in the team, and any magic fairy dust from 2024 had been washed away long ago.

So how are we Mets fans supposed to feel?

Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

I want you to go back to March for a second. Erase this entire strange season from your brain and try and think about how you were feeling during spring training. Now…what if I told you these 10 facts about the upcoming season:

1.  Juan Soto would play 160 games, finish the season 2 steals shy of 40-40, set a new team record for walks in a season, and win a Silver Slugger and be a top 3 MVP finalist.
2. Francisco Lindor would play 160 games and go 30-30
3. Pete Alonso would play all 162, hit 38 homers, and set career highs in batting average and doubles and win his first Silver Slugger.
4. In 62 appearances, Edwin Diaz would pitch to a 1.67 ERA, allowing only 6 earned runs after April 21st.
5. Brandon Nimmo would set career highs in homers and RBI.
6. The Mets, as a team, would finish 2nd in the NL in homers behind the Dodgers and 3rd in steals behind CHI and MIL.
7. Clay Holmes would make 31 starts and pitch to a respectable 3.53 ERA, while David Peterson would make the All-Star team.
8. The team would call up Nolan McLean to make 8 starts, during which he’d go 5-1 with an ERA just over 2 and nearly 11 K/9.
9. David Stearns would make deadline deals to get 2024 NL Reliever of the Year Ryan Helsley, 2x all-star Gregory Soto, and noodle-armed Tyler Rogers to team up with Diaz in the bullpen.
10. The Atlanta Braves would lose 86 games

You would sign up for that in an instant because that team makes the playoffs. That’s a team that nobody wants to face in a short series. And THAT team sounds fun!

How wrong you would’ve been.

Looking back, there are tons of parallels to the 2007 season (coming off a trip to the NLCS, they start off hot before inconsistent starting pitching and an unreliable bullpen catch up to them, all culminating in a 3 games series vs. the Marlins where they go lose g1, win g2 on a one-hitter, lose must-win g3 to fall out of the playoffs), but those are all surface similarities. The truth is that there is one MAJOR difference between 2007 and 2025 that is more concerning than the similarities.

Back in ’07, we couldn’t believe what was happening. As the Mets crumbled in real-time against the Gnats and the Fish, it was shocking. Glavine’s disasterpiece in game 162 (editor’s note: the hyperlink to the first inning of that game was removed for your safety) felt like a cruel trick (you will never convince me he wasn’t wearing a Braves t-shirt under his jersey that day like a WWE heel). I was angry and watched the next 8 innings with a sense of dread that built with every out until the game and season finished. And I still couldn’t believe what had unfolded.

This year, the final week felt preordained. There wasn’t one reason, one key injury, one fluke play, one bad performance. They lost because of poor pitching (everyone but Diaz and McLean), poor defense, ill-timed strikeouts, and killer double plays. They lost because they didn’t have a reliable starter to stop the bleeding. They lost because the offense would erupt for an inning or two, but couldn’t string together any consistency down the stretch (even an 8-2 lead in the 6th vs. the Cubs that last week felt tenuous). And they lost because they managed like they were out of ideas and options in game 162.

I’m not gonna lie, part of me was hoping the Reds would win their last game so we could say, “oh, it didn’t matter that they blew game 162 because they wouldn’t have made the playoffs anyway.”

Which leads me to that “BIG DIFFERENCE” between 2007 and 2025: the ’07 team deserved to be a playoff team and this year’s squad just didn’t. The 2007 collapse was painful and remains so to this day, while this collapse just feels… well… hollow. And THAT seems worse.

It wasn’t until the playoffs were at least a round old before I could figure out why I felt that way (or rather, wasn’t feeling). With some time to breathe, I started with the specifics. Maybe it was that both Mauricio and Alvarez seemed to forget the count on two separate occasions of game 162, despite the enormity of the situation. Shouldn’t they have been a bit more locked in? Maybe it was hard to feel strongly about a team that appeared to be going through the motions at such a critical point.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

I looked bigger picture. On June 12th, they were 21 games over .500, meaning they went 38-55 over their last 93 games (.409 winning percentage). Could the empty feeling be because a team playing .400 ball for over 3 months is hard to believe in?

I’ve also tried to think more deeply, worried that there’s some sort of institutional rot festering and leeching into us, the fans. After a season of Candelita concerts and Grimace, did the 2025 squad become a “25 guys 25 cabs” team a la the 2002 team?

Or maybe it’s simpler than any of that. There’s no argument that last year was magical. The Mets outperformed expectations and had so many fun, exciting, memorable moments, with players stepping up on the big stage. And then they went out and signed Soto in the offseason! Might it be so simple to say that there was no way to avoid some sort of letdown after 2024?

I’m asking a lot of questions about why this team felt so undeserving and I still have no answers beyond the acknowledgement that the end of the season was rotten.

Where does that leave us? Well, personally, I have decided to look to the sages for guidance. And I’ve found two wise philosophers who arrived to the same conclusion. Snoop from The Wire and William Munny from Unforgiven both said eloquently and succinctly: “Deserves got nothing to do with it.” And ultimately, that is why they play the games. It’s why we watch. It’s why I know where I’ll be 3/26/26. As unsatisfying as it is, I have moved forward to the 5th stage of grief: acceptance. This season wasn’t great, but I’ll be back.

The offseason is here, which means the reflections can end and the worrying can start. With both Diaz and Alonso (unsurprisingly) opting out, we can fret and debate about how Stearns should approach those two cornerstones and the salaries they’ll command. Plenty of time to worry about the number of prime years left in Soto and Lindor. Plenty of time to hope that Baty has turned a corner and McLean can sustain what he showed in his cameo. Plenty of time to debate about what can be expected from question marks like Mark Vientos (wow, how much difference a year makes), Jonah Tong, Christian Scott, Jeff McNeil, and others. Plenty of opportunity to wonder about who will be playing CF next year. And plenty of time to play the always-fun game of “Spend Uncle Stevie’s Money.”

Unlike 2007, we’re fortunate this year to have a top 10 farm system and deep enough pockets to solve the team’s problems. There are lots of questions to ask, but thankfully, there’s a good feeling that 2026 won’t be like 2008. LFGM!

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This MMO Fan Shot was contributed by Brian Wertkin. Have something you want to say? Share your opinions with the best and most diverse Mets community on the web! Send your Fan Shot to michael.mayer4@gmail.com.

The post Fan Shot: Asking Lots of Questions appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The 25-year-old left-handed hitter from Japan is among the best hitters to ever be posted — and would be a massive add for whatever team wins the sweepstakes. Murakami has clubbed 246 homers in 892 games in Japan, including an exceptional year in 2022 where he won the Triple Crown and recorded 56 homers, which is the single-season NPB record.

This season, Murakami slashed .273/.379/.663 with 22 homers in 57 games. It’s also worth noting Murakami punched out at a 28.6% clip in NPB last season, which was the third straight year in a row his K-rate reached 28%.

Murakami has played a majority of his time at third base in Japan, but he does have experience at first base where most MLB scouts think he will ultimately play in the majors.

Mets president of baseball ops David Stearns was in attendance to watch Murakami on Aug. 12 when the slugger hit a walk-off home run. In MLBTR’s recent contract predictions, they believe Murakami will get 8 years, $180 million and two of the four writer panel picked the Mets as the signing team.

It has also been confirmed that first/third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, who had played for the Yomiuri Giants of NPB since 2015, is set to be posted this offseason. The 29-year-old was a six-time All-Star in the league who slashed .277/.361/.521 with 248 home runs and 717 RBIs over 1,074 games. MLBTR predicts that Okamoto will sign a four-year deal worth $64 million.

If the total value of Murakami or Okamoto’s contract exceeds $50,000,001, any MLB club that signs him will be required to pay a fee to the Yakult Swallows. The value of that fee will be 20 percent of the first $25 million as well as 17.5 percent of the next $25 million and 15 percent of the guaranteed value of the deal beyond $50 million.

Should the total value of their respective deals fall between $25,000,001 and $50 million, the fee will be 20 percent of the first $25 million plus 17.5 percent of the total guaranteed value beyond $25 million.

The post Munetaka Murakami Being Posted Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The pain of what happened on September 11th, 2001, has not subsided. We can put the tragedy of what took place on that day out of our minds, but we can never put it out of our hearts.

Every single day, Americans are still dying because of 9/11. Their lives continue to raise the death toll of that tragic day. What started out as 3,000 lives lost, has now eclipsed 6,000.

Let’s take some time to remember those victims and to honor them. Let’s take a few minutes to remember and honor those who put their lives on the line every single waking hour, so that we here at home can go on living our lives and rebuilding the dreams that perished on that fateful day.

Tens of thousands of service men and women don’t have the luxury of going online each morning to see what place their team is in the standings, or to read blogs about their favorite teams. They risk their lives so that millions of us can enjoy these simple pleasures.

The best way to honor the fallen is to go on living the life and cherishing the freedom for which they died defending.

The best way to honor the heroes who still fight to preserve our way of life, is to live our lives in a manner that is worth defending. To reflect the values and the virtues of being an American, every single day.

Freedom and liberty can mean a million different things to a million different people, but there is one common truth that our differences cannot dissuade. Freedom is as fragile or as strong as the will of those who are willing to defend it.

Support our troops, remember September 11th, and be proud to be American.

Editor’s Note: Joe D. posted this back in 2007, and I just felt like it was his words we needed today. Miss you, man. The Mets also released a well-done 9/11 video earlier today.

The post Remembering 9/11 By Joe D appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

FOCO Mets Two-Tone Cowboy Hat

FOCO New York Mets Two Tone Cowboy Hat

Price: $50.00

Where to Find More New York Mets Gear?

The bobblehead above is just a sampling of the full selection of Mets merchandise offered by FOCO. FOCO is the prime location for officially licensed sports merchandise, and their love of the game is seen in all their products from their apparel to their collectibles. If you don’t like what you see above, check out hundreds of additional options with FOCO’s full Mets catalog. 

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