Chris Suero
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (31-29) 4, Syracuse Mets (31-30) 0

Box Score

• C Francisco Alvarez, 0-for-3, K (.600 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 0-for-4 (.747 OPS)
• DH Jorge Polanco, 0-for-2, 2 BB (.300 OPS)

I don’t usually highlight the opposition in the Mets Minors Recap, but I’ll make an exception for a combined no-hitter. Yankees No. 21 prospect Brendan Beck tossed seven innings (six strikeouts, three walks) and Carson Coleman finished it off by getting Kevin Parada to bounce into a double play.

Carlos Mendoza said he likes how Polanco’s health is progressing, but he will not join the Mets in San Diego, which was said to be a possibility earlier in the week. The manager also said that Alvarez could join the big-league team on the next homestand, which starts Tuesday vs. the Cardinals and lasts six games.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (2.68 ERA) 5 1/3 IP, 3 R (ER), 4 H, 3 BB, 3 K, HR, L
• RHP Ben Simon (2.45 ERA) 1 2/3, BB, 3 K

Wenninger, the team’s No. 2 pitching prospect behind Jonah Tong, has struck out 49 and walked 28 in 50 1/3 innings.

Double-A

Reading Fightin Phils (24-31) 4, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (21-34) 5, 10 innings

Box Score

• 3B Jacob Reimer, 1-for-3, HR (5), 2 RBI, SB, BB, 2 K (.725 OPS)
• C Chris Suero, 2-for-5, HR (8), 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R (.757 OPS )
• 2B Nick Lorusso, 1-for-4, K  (.667 OPS )
• LF Vincent Perozo, 3-for-4, 2B, R (.701 OPS)
• RF-CF Eli Serrano III, 0-for-4, 3 K (.654 OPS)

Reimer’s 412-foot shot to the train tracks can be seen here. The 22-year-old is the team’s No. 4 prospect, though he hasn’t lived up to the high expectations set before the season. He entered the game slashing .207/.335/.367 after hitting .279/.374/.479 in 61 games at Binghamton last year.

• RHP Bryce Conley (4.73 ERA) 7 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K, HR

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (20-34) 6, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (22-32) 3

Box Score

• 1B Corey Collins, 1-for-3, HR (6), 3 RBI, BB, K (.763 OPS)
• LF Yonatan Henriquez, 2-for-4, HR (2), 2B, 2 K (.488 OPS)
• 3B Colin Houck, 1-for-3, HR (3), 2 RBI (.570 OPS)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez, 0-for-3, R (.521 OPS)

Collins and Henriquez hit back-to-back homers in the third inning. Bay, 25, leads Brooklyn in homers (7), RBIs (26), hits (38) and doubles (10) and is second in stolen bases (13) to Mitch Voit.

• RHP Dakota Hawkins (2.93 ERA) 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 K
• RHP Garrett Stratton (3.16 ERA) 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K, W
• RHP Hunter Hodges (1.99 ERA) 2 IP, H, K
• RHP Parker Carlson (4.22 ERA) IP, SV

Hawkins, 26, has struck out 15 and walked five in 15 1/3 innings for Brooklyn.

Low-A

Clearwater Threshers (35-20) 5, St. Lucie Mets (24-31) 4

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 2-for-3, 2 R, HBP (.796 OPS)
• LF Randy Guzman, 0-for-2 (.826 OPS)
• CF-LF Yohairo Cuevas, 2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, R (.840 OPS)
• PH-CF Simon Juan, 1-for-2, 2B, 2 RBI, K (.516 OPS)
• RF AJ Salgado, 0-for-4, 2 K (.796 OPS)

Peña, 18, entered Friday tied for sixth in hits (50) in the Florida State League, tied for fourth in walks (35), seventh in on-base percentage (.401) and eighth in stolen bases (17).

• RHP Emilio Obispo (1.93 ERA) 4 IP, 3 R (0 ER), 2 H, BB, 5 K

Obispo, a 19-year-old Dominican, has struck out 27 and walked six in 23 1/3 innings.

Rookie Ball Florida Complex League

FCL Mets (12-11) 11, FCL Marlins (10-13) 4

Box Score

• CF Bohan Adderley, 1-for-3, 3 SB, 2 R, 2 BB, K (.796 OPS)
• 2B Vladi Gomez, 2-for-4, RBI, 3 SB, 2 R, BB, 2 K (1.189 OPS)
• C Yovanny Rodriguez, 1-for-2, RBI, SB, 2 R, 3 BB (.959 OPS)

Adderley, 19, of the Bahamas, leads the FCL in stolen bases with 19 and he hasn’t been caught. Gomez is 13-for-35 with one homer, two doubles and two triples. Rodriguez leads the team in homers (5) and RBIs (17).

• RHP Roberto Pena (11.42 ERA) 2 IP, 2 ER 3 H, 3 K

Dominican Summer League

DSL Mets Blue (3-1) 10, DSL NYY Bombers (1-3) 11

Box Score

• 2B John Sanchez, 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 SB, CS, R, 2 BB, K (1.000 OPS)
• 1B Jonn Sanchez, 1-for-4, RBI, 3 SB, R, BB, 2 K (1.312 OPS)
• LF Henry Manrique, 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, R, BB, 2 K (1.524 OPS)
• DH Royner Bravo, 1-for-4, 2 RBI, SB, R, 2 BB, K (.681 OPS)
• CF Aiberson Blanco, 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, 2 K (.884 OPS)

Manrique, 17, of Venezuela, is 8-for-14 with four doubles and two stolen bases in four games, but his team could have used one more hit. He struck out to end the game with runners on second and third.

• RHP Christopher Rochin (2.70 ERA) 3 1/3 IP, ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K

DSL Giants Orange (2-2) 0, DSL Mets Orange (3-1) 6

Box Score

• RF Jhonael Cuello, 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, K (1.198 OPS)
• 2B Yorber Semprun, 1-for-2, 2 R, BB, K (1.267 OPS)
• 3B Sebastian Toro, 0-for-2, RBI, R, 2 BB, K (.823 OPS)
• SS Cleiner Ramirez, 1-for-3, 2 R, BB (.627 OPS)
• DH Cesar Acosta, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB, 2 K (.619 OPS)

Ramirez, a 17-year-old from Venezuela, is ranked the No. 23 international prospect in his class, per MLB Pipeline. The Mets signed him in January for a $1.3 million bonus. Scouts like his bat speed and while he can play shortstop as he did Friday, he is considered to primarily be a center fielder.

• RHP Maxgregori Harvey (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, 5 K
• RHP Randy Guzman (0.00 ERA) 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 2 K, W

Reliever Guzman, 18, from the Dominican Republic, should not be confused with St. Lucie outfielder Randy Guzman, a 21-year-old also from the DR.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Suero Smacks Walk-Off Homer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With Double-A Binghamton, High-A Brooklyn and Single-A St. Lucie all set to face affiliates of the Philadelphia Phillies, it should be a fun night organizationally for the two NL East foes.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Herm Card

TRIPLE-A

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE (30-29) VS SYRACUSE (31-29)

6:35 P.M.

Syracuse will look to make it three wins in a row over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday night with Jack Wenninger on the bump.

Wenninger, who’s one of the Mets’ top pitching prospects, has a 2.80 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 45 innings this season. The right-hander has struggled a bit in his last two outings though, allowing eight earned runs over 9 1/3 innings.

Christian Arroyo is on a heater in Syracuse’s lineup, as he’s slashed .385/.529/.923 over his last four games with a pair of home runs.

DOUBLE-A

READING (24-30) VS BINGHAMTON (20-34)

7:00 PM

Bryce Conley is set to take the mound for Binghamton as it searches for its third-consecutive victory over Reading.

The 31-year-old right-hander has recorded a 4.70 ERA in 11 outings (nine starts) with 40 strikeouts over 44 innings between Syracuse and Binghamton on the year.

JT Schwartz is the Rumble Ponies’ hottest hitter entering the night, launching two homers over his last four contests with a 1.462 OPS in 14 at-bats.

HIGH-A

BROOKLYN (19-34) VS JERSEY SHORE (22-31)

7:05 PM

Right-handed reliever Dakota Hawkins has performed well in Brooklyn, boasting a 2.92 ERA over 10 appearances and 12 1/3 innings, and he’ll kick things off for the Cyclones on Friday night against Jersey Shore.

2025 first-round pick Mitch Voit is coming into his own down in High-A, hitting .257/.413/.457 with two homers and four stolen bases across his last 10 contests.

SINGLE-A

CLEARWATER (19-34) VS ST. LUCIE (22-31)

6:10 P.M.

St. Lucie will attempt to snap a four-game losing streak as Joel Lara gets the start for the club. The 19-year-old right-hander has put up a 7.88 ERA in nine outings (five starts) totaling 24 innings this campaign.

Elian Peña has an .814 OPS across his last 11 games, though he earned a golden sombrero with four strikeouts on Thursday night.

The post Mets Minors Game Chat: Jack Wenninger Starts for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Herm Card

TRIPLE-A: SYRACUSE METS

HITTER OF THE MONTH: RYAN CLIFFORD

Statistics: 27 G, .233/.308/.534/.842, 8 HR, 5 2B, 1 3B, 18 RBI, 12 BB, 34 SO

Ryan Clifford is doing Ryan Clifford things. After a slow start to 2026, May was a return to what we expect from him. He’s hitting for prodigious power. He’s striking out a ton. It’s what Clifford does. While the strikeout rate is improved from the 39.6% it was through April, it was still 29.1% in May. That’s still high. However, is it good enough to survive in the big leagues? That’s up for debate.

There are 19 qualified hitters striking out at least 29% of the time in the big leagues this year. Some are good, like Elly De La Cruz, Munetaka Murakami, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Kurtz. Others are struggling, like Ramón Laureano, Jorge Soler, Nolan Gorman and Austin Riley. Where does Clifford land on that scale? At this point, the only thing that will answer that question is a promotion.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH: JACK WENNINGER

Statistics: 5 G (4 GS), 22.2 IP, 19 H, 13 R (10 ER), 20 SO, 13 BB, 3.97 ERA, 1.41 WHIP

It wasn’t quite as dominant a May for Jack Wenninger as it was an April, but he was still good enough to take the crown here. The last thing Wenninger needs to do before his MLB debut is limit walks. His walk rate in May was 13.1%, about the same as his mark through April. It’s not at the point where it’s a huge, glaring concern, but it needs to improve. If Wenninger is in the zone just a little bit more, he’ll be in the big leagues sooner rather than later.

Even then, he still should the next man up for a promotion. Christian Scott and Jonah Tong, who both started the year in Syracuse with Wenninger, are in the big leagues. Zach Thornton made his big league debut earlier this season, but that was likely matchup-driven versus a lefty-heavy Nationals lineup. Wenninger is better. If a rotation spot opens up, he should be the one to get the call.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by Binghamton Rumble Ponies

DOUBLE-A: BINGHAMTON RUMBLE PONIES

HITTER OF THE MONTH: JOSÉ RAMOS

Statistics: 24 G, .262/.392/.476/.868, 5 HR, 3 2B, 18 RBI, 16 BB, 26 SO

José Ramos is not a household name, which makes sense as a 25-year-old who was signed as a minor league free agent this offseason. (He was previously in the Dodgers organization for six years.) After a tough April, Ramos was undoubtedly Binghamton’s best hitter in May. He had 20 extra-base hits in 44 games at Triple-A for the Dodgers last season before electing free agency too, so there might be some real pop in his bat. He is old for the level, though, so the big test will be whether he can repeat his success at Triple-A whenever he is promoted.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH: JONATHAN SANTUCCI

Statistics: 6 G (6 GS), 28.2 IP, 25 H, 13 R (11 ER), 32 SO, 11 BB, 3.45 ERA, 1.26 WHIP

Jonathan Santucci is known, but might still be the most under-the-radar pitching prospect in the Mets system. He is a lefty with a fastball that has good velocity and ride, a wicked, elite slider, and a curveball and changeup that are showing promise. His only “issue” is that as a former position player, he hasn’t been pitching very long, so he’s still pretty raw. The control comes and goes, but even then, his 11.4% walk rate isn’t that big of a deal. It’s high, but it’s manageable, and should improve as he gets more experience. His ceiling is up there with the best pitching prospects in the system.

Ronald Hernandez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

HIGH-A: BROOKLYN CYCLONES

HITTER OF THE MONTH: RONALD HERNÁNDEZ

Statistics: 22 G, .263/.371/.461/.832, 4 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 27 SO

Acquired for David Robertson back in 2023, Ronald Hernández is now in his third season in Brooklyn. He’s shown flashes along the way, and this month is one of them. The 22-year-old switch-hitting catcher has some pop in his bat but can be streaky at times, and this is a good streak. Behind the plate, Hernández isn’t great. He might not be a catcher long term. But he’s athletic enough to handle first, and while it hasn’t happened yet, maybe a corner outfield spot. His bat is interesting enough to try to find him a defensive home.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH: CHANNING AUSTIN

Statistics: 4 G (4 GS), 21.2 IP, 10 H, 2 R (2 ER), 30 SO, 9 BB, 0.83 ERA, 0.88 WHIP

Brooklyn native Channing Austin is the best pitcher no one knows about in the Mets’ system. Ok, obviously some people know about him, but many probably don’t. He dominated in Brooklyn in May, so much so he earned himself a promotion for the final week. His fastball is great, and his curveball, slider and changeup are all effective. A former college reliever who threw under 60 innings combined in four years, the Mets see him as a starter. So far, they’re right.

SINGLE-A: ST. LUCIE METS

HITTER OF THE MONTH: AJ SALGADO

Statistics: 24 G, .241/.355/.481/.836, 3 HR, 4 2B, 3 3B, 13 RBI, 11 BB, 22 SO

Signed as a free agent in July 2025, AJ Salgado had a solid 23-game showing to end the season and has been good to start 2025. The extra-base hits are coming in droves, and he’s showing a solid approach to come with it. The 24-year-old is playing first base and both corner outfield spots for St. Lucie, and, given his age and production, could be ticketed for Brooklyn any day now.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH: NICOLAS CARRENO

Statistics: 5 G (2 GS), 21.2 IP, 10 H, 3 R (2 ER), 31 SO, 13 BB, 0.83 ERA, 1.06 WHIP

There’s a group of younger pitching prospects in the lower levels of the Mets’ system right now that are really, really interesting, and Nicolas Carreno might highlight that bunch. A 19-year-old lefty, Carreno sits 95 mph on his fastball. Those guys don’t grow on trees. And, incredibly, that’s not his best pitch. The 86 mph slider is the star, and batters can’t touch it. The one knock on his profile is he only throws three pitches, and two are fastballs (four-seam and sinker). If he doesn’t develop another pitch, the bullpen might be in his future. But even if that’s the case, he has the stuff to be a weapon out of the pen.

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE: FCL METS

HITTER OF THE MONTH: YOVANNY RODRIGUEZ

Statistics: 16 G, .268/.339/.589/.928, 5 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 15 RBI, 5 BB, 18 SO

The Mets’ most expensive signing in the 2024 IFA class, Yovanny Rodriguez had an okay debut season in the Dominican Summer League and a much better repeat year in 2025, prompting his move stateside this year. So far, he’s been up to the challenge. Despite the large signing bonus, he’s not one of the organization’s premier prospects. Repeating the DSL will cause that. With that said, the catcher is still just 19, so it’s very encouraging to see him start his 2026 in this manner. He hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been good.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH: JOSE GUEVARA

Statistics: 4 G (3 GS), 18.1 IP, 12 H, 9 R (8 ER), 25 SO, 9 BB, 3.93 ERA, 1.15 WHIP

Jose Guevara is missing bats, limiting free passes, and overall just doing most of the things pitchers need to do to be successful. At 21 years old, he’s a bit old for the level, so the next test for him will be Single-A. After a couple of recent promotions from St. Lucie to Brooklyn, Guevara could be next in line to fill the vacated spots. He had a few games in both spots last year but didn’t have much success, so it will be interesting to see if round two goes any better.

The post Minor League Players of the Month: May 2026 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Herm Card

Triple-A

Rochester Red Wings 5 (34-21), Syracuse Mets 3 (28-27)

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford: 2-4, 2B, BB (.767 OPS)
• 2B Christian Arroyo: 2-4, HR, RBI (.779 OPS)
• DH Ji Hwan Bae: 2-4, SB (.787 OPS)

Syracuse only mustered three runs despite nine hits on Saturday. The Mets went a staggering 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, stranding 12 runners on base.

Syracuse’s No. 2, 3, and 4 each had two hits. Bae, Arroyo, and Clifford each have an OPS above .767 on the season. Clifford, who doubled on Saturday, has an .800 OPS in May despite only hitting .222.

• RHP Jack Wenninger: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 2 SO (2.80 ERA)
• RHP Zach Peek: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO (1.59 ERA)
• LHP Matt Turner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO (2.84 ERA)

Jack Wenninger followed up the worst start of his 2026 season on May 24 with another troublesome one on Saturday. For the second-straight game, Wenninger allowed four earned runs. Across his last two starts, 9 1/3 innings, the former sixth-round pick has allowed 14 hits and eight earned runs. He had a 1.53 ERA prior to his last two rough outings.

Jorge Polanco. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies 4 (18-32), Portland Sea Dogs 3 (25-24)

Box Score

• CF D’Andre Smith: 2-2, BB (.653 OPS)
• C Vincent Perozo: 1-3, HR, 3 RBI (.693 OPS)
• 1B Jorge Polanco: 0-2, 2 K (1.571 OPS)

Veteran Jorge Polanco continued his rehab on Saturday. Polanco went 0-for-2 at the plate with two strikeouts. It was his first hitless appearance since his return, as he went 2-for-3 with a home run over his first two games. Polanco played three innings at first base.

• RHP Bryce Conley: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO (5.33 ERA)
• RHP Douglas Orellana: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO (3.47 ERA)
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO (2.92 ERA)

Behind a seven-strikeout outing by Conley, Orellana and Guzman combined to throw four innings of scoreless ball. Orellana, 24, has a 3.47 ERA across 23 1/3 innings this season. He had a 2.96 ERA across 51 2/3 innings in Double-A and Triple-A last season. A trip up to Triple-A Syracuse should be on the horizon.

Irving Cota. Photo by Ed Delany, Metsmerized

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones 8 (16-33), Wilmington Blue Rocks 1 (26-23)

Box Score

• 2B Mitch Voit: 2-4, HR, 2 R (.707 OPS)
• RF John Bay: 1-2, RBI, BB, 3 R, SB (.821 OPS)
• CF Yonatan Henriquez: 3-4, HR, 2 R (.465 OPS)
• LF Will Benson: 2-4, 3 RBIs (.689 OPS)

The Cyclones’ offense had a rare big day on Saturday. Their .609 OPS ranks dead-last by a large margin in the South Atlantic League, however, they were able to put across eight runs on Saturday.

Voit, Henriquez, and Benson each had multi-hit games. Bay, who has been a lone bright spot all season long for Binghamton, went 1-for-2, but scored three runs and stole his 13th base of the season. The undrafted free agent from Austin Peay had an .875 OPS across 83 at-bats to being his professional career last season.

Benson, who recently earned a call-up from High-A St. Lucie, is riding a five-game hitting streak (7-for-19, .368 average), raising his season High-A average to .250 after beginning his High-A career 1-for-13.

• RHP Irving Cota: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO (0.73 ERA)
• RHP Dakota Hawkins: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO (3.18 ERA)
• RHP: Tanner Witt: 2.0 IP, 0 H, o R, 1 BB, 6 SO, W (9.88 ERA)

Cota has been sensational while pitching for High-A Brooklyn this season. Through 24 2/3 innings he has allowed only 13 hits and two runs (0.73 ERA). A second chance with Binghamton (Double-A) is likely in the offing. He made one start for Binghamton (Double-A) earlier this year and allowed nine hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings.

Witt, who has already pitched for three different organizational levels this season, had a sensational Saturday in a bulk role behind Cota. All six outs he recorded over his two innings of work were via the strikeout. The 14th-round pick in 2024 cumulatively had a 9.78 ERA in 19 1/3 innings across the High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels this season.

Single-A

St. Lucie Mets 6 (24-23), Bradenton Marauders 3 (24-25) F/10

Box Score

• RF/1B Randy Guzman: 3-5, HR, 2 RBIs (.865 OPS)
• PH/RF AJ Salgado: 1-1, 3B, RBI, R (.832 OPS)
• SS Elian Peña: 0-5, R, SB (.812 OPS)

Guzman launched his ninth home run of the season in the first inning to get the scoring started for St. Lucie on Saturday. He added two more hits later on as well, raising his season OPS to .865. Guzman, 21, had an .899 OPS across 252 at-bats in the Florida Complex League and Single-A levels last season. He is continuing his 2025 successes thus far in 2026.

Despite going hitless, Peña stole his 15th base of the season after reaching via an error. His OPS is still above .800 at .812 despite the 0-for-5 Saturday.

St. Lucie scored four in the 10th inning en route to the extra-innings victory. Salgado had a pinch-hit triple and scored after Peña reached on the aforementioned error. Guzman then singled-home Peña before St. Lucie added their fourth and final run of the frame.

• RHP Emilio Obispo: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO (2.33 ERA)
• RHP Christian Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 2 SO (1.71 ERA)

At a mere 19-years-old Obispo is now six games (three starts) through his second professional season. Through 19 1/3 innings, he has struck out 22. His five innings of two-hit ball on Saturday was one of his most impressive outings of his very young professional career.

Rodriguez has been one of the best pitchers in the organization this season. He has a 1.76 ERA, .196 batting average against, and a 0.99 WHIP across 26 1/3 innings of sparkling relief this season.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Jorge Polanco Plays Three Innings At First Base In Rehab appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

We have already seen Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito and Zach Thornton debut this season. Who else could join them?

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Herm Card

Jack Wenninger

Some people were surprised to see that Thornton got the call before Jack Wenninger, but that shows how the Mets likely value Wenninger over Thornton. Now that he has been added to the 40-man roster, Thornton will have his first option burned once he spends 20 days in the minors this year. He has already been sent back down to Syracuse following his debut against the Washington Nationals last week. This move allows the Mets to call up and send down Thornton up to five times for spot starts or longer stretches in the majors (not including injury call-ups or doubleheaders). This was similar to how the Mets utilized Blade Tidwell in 2025 before trading him to San Francisco. In July of 2025, Stearns told SNY, “My preference is to not bring up a top prospect for a spot start”. So far, it seems they are treating Wenninger as one.

If Wenninger makes his debut in the majors this year, what role would it be in? The easy guess is to say as a starting pitcher because that is what he has been so far. If the Mets are truly out of the playoff race by the time he is called up, then you can afford to give him a long stretch where he can work through any adjustments without the pressure of a playoff race.

There are some current road blocks to Wenninger being able to be a successful starting pitcher in the majors. His first issue is his 13.9% walk rate. That is not a stat that is likely to improve against the more seasoned major league hitters.

His next issue is his velocity. Wenninger’s fastball shape is well below-average with a poor movement profile and a below-average vertical approach angle. He needs to throw it at least 95 miles per hour for it to really be effective. Unfortunately, he is struggling to maintain his velocity across innings.

A large part of keeping Wenninger in Triple-A is likely to continue to work on these issues. If he is unable to learn to maintain velocity, he could consider changing up his pitch mix. This is a similar issue Brandon Sproat had, which led to him attempting to convert to more of a contact suppression sinker ball pitcher. Wenninger has already developed a sinker and has seen mixed results. A move to the bullpen may also be in his future, where he can juice the velocity on a shorter pitch count. Most of the best relievers in the game started in the minors as starters.

Ryan Clifford

Ryan Clifford has not performed like a player primed for a call-up this year, but he is Rule 5 eligible in the offseason, and if the Mets are out of the playoff race, he could make sense as a September call-up since he will need to be added to the 40-man roster anyway.

His 75.19% zone-contact rate is in the 9th percentile, his 35.8% strikeout rate is among the worst in Triple-A, and his 32.5% whiff rate is in the 24th percentile. These are all quite a bit better than where they were a little over a week ago, so maybe he could be turning a corner. He does hit the ball very hard.

Clifford has had a weird season. His first week, he couldn’t make contact to save his life. The next two weeks, he looked like he found his footing and was the player we saw in 2025 with an 83.7% zone-contact rate (58th percentile) alongside his plus exit velocities and a whiff rate that was just below average. The remainder of April, he went back to a low-70s zone-contact rate fueled by his tendency to swing and miss.

Then came the first ten days of May, when he was back to an 83% zone-contact rate, an above-average whiff rate at 25.8%, a strikeout rate down to 25%, and results to match with a .995 OPS. But just like April, that turnaround was short-lived. His following eight games were the worst stretch of his season with whiff and strikeout rates near 40% and a zone-contact rate at 67.4%. Clifford, though, has hit three home runs in his last five games.

So what can we make of all this? It does seem clear he is not ready yet. But there are glimpses of the player we saw in 2025 that pushed him back onto Top 100 lists. If he can find some level of consistency in his contact rates, he could force his way into the majors, at least as largely a three-true-outcome platoon bat with 30-home run power. Hopefully we see a true turnaround and not just short bursts.

Jacob Reimer

Jacob Reimer may not have the most flashy slash line in Double-A at .223/.353/.396, but that is because his first couple of weeks were very rough.

In May, however, he is batting .261/.376/.478. He is pulling the ball at an incredible 25.8%, is walking 17/0% of the time, is only whiffing 22.6% of the time and his 80.8% zone-contact rate is above average. If he keeps this up, he could earn a promotion to Syracuse sooner rather than later and then would be only a short ride away from Queens.

He has primarily played third base this year, while mixing in some first base as well as time as the designated hitter. Reimer likely profiles better at first base than third base in the majors.

Reimer is not yet on the 40-man roster but is Rule 5 eligible in the offseason. Assuming no options are utilized this year if added, he would have all three entering 2027.

Reimer profiles as a player that can hit for average with plus plate discipline and 25+ home run power.

Ben Simon

Ben Simon was drafted in 2023 and was just called up to Triple-A. He throws a four-seam fastball, a slider, a sinker, a changeup, and a cutter. All of his pitches are above-average, but he rarely throws in the zone, relying heavily on generating chases. In Double-A that worked, running a 32.3% chase rate. If he can show that works against Triple-A hitters as well, he could earn a promotion to the majors.

So far, the results have been good. Across Double-A and Triple-A, he has a 2.41 ERA and 1.232 WHIP, though his 22.9% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate could be better. His 96 mph fastball would be one of the fastest in the Mets’ bullpen, and he has thrown as hard as 98 mph this year. He is not one of the organization’s most well-known prospects, but he could force his way into the bullpen if he continues to produce.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Nate Lavender

“If you throw 92 with some grit and some intention behind it, you’re gonna be alright,” Nate Lavender said, per SNY, in 2024.

Now right around two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Lavender has gone from throwing 89-92 mph to 91-94 mph. He is no longer throwing from his low 26-degree arm angle and is now throwing from a 40-degree arm angle. This has likely helped with the velocity and he is not generating 18.3 inches of induced vertical break. Alongside his plus extension, all of these factors make his fastball play up, helping to generate a 27.9% whiff rate in Triple-A.

His slider is coming in three miles per hour faster with more spin, and he managed not to lose too much horizontal break raising his arm angle, while his changeup is five miles per hour faster. His changeup is not particularly strong, but is perfectly fine as a different look to use against right-handed hitters.

Brooks Raley is likely one of the Mets’ best trade chips if they decide to sell, and Lavender could make sense as a left-handed arm in the bullpen. He was already grabbed in the Rule 5 draft once.

Ryan Lambert

During spring training, Ryan Lambert looked like he could be a big contributor in 2026. He hit 99 mph seven times across his 3 1/3 innings pitched and his slider ran a 50% whiff rate. Since going down to Triple-A, his velocity has not been the same. He is averaging almost a full mile per hour slower on the fastball, he is not hitting his top-end velocity at close to the same rate, and he has yet to hit 100 miles per hour. He is also struggling to find the zone and walking 18.3% of batters. He is striking out 35.2% of batters and running a 36% whiff rate, but almost all contact is in the air, leading to a 1.13 HR/9. A high walk rate and a high home run rate is not a good combo, and that has led to a 5.06 ERA.

If Lambert can turn these issues around, he could then make an impact in the majors.

Dylan Ross. Photo by Kylie-Richelle

Dylan Ross

Dylan Ross is the other way the Mets could inject some velocity into their bullpen. Technically he did get his initial call-up already at the end of 2025 but did not pitch, so I am still counting him for this list.

His velocity was initially down coming off injury, but he has hit 99 miles per hour recently and his average velocity the last two weeks is right in line with were he was in 2025. Even with the increased induced vertical break he has shown this year, Ross’s fastball shape is not great, so the velocity is key. He has put up a 25.8% whiff rate on the pitch so far. But his slider and splitter are his true plus pitches. With their strong movement profiles, that is where the bulk of the swing and misses he gets comes from.

Ross’s issue, like Lambert’s, is that he walks far too many batters. 23.9% of them so far to be exact. Ross has run only a 39.1% ground ball rate and has a 1.93 HR/9 rate in Triple-A. Ross is already on the 40-man roster, so he is likely to come up at some point, even if it is just to throw two innings and go back to Syracuse.

 Honorable Mentions

• Dan Hammer –  Spent his career in the minors between Baltimore and Tampa and throws six plus-pitches. His issue is that he has no idea where they are going when he throws them, but so far you could describe him as “effectively wild”. At the least, he could be another churn reliever.
• Jonathan Santucci – One of the Mets’ top prospects, he has not put up the best results in Double-A this year after dominating in 2025. His command gains from last year do not seem present this year, so far but if he could get them back, he could skyrocket through the system.
• Chris Suero – Suero is Rule 5 eligible at the end of the season and is crushing the ball in Double-A. He looks to be more of a three-true-outcomes player, and it’s unclear where his future defensive home will be, but he could be an interesting guy off the bench with speed, power, and defensive versatility.

The post What Other Mets Prospects Could Debut This Season? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Lorusso, 25, of Carmel, N.Y., plays first, second and third base and was a ninth-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Maryland.

Nick Lorusso. Photo credit: Rick Nelson

Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons (25-25) 6, Syracuse Mets (26-23) 4, 7 innings

Game 1 Box Score

• LF-1B Jared Young, 1-for-4, RBI (.563 OPS)
• 1B-LF Ryan Clifford, 2-for-3, HR (9), 2B, 2 R (.748 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada, 1-for-3, R, K (1.009 OPS)

Clifford, 22, would homer again in the second game of the doubleheader. He ended the day slashing .226/.305/.458/.763. He leads the International League in strikeouts with 72 in 177 at-bats.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (2.20 ERA) 5 1/3 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, L
• LHP A.J. Minter (2.35 ERA) IP, K

Wenninger, who was considered for a big-league call up after Clay Holmes was injured, had his worst outing of the season. He had not allowed more than two runs in any of his previous eight starts.

Buffalo Bisons (25-26) 0, Syracuse Mets (27-23) 1, 7 innings

Game 2 Box Score

• RF Ryan Clifford, 1-for-3, HR (10), 2 K (.763 OPS)
• CF Jihwan Bae, 0-for-3, K (.791 OPS)
• 1B Eric Wagaman, 1-for-2, 2B, K (.705 OPS)

The teams combined for five hits. See Clifford’s team-leading 10th homer here. And see his Game 1 homer here.

• RHP Danis Correa (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K, W
• RHP Ryan Lambert (5.79 ERA) IP, BB, 3 K
• LHP Nate Lavender (3.38 ERA) IP, BB, K
• LHP Anderson Severino (1.37 ERA) IP, K, SV

Five pitchers combined on the two-hit, seven-inning shutout.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (16-29) 2, Richmond Flying Squirrels (31-13) 1

Box Score

• RF José Ramos, 2-for-3, HR (7), BB, K (.722 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso, 1-for-4, HR (8), 2 K (.751 OPS)
• CF Eli Serrano III, 1-for-4, 2B, outfield assist (.691 OPS)

Ramos, 25, is from Panama and was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2018 as a 17-year-old. He played six seasons for Dodger minor-league affiliates before electing free agency last offseason after hitting 18 homers and posting a .782 OPS combined at Double-A and Triple-A. The Mets signed him to a minor-league deal in November. See his home run here.

• RHP Bryce Conley (5.06 ERA) 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 5 K
• RHP Dan Hammer (1.93 ERA) 1 2/3 IP, ER, 2 K, W
• LHP Felipe De La Cruz (1.98 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, K, SV

De La Cruz, 24, has struck out 18 and walked seven in 13 2/3 innings.

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (21-23) 0, Brooklyn Cyclones (13-31) 4, 7 innings

Box Score

• SS Mitch Voit, 1-for-3, R, BB, CS, 2 K (.655 OPS)
• 3B Yonatan Henriquez, 1-for-3, RBI, R, 4 SB, K (.467 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez, 1-for-2, R, 4 SB, 2 BB (.718 OPS)
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez, 0-for-2, 2 SB, BB (.532 OPS)

In this episode of “only in the minor leagues,” the Cyclones stole 10 bases, went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, and the game was called in the seventh inning because the field was too wet. Henriquez and Hernandez each stole four bases to tie a franchise record.

• RHP Adbert Alzolay (0.00 ERA) IP, H, BB
• LHP Gregori Louis (2.70 ERA) IP, BB, 3 K
• RHP Bryce Jenkins (0.59 ERA) IP, H, K

Seven pitchers combined for the three-hit, seven-inning shutout. Jenkins, 25, has given up one run on six hits in 15 1/3 innings this year, struck out 15 and walked three.

Low-A

Palm Beach Cardinals (24-21) 4, St. Lucie Mets (20-25) 5

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 1-for-3, R, BB, K (.786 OPS)
• 3B Antonio Jimenez, 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, K (.750 OPS)
• 1B Yohairo Cuevas, 1-for-4, 2B, R, 2 K (1.088 OPS)
• LF Branny De Oleo, 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB, K (.756 OPS)

Peña entered Sunday slashing .191/.313/.265 with one home run in May after hitting .353/.467/.482 with one homer in April.

• RHP Justin Armbruester (0.00 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, H, W
• RHP Emilio Obispo (3.14 ERA) 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 7 K, HR

Obispo, a 19-year-old from the Dominican Republic, has fanned 18 in  14 1/3 innings.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Nick Lorusso Homers in Third Straight Game appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Thornton, 24, struck out nine over six scoreless innings in his most recent start at Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. He was MMO’s No. 16 Mets prospect before the season, and is No. 13 on MLB Pipeline’s Mets Prospects List. Mendoza said a decision hasn’t been made yet on whether Thornton will start or be used in bulk relief.

“He earned it,” the manager told SNY. “The way he’s been throwing the ball, especially at the Triple-A level. We like a lefty against this lineup, his ability to throw strikes, his pitchability. So there were a lot of names. Jonah (Tong) was one of them, obviously. But, at the end, we decided to go with Zach.”

Thornton has made two starts at Syracuse and five for Double-A Binghamton this season. At the two levels combined, his ERA was 3.16, his WHIP was 1.19, and he struck out 40 in 37 innings.

Mendoza said there is no guarantee that Thornton will stick with the team beyond Wednesday; it is “one outing at a time,” and the Mets will see how his debut goes and take it from there. Jack Wenninger was also considered for the call up. A spot is open because of the injury to Clay Holmes.

Last season, Thornton was sensational at High-A Brooklyn (one earned run in 20 2/3 innings) and pitched to a 2.60 ERA in 10 starts for Binghamton. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

The post Mets to Call Up Lefty Zach Thornton appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Probably the emotion all Mets’ players, coaches, and fans felt when the news of Clay Holmes‘ injury broke after Friday’s loss to the Yankees.

It was a brutal blow to Holmes and the Mets’ roster as a whole. The righty had blossomed in his second full season as a starter and holds a 2.39 ERA in 52 2/3 innings after his start Friday, plus he joins a long IL list for the Mets, which includes Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, Luis Robert Jr., Francisco Alvarez, Ronny Mauricio, A.J. Minter, Tylor Megill, and Reed Garrett.

The 33-year-old will be down for a “long-time” and the Mets will have to replace his spot in the rotation. Fortunately for the Mets, they have numerous options to take the ball in their organization. And the name that deserves the call is another prospect stashed in Triple-A — Jack Wenninger.

Jack Wenninger Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Wenninger is another gem from the Mets’ impressive 2023 draft class. He took a massive step forward in the minors in 2025, and has rewarded the Mets’ decision to have him start 2026 in Triple-A.

The 24-year-old has thrown 33 1/3 innings in Syracuse this season, pitching to a 1.08 ERA with 38 strikeouts, 18 walks, and only one homer allowed. It’s been another step forward for Wenninger, who pitched to a 2.92 ERA in Binghamton last season with 147 punch outs and 42 walks in 135 2/3 innings.

The 6’4″ right-hander relies on an impressive fastball-splitter combo to retire batters. Wenninger’s fastball has a 55 grade, and since last season, has reached the upper 90s with consistency. He’s able to fool batters with his 65-grade splitter, which sits in the mid-80s and falls out the zone with sharp horizontal movement.

It’s a ghastly combo. And it’s resulted in Wenninger posting a 10.3 K/9 through seven starts.

Wenninger also mixes in a slider to keep batters off the north-south movements of his best two pitches. It’s a pitch that has gradually gotten better during his time in the minors, jumping from a 45-grade pitch in 2024 to a 50 grade in 2026 with “snappy” movement according to Baseball Savant.

The third pitch is the most important factor in the choice of Wenninger over pitchers like Jonah Tong and Zach Thornton. Tong is still down in Syracuse attempting to fine-tune his cutter that he added to his repertoire in the offseason, and has pitched to a 5.68 ERA while trying to work the pitch into starts. Plus while Thornton has pitched to a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings, the lefty was just recently promoted to Triple-A in May and might need more time to get acclimated to the higher level.

Wenninger appears to be the most ready arm stashed in the minors to get the call. And factoring in major league options such as Sean Manaea and Tobias Myers, it would behoove the Mets to give another rookie a chance to impact the ball club.

Manaea is still averaging low-90s velocity on his fastball and has an average exit velocity of 90.7 against his pitches. Myers has been a factor for the Mets out of the bullpen, and subtracting him from the bullpen would leave Carlos Mendoza with fewer options to get through games that include David Peterson.

The Illinois University product is the most sensible choice for the Mets. He’s made positive strides at every level he’s gone to, has strikeout stuff that is translatable to the majors, and has also met the moment everywhere he’s pitched. Wenninger was originally a Murray State product before transferring and finding success in the Big-10, then was second in the Mets minor league system in strikeouts in only his second minor league season.

Wenninger also proved to minimize the moment last season with Binghamton. He punched out 11 batters over 5 1/3 innings in the Double-A Eastern League championship. The performance sparked the Rumble Ponies to a championship, featuring dominance over a lineup of Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño, and Thayron Liranzo.

The post Jack Wenninger Deserves a Look in Mets’ Rotation appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

For the latest news and updates in the Mets minor leagues, check out the Minors Weekly Report below.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A Syracuse

The Syracuse Mets followed up their stellar series against Lehigh Valley with a dud against the Rochester Red Wings, losing four of six games, including the final three of the series. The Mets are still above .500 at 20-18, good for third place in the International League East division.

Ryan Clifford was a major bright spot on offense, going 9-for-22 with a pair of home runs. Clifford also added a double, a triple, two walks and a stolen base. After a slow start to the year, Clifford has his OPS at an even .800.

Jackson Cluff also hit a pair of home runs despite going just 3-for-17 in the series. Like Clifford, Cluff also walked twice and stole a base. It’s been a struggle, as he has just a .549 OPS this season.

Despite a week where he cooled off from his hot start, A.J. Ewing was quickly promoted to the majors and should be in the MLB team’s starting lineup Tuesday.

Jack Wenninger continued his Triple-A dominance with another fantastic start on the mound. Wenninger tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks with five strikeouts. The 24-year-old has been sensational as he has a 1.27 ERA in six starts.

Jonah Tong also impressed on the mound, allowing two runs over five innings with eight strikeouts. Tong allowed two hits and four walks, and he now owns a 4.46 ERA in eight starts as he continues to find his footing.

Zach Thornton had a great Triple-A debut, allowing three runs over six innings in his start. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out four. In six starts across Double-A and Triple-A, Thornton has a 3.77 ERA.

Chris Suero
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A Binghamton

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies’ dreadful start to the year continued with a five-loss series against the Hartford Yard Goats. Binghamton is now 11-22 and in last in the Eastern League Northeast division.

Chris Suero was the team’s only productive hitter in the series, as he was the only player to record an OPS over .700. He soared past that number, going 3-for-10 with two doubles, a home run, four walks and four stolen bases. Suero is hitting just .175 this year, but his eye and his power have his OPS at a solid .802.

Nick Lorusso and Kevin Parada both got on base five times in the series, but neither did much damage. Lorusso went 5-for-18 with a triple, not drawing any walks, while Parada went 4-for-14 with no extra base hits and one walk. Lorusso owns a .644 OPS for the year while Parada has struggled even more, sporting a .522 OPS.

Jonathan Santucci threw Binghamton’s best start of the year, allowing one run over 6 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits and no walks while striking out seven. He lowered his ERA after a rough start to the season to 4.64.

Jordan Geber also provided a decent start, allowing two runs over five innings. He allowed five hits and no walks while striking out three. Geber has a 4.58 ERA in seven appearances (four starts).

Douglas Orellana was the team’s star out of the bullpen, throwing four innings across two appearances. He allowed just one baserunner, a walk, while striking out three. Orellana has been solid this year, owning a 3.29 ERA in 11 appearances.

Channing Austin
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A Brooklyn

Just like Binghamton, the Brooklyn Cyclones’ fortunes have yet to reverse as they also dropped five games against the Bowling Green Hot Rods. The Cyclones are just 8-24 and also in dead last in the South Atlantic League North division.

Despite the dreadful week and entire season, the Cyclones received some impressive offensive performances in this series. Ronald Hernandez led the way by going 5-for-18 with three homers. He drove in four runs and added a walk. Hernandez’s strong week propelled his OPS for the year to .803.

Vincent Perozo had a great week, going 7-for-15 with two home runs. Perozo’s seven hits led the team and he now has an even .700 OPS.

Sam Biller played in just four games, but he went 6-for-12 with a double, a walk and two stolen bases. Biller has mostly struggled this year, owning a .576 OPS.

Brady Miller, who the Mets signed to a minor league contract just days ago, looked solid in his start. Miller allowed two runs in five innings while striking out seven and walking no one. Miller’s ERA through his one start is 3.60.

Channing Austin allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings, also allowing nine baserunners, but his swing-and-miss stuff led to 10 strikeouts out of the 13 outs he recorded. Austin has been sensational to begin the year, owning a 1.69 ERA in six starts.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets dropped four of six games in their series against the Lakeland Flying Tigers. The Mets are now 14-19 and in third place in the Florida State League East division.

JT Benson provided most, if not all, of the team’s power in this series. Benson went 6-for-19 with five extra-base hits (two doubles, two triples, one home run). He also walked twice and stole a base. Benson’s excellent start to the season has his OPS at .961.

Elian Peña had a solid week, only going 5-for-21 but recording a home run, three walks and a stolen base. Peña also drove in four runs, which led the team. His OPS for the year is at .833.

Chase Meggers looked good at the plate, going 6-for-19 just like JT Benson. Unlike Benson, Meggers only had one extra-base hit (a double). He drove in three runs and walked once, raising his OPS to .612.

Jose Chirinos had an excellent start on the mound, allowing one run in six innings. Chirinos allowed four hits, no walks and struck out two. In six appearances (five starts) for St. Lucie, he owns a 2.52 ERA.

Frank Camarillo also stood out, allowing two runs in five innings with five strikeouts. Camarillo has struggled more than Chirinos this year, owning a 4.44 ERA in six starts.

Daviel Hurtado made one start and one relief appearance, his first appearances of the year. He tossed four innings across the two games, allowing just a run on two hits and striking out eight. His ERA through two games is 2.25.

FCL Mets

The Florida Complex League season is underway, and the FCL Mets are 2-5 through their first seven games. They are in last place in the FCL East division.

Catcher Yovanny Rodriguez is off to a fantastic start to the season. Through seven games, he is 9-for-27 with four home runs and nine RBIs, as well as three walks and a stolen base. Rodriguez’s OPS in the early going is 1.108.

Pitcher Camden Lohman has looked great through two starts, allowing two unearned runs in 7 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts. These two starts are the first two of Lohman’s professional career.

Organizational Leaders

Offense

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (BNG/SYR) – .339
• OPS – A.J. Ewing (BNG/SYR)/JT Benson (STL) – .961
• HR – Ryan Clifford (SYR)/Randy Guzman (STL) – 7
• SB – A.J. Ewing (BNG/SYR)/Sam Robertson (STL) – 17

Pitching (min. 10 innings)

• ERA – Bryce Jenkins (BRK) – 0.79
• SO – Jonah Tong (SYR) – 52
• WHIP – Bryce Jenkins (BRK) – 0.71

Players of the Week

Offense – Ryan Clifford, 1B/LF/RF

Ryan Clifford’s status within the Mets organization became much more important when the team decided to let Pete Alonso walk. Clifford may be the team’s first baseman of the future, and he showcased this past week why the Mets might view him that way. Even with a slow start to the year, Clifford is tied for the Mets minor league lead in home runs.

Pitching – Jack Wenninger, P Syracuse

Jack Wenninger is a budding superstar, coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded a 2.92 ERA in 26 starts with Double-A Binghamton. He has a 1.27 ERA to start 2026 with Triple-A Syracuse, and it’s fair to say he’s pushing into the upper echelon of Mets pitching prospects that includes Jonah Tong.

Upcoming Schedule – May 12-17

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Somerset
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Rome
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Jupiter

The post Minors Weekly Report: Clifford, Wenninger Shine for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The pitching, aside from a weak link in the rotation, has generally been pretty good. The offense has been a glaring problem. At this point, it’s time to cut bait and move on to the next generation of Mets.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Outfield

It all starts with A.J. Ewing. With Luis Robert Jr. injured and without a timetable to return, Ewing should be the everyday starting center fielder. He did nothing but hit in 2025 and has taken another significant step forward in 2026. Yes, he was only recently promoted to Triple-A, but he’s continued to hit. His underlying data in Syracuse is fantastic, albeit in a small sample size, and the Mets frankly don’t have a better option.

The Mets should have Juan Soto in left, Ewing in center and Carson Benge in right every single day. Soto can continue to get some days at DH, but those three should be playing every day regardless of the handedness of the starting pitcher. Ewing, a lefty, is actually hitting better against lefties than he is righties so far this year. Benge, who has been sent to the bench most days versus lefties, needs to be allowed to see them. He got one on Sunday, and he picked up one of the four hits the Mets had versus Eduardo Rodríguez and hit two more balls over 90 mph that found gloves. He’s hitting .231 versus lefties on the season — higher than his overall mark — and is hitting .261/.370/.522/.892 in May. He’s figuring it out. Keep him in the lineup.

Tyrone Taylor and MJ Melendez can remain on the bench. Taylor is a good fourth outfielder; he brings value to a team in a bench role. Melendez is one of the few Mets hitters who has shown any signs of life; he can pick up some starts at DH and in left field whenever Soto shifts to the designated hitter spot.

There is no reason for Andy Ibáñez or Austin Slater to be on this roster. Yes, the selection of outfielders proposed here would be very left-handed, but the need to platoon is overplayed. Ewing and Benge are too important to shield from left-handed pitching. They need to learn to face them, and have already shown they’re capable of doing so. Soto is platoon resistant, and Taylor and Melendez form a platoon in that reserve outfield role.

Ibáñez arguably cost the Mets the game on Sunday with his multiple errors and is 2-for-17 on the year (0-for-6 with the Mets). Yes, it’s just 17 plate appearances, but the Mets should know what they have with him. He’s a veteran, and he hasn’t posted an OPS over .653 since 2023.

Slater has been a little better with the Mets, going 5-for-16 (a .313 batting average) since joining the club after hitting .174 in 12 games with the Marlins to open the year, but what little upside. He hasn’t shown any power, he’s not a good defender, and he’s 33 years old coming off back-to-back seasons with OPS marks of .587 and .642. Forcing him into the lineup just because he’s a righty, at the expense of playing time for Benge, ultimately does nothing to make the Mets better.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Infield

Now onto the infield. Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien will play every day. Bichette has to be better; there’s nothing else to say there. Semien, while he definitely needs to be better as well, probably catches too much flak. He has also struggled at the plate, but he hasn’t been too far under expectations. He was brought in, first and foremost, because he only had three years remaining on his contract compared to Brandon Nimmo‘s five. Secondly, he was brought here to play a good defensive second base and hit at the bottom of what should have been a very potent lineup. If the players around him were holding up their end of the bargain, Semien’s struggles wouldn’t be as magnified because it’s more or less what was expected of him. Alas, that is not the case.

Those two should be the double-play combination every day until Francisco Lindor returns. Yes, Bichette was brought in to play third base, but when the starting shortstop, who seldom misses games, gets injured, along with his backup, things change. That’s not anyone’s fault. He’s not nearly as good a defensive shortstop as he has proven to be a third baseman, but he can manage until Lindor is back. Vidal Bruján can stick around as defensive insurance and a pinch runner.

The corners are where things get tricky. If Jacob Reimer had started his season similarly to Ewing, there would be an argument to give him a shot at third. That didn’t happen, and while he has hit much better as of late, he’s still in Double-A and not an option at this time. It likely falls to Brett Baty for what should be his final opportunity. It’s not going to excite anyone with how Baty has started his 2026, but the Mets don’t have a better option at this point. Play Baty every day, even against lefties, and know once and for all if he’s part of the plans for the future. If he’s still struggling by the time Lindor returns, you’ll have your answer and can move on with a clear conscience.

As for first base, the Mets should see what they have with Ryan Clifford. The slugging first baseman has not been great in Triple-A and is striking out way too much, but he still has an OPS of .800. He’s hitting for power, and the strikeouts have come down in recent games, so give him a shot. Mark Vientos, despite the sporadic power showings, hasn’t fit the billing as the first baseman of the future. Unlike Ewing and Benge, Clifford is a player who should be platooned. As a result, Vientos won’t be completely phased out. He should, for the most part, only play against lefties. Vientos is actually a plus-hitter versus southpaws, and with the lefty Melendez penciled in as the DH and lefty Clifford penciled in as the first baseman, there are clear runways to get him into games.

Jack Wenninger. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The Starting Rotation

The rotation needs to see a change too. The strategy of using an opener in front of David Peterson is unsustainable, even if the short-term results are positive. There is a solid four of Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes and Christian Scott, but that fifth spot should go to Jack Wenninger. He’s carved at Triple-A, and while he doesn’t have the ceiling of a frontline starter, he might be the highest-probability MLB arm the Mets have in the minors. Wenninger should get an opportunity to establish himself as a mid-rotation starter at the MLB level.

The Mets are likely stuck with Sean Manaea, which is fine; he can remain in the bullpen for mop-up duty. What happens next with Kodai Senga is an absolute mystery, but for now, he’s not in the plans. As for Peterson, he’s not under contract next season, and after his performance thus far, doesn’t feel like he’ll be returning to the Mets. It’s time to either move him to the bullpen full-time or dump him. He could probably contribute as a multi-inning lefty out of the pen, but it also may be too many long men with him, Manaea and Tobias Myers.

If that’s the case, they could try to trade him. He won’t garner much of a return, but teams can always use starters. Maybe the Detroit Tigers, who have had so many pitching injuries this season, would give the Mets a low-level prospect for him. If they get no bites, then DFA him. He’s not in the plans, and he’s not contributing now. Wenninger deserves his chance, and the Mets still have plenty of depth behind him to cover for any future injuries.

Don’t waste any more time. The Mets should go with a rotation of McLean, Peralta, Holmes, Scott and Wenninger, and some variation of the following lineups:

Against RHP

1. CF Ewing
2. LF Soto
3. SS Bichette
4. DH Melendez
5. RF Benge
6. C Alvarez
7. 3B Baty
8. 2B Semien
9. 1B Clifford

Against LHP

1. CF Ewing
2. DH Soto
3. SS Bichette
4. 1B Vientos
5. RF Benge
6. C Alvarez
7. 2B Semien
8. 3B Baty
9. LF Taylor

When Lindor, Jorge Polanco and Robert Jr. eventually return, Melendez, Baty, Vientos and Taylor can all be phased out of the starting lineup. Clifford, too, if he’s not hitting, but the ideal scenario is Clifford hits and stays in the lineup as he and Polanco share first base and DH.

The Mets are bad. The offense isn’t hitting. They need to shake it up. If by the time trade deadline season comes around and this team still shows no signs of life, go all in down this path. Trade Peralta and Holmes, who both will be free agents at the end of the season (there is almost no scenario where Holmes doesn’t opt out of the one-year, $12 million remaining on his deal). Obviously, it would be incredibly unfortunate to trade Peralta after just acquiring him, but it’s better to accept reality than to live in denial. Give the rotation spots to Jonah Tong and another one of the young arms, like Zach Thornton or Jonathan Santucci, and lean into the young rotation. Let Benge, Ewing, Clifford, and ideally, Reimer and Nick Morabito have everyday playing time.

If nothing else, give fans a reason to watch. A team with young, exciting players in the lineup and on the mound gives fans hope for the future. It gives Mets fans a reason to turn on the game. Bullpen games with Slater and Ibáñez hitting in the heart of the order do not. It’s time for the next generation to get the keys.

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