The 2024 Mets made it all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS but did so with very little contribution from rookies. Perhaps their most valuable rookie, reliever Dedniel Núñez, burst onto the scene after seven years in the minor leagues, pitching to a 2.31 ERA in 25 appearances. A strained flexor tendon in his pitching arm cut his season short, but the Mets consider him to be fully healthy.

Dedniel Núñez, Photo by Roberto Carlo

According to Anthony Dicomo of MLB.com, Núñez was hitting 96 miles per hour on the radar gun during a team-supervised live Batting Practice session in the Dominican Republic this winter. Núñez averaged 96.2 MPH on his fastball in 2024. Núñez rode a nearly 50/50 split arsenal of fastball and slider to great success after being called up in April. He was routinely asked to get more than three outs, often in low-leverage situations, but graduated to a more important role in July, becoming the main setup man for Edwin Díaz.

Núñez complained to team officials that he wasn’t responding well from his increased usage, missed a month of time, came back for a lone outing in August against the Padres but wound up back on the IL, this time for the rest of the season.

If he returns to form in 2025 and maintains a stretch of good health, Núñez could see himself as the main right-handed option, along with Ryne Stanek, to be the bridge to Díaz.

Sproat Looking to Make Strides in 2025

Brandon Sproat soared to the top of the Mets pitching prospect list in 2024. Buoyed by his fastball, which can run up to triple-digits, Sproat put up great numbers in Single-A Brooklyn and then subsequently in Double-A Binghamton, in a total of 16 starts between the two.

His success stalled however at the next level. After being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, the right-hander had a 7.53 ERA in seven starts. According to Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza, there is a positive spin to those struggles.

“I’m probably not going to sound right, but you want those guys to struggle in the minor leagues.” Mendoza said to the media in Port St. Lucie on Thursday. “He kind of flew through the minors and it was kind of easy for him. And he got to a level where (he) had to make some adjustments, which he did.”

Sproat told reporters that he got away from who he was once he got the call-up and said he needed to keep an attacking mindset, worrying less about the results.

“Nerves kind of kicked in. A little bit of a bigger stage.,” Sproat said, “After the year was done I looked back and I realized my faults there and what I needed to work on.”

Sproat spent part of Thursday throwing live batting practice, including striking out Francisco Alvarez.