No. 30 Will Watson

B/T: R/R   Age: 22 (11/04/2002)
Ht: 6’1″  Weight: 180 lbs

Position: RHP
Acquired: Selected in the 7th round of the 2024 draft by the Mets
ETA: 2027
2024 Stats: (St. Lucie) – 2 2/3 IP, 10 batters faced, 3.38 ERA, 0.750 WHIP, 3 SO, 10.1 K/9, 1 ER

(NCAA) – 50 1/3 IP, 3.93 ERA, 1.411 WHIP, 46 SO, 8.2 K/9, 7.9 H/9, 4.8 BB/9, 22 ER, 3 HR

Photo by Katharine Lotze

 

Will Watson was selected in David Stearns’ anaugral Mets draft in the seventh round. The right-hander attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he pitched to a solid 3.93 ERA with 46 punchouts in 50 1/3 innings.

Before his time at USC,  Watson pitched at California Lutheran in 2022, posting an elite 1.82 ERA and 0.894 WHIP, while striking out 40 batters in 34 2/3 innings. Watson capitalized on this success season, transferring to San Joaquin Delta College, where he again was sucsseful by posting a 2.97 ERA in 57 2/3 innings.

These performances put Watson on the map for major league teams. The Mariners drafted Watson in the 20th round of the 2023 draft, which resulted in Watson declining to sign and transferring to USC.

Watson started five games at San Joaquin Delta College, but profiles more as a reliever in the big leagues. His fastball peaks at 97 miles per hour, and he mixes in a mid-80s slider and changeup to keep hitters honest.

The walks will be Watson’s largest speed bump on his road to the majors. He walked over four batters per nine innings at USC, registering a 1.411 WHIP in the PAC12.

2025 Role

Watson’s role for 2024 is simple. Just develop. The 22-year-old will have a full season in the Mets organization to hone his craft and adjust to a minor league schedule, giving the front office a grander idea of Watson’s ceiling.

With a fastball that averages 2300 RPM, the sky is the limit for Watson. Because he’s a reliever and 22 years old out of college, Watson just sneaks onto MMO’s top 30 prospects list for 2025. The ETA is set for 2027, but it could fluctuate due to how fast Watson climbs as a reliever in an organization known for developing pitching.