Reds right-hander Nick Martinez is accepting the $21.05 million qualifying offer, according to Francys Romero. Martinez appeared in 42 games, 16 of which were starts, and turned in a 3.10 ERA with 116 strikeouts against 18 walks over 142 1/3 innings. He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month in September, posting a sparkling 0.83 ERA with 30 strikeouts against just four walks in 32 2/3 innings.

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Former Mets prospect Justin Jarvis has signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers. Acquired for Mark Canha in 2023, Jarvis pitched to a 4.55 ERA with 84 strikeouts and 30 walks in 87 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024.

Latest MLB News

Jeff Passan of ESPN said on the Baseball Bar-B-Cast that the Red Sox are showing interest in Blake Snell and Max Fried. Boston ranked 16th in the majors with a 4.05 ERA in 2024.

Latest on MMO

Jorge Eckardt profiles free agent outfielder Max Kepler.

Kai Chang grades Christian Scott‘s 2024 season.

David Melendi profiles Yusei Kikuchi as a free agent.

On This Date in Mets History

1966: The Mets remove the interim tag and name Wes Westrum the second manager in franchise history. A former All-Star catcher, Westrum took over for Casey Stengel in the summer of 1965 after the Hall of Famer fractured his hip.

1985: Dwight Gooden unanimously wins the NL Cy Young Award. The 20-year-old pitched one of the most dominant seasons in history, going 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA with 268 strikeouts over 276 2/3 innings, which included 16 complete games.

1994: The Mets send Jeromy Burnitz and Joe Roa to Cleveland in exchange for hurlers Dave Mlicki, Paul Byrd, and Jerry Dipoto. Mlicki missed all of 1994 due to injury, while Byrd has yet to reach the majors.

2005: The Mets trade Mike Cameron to the Padres in exchange for outfielder Xavier Nady. A former second-round pick, Nady is coming off his best season in the majors, posting a .760 OPS with 13 homers over 356 plate appearances.

Born On This Date: Jay Hook (1936), Cal Koonce (1940), Steve Henderson (1952), Gary Sheffield (1968), Allen Watson (1970), Matt Wise (1975).

The post Morning Briefing: Reds’ Nick Martinez to Accept Qualifying Offer appeared first on Metsmerized.

Clifford now has a 1.138 OPS in June with seven home runs, four doubles, and a walk-to-strikeout ratio of 18:15. Though he is graded as a pure hitter, Clifford has been a three-true-outcome batter this month, boasting a .226 batting average over that span.

Joey Lucchesi. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (46-27) 1, Rochester Red Wings (37-35) 9

BOX SCORE

• CF Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-5 (.687 OPS)
• DH Ben Gamel: 2-for-3, R, 2B, BB (.973 OPS)
• 3B Brett Baty: 1-for-3, BB, 2 K (1.145 OPS)
• C Austin Allen: 1-for-4, RBI (6), 2 K (.840 OPS)

The Syracuse Mets were defeated 9-1 by the Washington Nationals’ top prospect, James Wood, and the Rochester Red Wings Saturday night. The Mets had no answer for Wood, who went 2-for-4 with a solo blast to left-center field. The Mets’ offense was dormant in the loss, going 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position while only one extra-base hit.

Luisangel Acuña had his sixth multi-hit game of June, lifting his slash line to .288/.350/.384 (.734 OPS) in the month.

• LHP Joey Lucchesi (4.61 ERA): 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (83 pitches/ 45 strikes)
• RHP Wilkin Ramos (0.00): 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Eric Orze (3.48): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Cole Sulser (2.01): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Yacksel Rios (3.30) 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• RHP Yolmer Sanchez (0.00) 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Lucchesi was roughed up in a second-straight outing, seeing dips in each of his pitches’ average velocity and spin rate which was also the case for his last outing. Lucchesi has allowed six home runs and nine walks over his previous three outings; troubling for a pitcher whose bread and butter is earning ground balls.

Alex Ramírez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (35-31) 6, Akron Rubberducks (36-32) 5

BOX SCORE

• CF Alex Ramírez: 4-for-4, R, RBI (31) (.679 OPS)
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-for-4, HR (8), 2 RBI (21), K (.868 OPS)
• C Drake Osborn: 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI (13), K (.698 OPS)
• DH Brandon McIlwain: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB, K (.648 OPS)

A four-run seventh inning propelled the Rumble Ponies to a win Saturday night over the Akron Rubberducks. Led by another Ryan Clifford home run, and a four-hit night from Alex Ramírez, the Binghamton offense strung together hits to complete the comeback.

The Rubberducks went up 3-0 in the third inning after a Petey Halpin home run. Still, the Ponies were resilient and chipped away at the Akron lead with the aforementioned Clifford blast in the fourth inning and a Ramirez RBI-single in the fifth. Drake Osborn provided the game-winning knock in the seventh with a two-run single to center field.

• RHP Luis Moreno (4.54): 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 7 K (81 pitches/52 strikes)
• RHP Daniel Juarez (4.35): 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Bryce Montes de Oca (0.00): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Justin Jarvis (3.28) 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 Er), 0 BB, 5 K

After a shaky start from Moreno, the Ponies’ bullpen held firm, allowing the team to win the comeback. Montes de Oca continues his rehab after elbow surgery and looks fantastic in his solo inning. Long-man Justin Jarvis was dynamic in the final three innings of the ballgame, striking five Rubberducks en route to his first save with Binghamton.

William Lugo. Photo by Ed Delaney, MMO

High-A

Jersey Shore BlueClaws (40-28) 8, Brooklyn Cyclones (33-35) 0

BOX SCORE

• SS William Lugo: 0-for-4 (.637 OPS)
• CF Stanley Consuegra: 0-for-4, K (.723 OPS)
• 1B Mateo Gil: 1-for-2, BB, 2 K (.723 OPS)

Coming off of their tough extra-inning loss, Brooklyn was stymied by the Jersey Shore pitching and was held to only one hit in their 8-0 loss. It was a woeful game on both sides for Brooklyn, who only got four baserunners on and struck out 12 times. In comparison, the Cyclones’ pitching staff allowed 13 baserunners and struck out only two BlueClaws.

• RHP Dakota Hawkins (4.20): 4 1/3 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (72 pitches/ 45 strikes)
• RHP Jawilme Ramirez (4.73): 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Despite his offense’s lack of run support, Jawilme Ramirez was solid in long relief for the Cyclones. Ramirez has allowed two runs or less in six of his eight appearances (starts and long relief) for Brooklyn.

Ronald Hernandez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (22-46) 0, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (33-34) 5

BOX SCORE

• 1B Ronald Hernandez: 2-for-4, 2B (.776 OPS)
• 2B A.J. Ewing: 1-for-4, K (.601 OPS)
• C Jose Hernandez: 0-for-2, 2 BB, K (.475 OPS)

St. Lucie was held to just three hits and zero runs for the second consecutive game. On the bright side, the Mets only struck out 11 times in their loss on Saturday (13 on Friday night). 

• RHP Ernesto Mercedes (5.19): 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 7 K (95 pitches/57 strikes)
• RHP Cristofer Gomez (5.60): 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
• RHP Miguel Alfonseca (6.61): 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Cristofer Gomez gave a solid middle-relief performance for St. Lucie, striking out three and allowing only two hits in his 2 2/3 innings on the mound.

Dominican Summer League

DSL Mets Blue (4-10) 1, DSL Rockies (8-5) 4

BOX SCORE

• SS Jose Subero : 1-for-3, 2B, RBI (.885 OPS)
• RF Haniel German: 1-for-3, K (.850 OPS)
• LF Vladi Guerrero: 0-for-2, R (.322 OPS)

DSL Mets Orange (7-7) 4, DSL Tigers (7-8) 1

BOX SCORE

• DH Keiver Garcia: 2-for-4, 2B, K (.831 OPS)
• C Arnaldo Montano: 1-for-2, RBI, BB, K (1.167 OPS)
• RF Rocky Solano: 1-for-3, RBI, K (.650 OPS)

The post Minors Recap: Ryan Clifford Swats Seventh Home Run In June appeared first on Metsmerized.

Triple-A

St. Paul Saints (26-31) 5, Syracuse Mets (34-23) 1

BOX SCORE

• 3B Rylan Bannon: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K (.869 OPS)
• RF Trayce Thompson: 1-for-3, R, HR (14), RBI (38), 2 K (.874 OPS)
• DH Carlos Cortes: 1-for-3 (.789 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger: 1-for-3, 2 K (.626 OPS)
• SS Luisangel Acuña: 0-for-3, BB (.646 OPS)

The Syracuse offense managed only four hits and struck out 12 times in Wednesday night’s loss up in Minnesota. Thompson drove in the lone run with a solo home run in the top of the fifth. It was his first home run since May 19 and he has driven in at least one run in three of the last five games. His 14 home runs are tied for the most in the International League.

Photo by: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

• RHP Christian Scott (2.97 ERA): 5 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, BB, 7 K (40 of 59 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Blade Tidwell (0-1, 4.38): 0.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K (18 of 35 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Yacksel Ríos (3.00): 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H (9 of 11 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Jon Duplantier (4.91): 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, BB, K (14 of 25 pitches for strikes)

In what will be a temporary stint for Scott back at Triple-A, he put up a high strikeout total while limiting his pitch count. Scott struck out three of the final six batters he faced with the only run he allowed coming on a solo home run to the first batter of the game he faced.

Tidwell came in the game in the sixth and after a pair of one-out walks, he allowed a single and a three-run home run as part of a four-run inning by St. Paul.

Tidwell and Scott were recently ranked among the Top 100 prospects by Baseball America.

Double-A

Bowie BaySox (27-25) 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (26-25) 5

BOX SCORE

• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-for-2, 2 R, HR (3), RBI (7), 2 BB, K (.710 OPS)
• SS Jeremiah Jackson: 1-for-4, 2 RBIs (18), K (.536 OPS)
• RF Brandon McIlwain: 1-for-3, RBI (9), BB, K (.677 OPS)
• DH Kevin Parada: 1-for-3, 2 R, K, HBP (.641 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies only had one extra-base hit in Wednesday’s loss as they combined for 13 strikeouts a a lineup. That one hit came in the top of the second when Clifford hit a solo shot to center. It was his third of the season and his second in the last four games.

Ryan Clifford goes deep for the second time in his past three games!

MLB’s No. 75 prospect has reached base in 12 of his 13 most recent outings for @Mets Double-A @RumblePoniesBB. pic.twitter.com/jGK9ZBC2gi

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 5, 2024

• RHP Justin Jarvis (3-2, 4.37): 2.1 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K (42 of 67 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Luis Moreno (5.08): 5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, 7 K (47 of 75 pitches for strikes)

It was a rough night on the mound for Jarvis. The BaySox offense scored all six of their runs in the first three innings and it was a season-high for runs allowed in a start for the 24-year-old right-hander. Moreno did allow a double, but kept the offense in the game with his seven strikeouts (season-high)

High-A

Aberdeen Ironbirds (27-26) 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (28-25) 0

BOX SCORE

• RF Nick Morabito: 2-for-5, K (.824 OPS)
• 2B Jefrey De Los Santos: 2-for-4, K (.697 OPS)
• DH Francisco Alvarez: 0-for-3, BB, K (.542 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 0-for-3, BB, SB (.856 OPS)

The Cyclones were unable to record a single extra-base hit and they went 1-for-9 as a team with men in scoring position in Wednesday’s loss. However, Morabito had one of the two multi-hit games and he now has a .406 on-base percentage in 23 games with Brooklyn. Alvarez continued his rehab and his best at-bat came when he drew a walk in the seventh.

• RHP Jawilme Ramirez (2-2, 4.08): 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 2 K (45 of 65 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Julian Smith (0.00): 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, K (12 of 21 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Justin Lawson (3.29): 3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K (32 of 54 pitches for strikes)

The Ironbirds did their damage against Ramirez in the top of the third when they put up two runs via an RBI single and a sacrifice fly. Over his last two starts (8.2 innings pitched), he has allowed a total of 12 hits. Lawson was the bulk reliever for the Cyclones and tied his longest outing of the season (three innings).

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (19-34) 2, Daytona Tortugas (23-30) 1

BOX SCORE

• DH Jesus Baez: 1-for-4, RBI (32) (.767 OPS)
• 3B Boston Baro: 1-for-5, RBI (20), K (.781 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck: 1-for-4 (.641 OPS)
• LF Willy Fañas: 2-for-4, 3B, K (.796 OPS)
• 1B Yohairo Cuevas: 0-for-1, R, 3 BB, SB, K (.518 OPS)

After the Mets and Tortugas were scoreless through five innings, the Mets got on the board first in the sixth thanks to RBI singles from Baro and Baez, who were the top two spots in the lineup. Baez has driven in at least one run in four of his last five games (6 RBIs in 4 games this month). Baro returned to the lineup on Wednesday after not playing since May 31 and he drove in a run for the third consecutive game. Houck ended up extending his hit streak to seven games as well in the win.

• RHP Joel Díaz (1.80): 4 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 5 K (37 of 54 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Miguel Alfonseca (1-2, 7.50): 2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 K (21 of 35 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Alan Perdomo (6.53): 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K (22 of 41 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Juan Arnaud (1.65, 1st save): 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H (7 of 11 pitches for strikes)

Díaz struck out three of the final six batters he faced in his four no-hit innings of work. The 20-year-old right-hander had his longest outing of the season and he has 11 strikeouts over his last two starts (7.1 innings). Arnaud got the final three outs for his first save of the year. The 20-year-old right-hander has not allowed an earned run in each of his last six appearances.

Florida Complex League

FCL Cardinals (11-13) 10, FCL Mets (10-12) 5

BOX SCORE

• 3B Jake Zitella: 2-for-3, R, RBI (8), BB (.819 OPS)
• C Francisco Toledo: 1-for-2, R, 2 RBIs (6), BB, K (.573 OPS)
• DH Donovan Antonia: 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI (6) (.631 OPS)
• SS Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-for-4, R, K (.896 OPS)
• CF Simón Juan: 0-for-4, 2 K (.8o3 OPS)

Even though the Mets found themselves in a 7-0 hole by the end of the third inning, they were able to work their way back into the game with three runs in the fifth. Those runs came around to score on a double by Antonia and a two-run single by Toledo, who were at the bottom two spots in the order respectively. Zitella had a multi-hit game, including an RBI single in the top of the eighth, to give him a hit in four of the last six games.

• RHP Wellington Aracena (1-2, 8.71): 0.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K
• RHP Lucas Gordillo (3.38): 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, K
• RHP Christian Rodriguez (6.32): 4 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K

Out of the three pitchers that appeared in Wednesday’s game, Rodriguez recorded six of the eight total strikeouts. The 19-year-old right-hander did allow two home runs, but he set a career-high for strikeouts in an outing.

The post Minors Recap: Christian Scott Shines In Return to Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized.

Triple-A

Columbus Clippers (10-14) Syracuse Mets (12-11) PPD

The Syracuse Mets and Columbus Clippers game was postponed due to inclement weather conditions. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, April 28, beginning at 12:05 pm ET.

Matt Rudick. Photo by Rick Nelson

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (10-9) 13, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (8-12) 8

BOX SCORE

• RF Matt Rudick: 4-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI (11), BB (.792 OPS)
• CF Alex Ramirez: 2-for-5, R, 2B, 2 RBI (12), BB, K (.905 OPS)
• 2B Rowdey Jordan: 1-for-6, R, HR (2), 3 RBI (9), K (.737 OPS)
• SS Jeremiah Jackson: 3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, RBI (9), BB (.535 OPS)
• 3B Jose Peroza: 2-for-4, 3 R, 2B, RBI (7), BB, K (.887 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies shot out of the gate, scoring nine runs in the top of the first inning. The first five Binghamton batters, including Rowdey Jordan, who blasted a two-run home run, all reached base. The Rumble Ponies continued their onslaught, batting around the order in the first frame and forcing the Fisher Cats’ starter, CJ Van Eyk, to make an early exit.

Binghamton added two more runs in the top of the second inning with Matt Rudick drawing a walk to score Jeremiah Jackson and a Jordan RBI groundout. However, the Fisher Cats refused to go down without a fight, mounting a spirited comeback and scoring eight runs. Despite their efforts, the early Binghamton lead proved too much to overcome. 

Matt Rudick led the way for the Rumble Ponies, bringing home four runs and extending his streak of games with extra-base hits to three. It was also the first four-hit game of the San Diego State alumni’s career. 

• RHP Cameron Foster: 3 1/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, BB, 3 K, WP(45 of 72 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Justin Jarvis (W, 1-1): 3 2/3 IP, ER, H, BB, 2 K
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 1/3 IP, 5 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 0 K
• RHP Andre Scrubb: 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 0 K

Carried by the offense, the Binghamton staff had a large margin of error Saturday night. Though, four out of the five pitchers who made an appearance gave up a run, they accomplished the job of maintaining the big lead given to them. Cameron Foster and Justin Jarvis did an excellent job at giving Binghamton some length, however, both were inefficient in their combined seven innings of work.

Carlos Guzman lacked control and paid the price in the eighth inning, allowing five earned runs after walking three New Hampshire batters. Andre Scrubb came in for Guzman after only one out, finishing the game without allowing a baserunner. 

Ryan Clifford. Credit: Matt Kipp / Brooklyn Cyclones

High-A

Wilmington Blue Rocks (12-8) 3, Brooklyn Cyclones (11-9) 4

BOX SCORE

• RF Ryan Clifford: 2-for-3, R, RBI (6), BB (.789 OPS)
• DH Nolan McLean: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI (6), 3 K (.946 OPS)
• SS William Lugo: 1-for-4, R, BB, 2 K (.483 OPS)
• LF Wilfredo Lara: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB, K, SB (2) (.570 OPS)

The Brooklyn offense supplied just enough scoring to lead them past the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Nick Lorusso opened the Brooklyn scoring in the first inning with a sacrifice fly, driving in his 10th RBI of the season. Wilmington would capture the lead in the third inning after a John McHenry double and Marcus Brown fielder’s choice.

However, the Cyclones quickly responded in the bottom of the frame when Ryan Clifford knocked home Wilfredo Lara, tying the game at two a piece. Two-way talent Nolan McLean provided the game-winning hit in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run double, his seventh extra-base hit of the season. 

• RHP Tylor Megill: 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 6 K (21 of 31 pitches for strikes) 
• RHP Josh Hejka: 1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 K 
• RHP Brandon Sproat (W, 1-0): 5 IP, R (0 ER), 2 H, BB, 5 K
• RHP Joshua Cornielly (S, 3): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 0 K

Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill made his first minor league rehab start in his return from his shoulder sprain. Megill was dominant in his two innings, striking out the side twice in only 31 pitches.

Meanwhile, 2023 second-round draftee, Brandon Sproat, earned the win for Brooklyn after going five innings and allowing an unearned run and two hits while striking out five Blue Rocks. Sproat lowered his season ERA to 1.23 as he continues to show his potential as a fast riser in the Mets’ farm system. 

Nick Morabito. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (9-11) 0, Daytona Beach Tortugas (11-9) 5

BOX SCORE

• CF Nick Morabito: 1-for-3 (1.023 OPS)
• DH Ronald Hernandez: 1-for-3, 2B (.649 OPS)
• SS Colin Houck: 0-for-4, K (.575 OPS)

It was a quiet night for the St. Lucie offense, which collected only four hits and didn’t walk once. Their only extra-base hit of the night came from a Ronald Hernandez double in the fourth inning, but he was left stranded on second base. Ariel Almonte and Yerlin Confidan paced the Daytona offense, batting in two runs apiece, while Dominic Pitelli collected three hits, including a double and a triple. 

• RHP Kade Morris (L, 0-1): 5 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 7 H, BB, 8 K (59 of 87 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Wilson Lopez: 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K 
• LHP Franklin Gomez: 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, 4 K

Kade Morris went his deepest into a game this season but gave up the most runs of his young professional career. The 2023 draftee allowed two home runs on the night and four earned runs but struck out eight batters, a game-high for a pitcher on either staff. Wilson Lopez and Franklin Gomez did a fine job limiting the Tortuga offense to just one run.

The post Tylor Megill Spotless In First Rehab Start appeared first on Metsmerized.

You can view No. 35-31 here.

Paul Gervase. Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

No. 30 Paul Gervase, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 23 (5/23/2000)
Height: 6’10, Weight: 230 lbs
Acquired: 12^th round of 2022 Draft from LSU
Previous Rank: NR
2023 Stats (A+ Brooklyn/AA Binghamton): 2.05 ERA, 38 G, 17 GF, 57 IP, 96 Ks, 1.246 WHIP, 6.6 BB/9, 15.2 SO/9

Paul Gervase quite literally towers over the competition at 6’10″, and he has the stuff to match. He recorded an extremely impressive 15.2 SO/9, he allowed just 29 hits across 57 innings on the mound last season, and he surrendered just one home run. However, he does struggle quite a bit with his command, as he did walk 42 batters in those 57 innings.

Gervase will be entering his age-24 season, and he is among the organization’s highest-touted reliever prospects. If he can curtail the walks without sacrificing the strikeout potential that makes him so feared on the mound, he could have every chance of finding a spot in the major league bullpen sooner rather than later.

Matt Rudick, Photo by Rick Nelson

No. 29 Matt Rudick, OF

B/T: L/L, Age: 25 (7/2/1998)
Height: 5’6, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: 13^th round of 2021 Draft from San Diego State University
Previous Rank: 26
2023 Stats (FCL Mets/AA Binghamton): 67 G, .268 BA, .849 OPS, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 12 SB

In stark contrast to Gervase, Matt Rudick is one of the shorter prospects on this list at 5’6. He more than makes up for that with his dynamic play on the diamond, where he posted an .849 OPS and more than tripled his career home run total during the 2023 season. He also drew more walks than the number of strikeouts he had at the plate, an excellent sign of patience and bat-to-ball skills.

The biggest knock against Rudick is his age. He is entering his age-25 season and has just five career Triple-A games under his belt, all of which came during the 2022 season. He has also struggled to stay healthy throughout this professional career, playing in just 67 games last year. He will likely start the 2024 season in Triple-A and serve as outfield depth for an organization that has struggled to find that sort of depth in recent years.

Nick Morabito, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

No. 28 Nick Morabito, OF/2B

B/T: R/R, Age: 20 (5/7/2003)
Height: 5’11, Weight: 185 lbs
Acquired: 2nd round of 2022 Draft from Gonzaga College HS
Previous Rank: 27
2023 Stats (FCL Mets/A St. Lucie): 57 G, .306 BA, .828 OPS, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 21 SB

Nick Morabito impressed in his first full professional season this past year, hitting .306 and posting an .828 OPS in 57 games across rookie ball and Low-A St. Lucie. He is not a very prolific power hitter, but he possesses a strong mix of hitting skills and speed on the base paths that could continue to carry him far in the organization.

Entering his age-21 season, Morabito will look to add more pop to his approach at the plate while also solidifying his primary defensive position. He bounced around the diamond in rookie ball but played exclusively as a center fielder with St. Lucie. He has the speed and range to find a home at any of the three outfield positions.

No. 27 Justin Jarvis, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 24 (2/20/2000)
Height: 6’2, Weight: 183 lbs
Acquired: Via trade during 2023 season
Previous Rank: 16
2023 Stats (AA Biloxi/AAA Nashville/AAA Syracuse): 5.31 ERA, 26 G, 118.2 IP, 138 Ks, 1.593 WHIP, 4.6 BB/9, 10.5 SO/9

Justin Jarvis was acquired by the Mets in the Trade Deadline deal that sent Mark Canha to the Milwaukee Brewers this past season. Jarvis is a former fifth round pick during the 2018 Draft, and although he started the season very strong with the Brewers’ Double-A affiliate, he struggled immensely in Triple-A action for both organizations.

Jarvis has seen his strikeout rate rise just about every year he has played professionally, but he gives up a ton of contact and has surrendered 40 home runs over the last two seasons. He figures to be a mainstay in the Syracuse rotation, and it is hard to see a path to major league playing time in what will be his age-24 season.

Jeremiah Jackson, Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

No. 26 Jeremiah Jackson, INF

B/T: R/R, Age: 23 (3/26/2000)
Height: 6’0, Weight: 165 lbs
Acquired: Via trade during 2023 season
Previous Rank: 29
2023 Stats (AA Rocket City/AA Binghamton): 119 G, .252 BA, .778 OPS, 22 HR, 80 RBI, 27 SB

Jeremiah Jackson was acquired by the Mets in the Trade Deadline deal that sent Dominic Leone to the Los Angeles Angels this past season. Jackson was a second-round pick in the 2018 Draft and had a career year in 2023. He posted strong numbers with the Angels’ Double-A affiliate and stepped up his game after joining Binghamton. He had an impressive 20 HR-20 SB campaign and has hit 76 homers across five professional seasons.

Jackson does strike out a ton, punching out 144 times in 119 games this past season. However, that is slightly easier to overlook given just how much he provides to his team on a game-by-game basis. Jackson is a super utility defensive player in addition to his power at the plate and speed on the base paths. His age-24 season could be the year that he gets his first chance at major league playing time if the Mets find themselves in need of a player who could fill in at multiple different positions.

Mets 2024 Prospects 35-31

The post Mets Minors 2024 Prospects: 30-26 Features Jeremiah Jackson appeared first on Metsmerized.

Dylan Cease

Position: SP

B/T: R/R

Age: 27 (12/28/1995)

2023 Traditional Stats: 33 GS, 177 IP, 7-9, 4.58 ERA, 1.418 WHIP, 214 SO, 79 BB

2023 Advanced Stats: 97 ERA+, 27.3% SO%, 10.1% BB%, 4.07 xERA, 3.72 FIP, 4.08 xFIP, 3.7 fWAR, 2.4 bWAR

Rundown

Dylan Cease, a player who was once a top-100 prospect, has been a consistent piece of the Chicago White Sox’s rotation for the last four seasons. The right-hand starting pitcher made his big-league debut as a 23-year-old in 2019, making 14 starts that year.

Cease showed glimpses of greatness throughout his first few campaigns, and in 2021, he led the league with 32 starts. Cease was a part of a White Sox team that won 93 games, helping them win the American League Central for the first time since 2008. Cease did not pitch well in his only postseason appearance against the Houston Astors in the American League Division Series, allowing three earned runs in only 1 2/3 innings.

Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito were believed to be the team’s best-starting pitchers going forward, but it was Cease who stepped up as the ace of the rotation in 2022. The former sixth-round draft pick in 2014 had a phenomenal season, going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA in 184 innings. If it weren’t for Justin Verlander, who returned from Tommy John surgery and posted a 1.75 ERA in 28 starts, Cease likely would have won the AL Cy Young.

Cease went into the 2023 season with the expectation to remain one of the best starters in the AL, but the year did not unfold that way. He went out and made 33 starts, but he went just 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA in 177 innings.

Opponents had much more success against Cease, owning a staggering .331 BABIP. Batters also had a 34.1% hard-hit rate against him, up from 25.7% in the season before. It should be mentioned that the White Sox had a difficult year, particularly with injuries. There is also optimism for Cease to bounce back in 2024. While he had a 4.58 ERA, Cease recorded a 3.72 FIP and maintained high strike-out totals.

Cease is not only great on the mound but dependable as well. He made 33 starts last season and has made 32 starts or more in three-straight seasons. That is difficult to find, especially when you consider that Cease is a hard-throwing starter (averaged 95.6 mph on his four-seam fastball in 2023).

He will turn 28 before next season, so he is entering what should be the prime of his career. The White Sox appear to be ready for a rebuild or some sort of retooling, which could lead to some of their most talented players being involved in trades. Now would be the perfect time to acquire Cease, and many teams will check in on his availability this winter.

Package

Cease is under team control for the next two seasons, so this is not a scenario where the Mets would be trading for a rental. That means that the White Sox will be looking for one, maybe two high-end prospects in addition to a player that is close to being MLB-ready.

The Mets have a few position players with unclear roles at the big-league level, so this would be an opportunity to move one of them. Chicago is also in a position where they have lost a lot of starting pitchers in recent years, so they’d like to acquire an arm in this deal.

Proposed Deal:

Mets receive: Dylan Cease

White Sox receive: Ronny Mauricio (Mets’s No. 4 prospect), Blade Tidwell (No. 10 prospect), and Justin Jarvis (No. 15 prospect)

Recommendation 

The Mets are in a position where they need to focus on adding quality starting pitching this offseason, either through a trade or free agency. New president of baseball operations, David Stearns, will certainly evaluate all of the team’s options, but given Cease’s age and the fact that he is under team control beyond 2024, the organization should strongly consider acquiring him.

He is not far removed from performing at an elite level with the White Sox, and the Mets would love to have someone with as much upside as him. The asking price will largely determine how deep the talks will go, but if White Sox general manager Chris Getz is reasonable, New York should really look into making this happen.

Cease has the stuff to be one of the more dominant starts in baseball. If the Mets are able to add him into the mix, their starting rotation will look far more complete in 2024.

The post MMO Trade Profile: Dylan Cease, RHP appeared first on Metsmerized.

Here is a look at how all of the prospects the Mets acquired a few months ago ended up faring in their new organization.

Steven Wojtowicz-MMO

SS Luisangel Acuña

Acuña arrived in the trade that sent Max Scherzer to the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers. He hit .243 with a .622 OPS in 37 games for Binghamton, a sharp decline from the .315 average and .830 OPS he posted in his first 84 games of the season. He stole 15 bases in those 37 games and was caught stealing five times.

Acuña’s overall stats during the 2023 season were still quite impressive. He had a .294/.359/.410 slash line with 57 stolen bases and 93 runs scored. He projects as a top of the lineup bat with incredibly strong base stealing skills and relatively modest power upside (34 homers in 374 career minor league games).

He is Mets Minors’ top prospect as of early September, and he was No. 57 on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects.

OF Drew Gilbert and 1B/OF Ryan Clifford

Gilbert and Clifford were both acquired in the deal that sent Justin Verlander back to the Houston Astros. Gilbert posted a .325/.423/.561 slash line in 35 games for Binghamton, hitting six homers and driving in 21 runs. Clifford hit .188 with a .683 OPS in 32 games for Brooklyn, hitting six homers and driving in 20 runs.

Gilbert was sensational all season, and he found another gear upon joining the Mets’ organization. He finished the year with an .868 OPS and 18 homers while playing excellent defense across multiple outfield positions. He will enter his age-23 season in 2024 as perhaps the organization’s most major league-ready outfield prospect.

Clifford started out his tenure with the Mets on a really strong foot, but he really struggled down the stretch. He still managed to slug 24 homers on the year and posted a strong .854 OPS in his age-19 season. The strikeout numbers are a bit concerning (140 strikeouts in 115 games in 2023), but the power is legit and certainly plays at first base or a corner outfield spot.

Gilbert and Clifford appeared at No. 78 and 89 on Baseball America’s recent Top 100. They’re No. 2 and No. 5 in the Mets’ system, according to Mets Minors.

SS Marco Vargas and C Ronald Hernandez

Vargas and Hernandez were both acquired in the deal that sent David Robertson to the Miami Marlins. Vargas hit .234 with a .666 OPS in 15 games in rookie ball following the trade before collecting eight hits in 26 at-bats for St. Lucie to close out the year. Hernandez saw much more success, posting a .995 OPS in 14 rookie ball games but hitting just .172 in eight games for St. Lucie.

Vargas finished his age-18 season with 52 walks in 53 games, contributing to a stellar .432 OBP. Hernandez was equally impressive in his age-19 season, drawing 53 walks in 53 games and posting a .452 OBP. Both players are likely to start the 2024 season in St. Lucie and will be among the most intriguing prospects in the lower levels of the Mets’ minor league system.

They were both named two of the Top 20 prospects in the FCL this year.

UTIL Jeremiah Jackson

Jackson was acquired in the trade that sent Dominic Leone to the Los Angeles Angels. Jackson posted an .802 OPS in 37 games with Binghamton, hitting seven homers and collecting six stolen bases. He finished the season with 22 homers and 27 stolen bases in 119 games, although he did strike out 144 times.

Jackson provided impressive positional flexibility in his short stint with the Rumble Ponies, making at least two starts at five different positions. He has had a consistently high strikeout rate throughout his career, but he continues to demonstrate impressive power. The Mets opted not to protect him in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

Jeremiah Jackson. Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

INF Jeremy Rodriguez

Rodriguez was acquired in the trade that sent Tommy Pham to the NL pennant-winning Arizona Diamondbacks. He hit .422 with a 1.247 OPS in 13 games with the Mets’ affiliate in the Dominican Summer League. The 17-year-old infielder finished the 2023 season with an .878 OPS, 18 extra-base hits, and 19 stolen bases in 51 games.

There are obviously a whole bunch of variables when discussing a player this young and this early into their career, but the early returns have all been exceedingly encouraging. Rodriguez will still be 17 through the first half of the 2024 season and will have plenty more opportunities to keep this positive momentum going.

RHP Justin Jarvis

Jarvis arrived in the trade that sent Mark Canha to the Milwaukee Brewers. He made nine starts for Syracuse, posting an 8.04 ERA across 31 1/3 innings with 36 strikeouts. He finished the season with a 5.31 ERA in 26 starts, racking up 138 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings on the mound.

Jarvis has had high strikeout rates but also high walk rates in each of the last two seasons, and he has also been very susceptible to the home run ball. He will be entering his age-24 season in 2024 with a career 8.79 ERA at the Triple-A level. The Mets opted not to protect him in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

RHP Landon Marceaux and RHP Coleman Crow

Marceaux and Crow arrived in the trade that sent Eduardo Escobar to the Los Angeles Angels.

Marceaux made six starts across three levels of the minors for the Mets, allowing 14 earned runs across 17 1/3 innings. He finished the season with a 5.50 ERA in 18 starts.

Crow did not appear on the mound following the trade and made just four starts all season, undergoing Tommy John surgery in August. He looked fantastic when he was on the mound, posting a 1.88 ERA in four starts (24 innings) with 31 strikeouts.

Crow appears to be the more complete prospect, but Marceaux has far more professional pitching experience under his belt. The Mets opted not to protect either player in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

The post How Prospects Mets Acquired at the Deadline Did This Year appeared first on Metsmerized.

This unique situation makes constructing the 2024 roster a bit complicated. On the one hand, you want to provide your young players with every opportunity, and on the other hand, developmental trajectories are never linear, and ensuring you have ample support already on the roster is tantamount. Not only is it crucial for staying competitive through bouts of struggles or swathes of injury, but it is also important from a team-building perspective, to have a competitive roster and that “next man up” mentality.

For the first time during Steve Cohen’s tenure, the Mets may not be a playoff contender next season. With a few large decisions looming, the long-term direction of the franchise seems very clear, yet the 2024 season is likely to be one of transition. The Mets have a handful of young position players already on the roster and a few more who will be ready at some point during the season. They are probably hoping that while they might look worse on paper to start the season, by midseason or later, they will look more like the Orioles or Reds rather than the Pirates or Nationals.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The other elephant in the room is Shohei Ohtani. And the Mets’ whole offseason strategy may hinge on his decision. Whether Ohtani decides to play for the Mets may play into their decision to push harder in free agency. Yet, as things stand now, it doesn’t look like the Mets will make any large splashes in free agency this offseason. They may instead decide to go bargain shopping, looking for potential turnarounds and proven players who can provide above-replacement-level production until more of their young players are major league-ready.

I, therefore, wanted to break down what their 26-man roster looks like going into the offseason to see where they could potentially look to add in free agency, as well as into which prospects can impact their 2024 season at different points:

C: Francisco Álvarez, Omar Narváez

IF: Pete Alonso, Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty, Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Zack Short

OF: Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, DJ Stewart

SP: Kodai Senga, José Quintana, Tylor Megill, José Butto, Joey Lucchesi, David Peterson (IL)

RP: Edwin Díaz, Brooks Raley, Phil Bickford, Drew Smith, Josh Walker, Grant Hartwig, Reed Garrett, Sean Reid-Foley

As things stand immediately following the non-tender deadline, the Mets have 28 players on their 40-man roster. With the low possibility of Luisangel Acuña or Alex Ramirez breaking camp with the team, they are currently looking at a long and difficult offseason. To say the least, trimming a whole third of a roster within a single month or so is more akin to fantasy sports than professional sports. Yet, as we have seen, Steve Cohen is willing to do things a little differently.

This team is not very good, regardless of the amount of young talent. Overall, this roster should probably win somewhere between 70 and 75 games. The outfield, bullpen, and starters are all close to the bottom of the MLB, and the team could use some added versatility. With David Stearns in tow, he has been 100% empowered to strip down and build back up as only he sees fit. Luckily, David Stearns is one of the best in the business, especially when it comes to quick turnarounds and acquiring undervalued assets.

Luisangel Acuña, Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

The Minors

Prospect-wise, the expectation is that Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña will be playing up the middle and leading off games in Syracuse to begin the season. It is hard to know exactly when they will be Queens-bound as they are both still developing and fine-tuning their skills. It is reasonably safe to say that at some point this season, they will be in Queens, whether that happens in May or September is hard to predict.

The Syracuse rotation will feature Mike Vasil and Dominic Hamel, with Vasil having an outside chance of cracking the Mets rotation in Spring Training, albeit unlikely. The question is whether Christian Scott, the Mets’ newly ranked number-one pitching prospect by BA, will be a part of the Syracuse rotation as well. Following a downright dominant season, which saw Scott cement himself as a borderline top-100 prospect, Scott may start the season in Binghamton as he’s barely amassed 100 innings above low-A ball. That being said, the 62 innings in which he did pitch in Binghamton were elite. He pitched to a 2.47/2.47/2.96 (ERA/FIP/xFIP) trip-slash line.

Christian Scott. Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

The Syracuse bullpen will also be one to watch with the likes of Bryce Montes de Oca, Eric Orze and left-hander Nate Lavender repeating the level. A slew of newcomers will join them as they start the season in Triple-A. Headlined by Paul Gervase, who took the Mets system by storm and dominated both A+ and AA to the tune of a 2.05 ERA. Gervase has nasty stuff, and my bet is we will see him in Citi Field sooner than expected. The other future bullpen arms in AAA are Trey McLoughlin, who was outstanding in AA and posted a swinging strike rate of 17%, Dylan Tebrake and Brendan Hardy.

In Binghamton, the Mets will have another handful of future bullpen pieces that can all potentially move fast and make the majors by April 2025 at the latest. Those names include Raimon Gómez, Eli Ankeney, Jeffrey Colón and Saul García. This is the largest crop of upper-level bullpen arms the Mets have compiled possibly ever, and it is an exciting and underrated part of a burgeoning farm system.

The Mets will have a few more known names on their AAA roster worth mentioning, barring losing them in the Rule 5 Draft. These include the recently acquired Jeremiah Jackson and Justin Jarvis, as well as Matt Rudick, Brandon McIlwain and Luke Ritter. These players are most likely depth major league pieces at best, and some may never even make it that far.

Their AA team will also have some noteworthy names like top prospect Jett Williams, who will continue refining his game while playing second, shortstop and center field. If he can continue his top-flight performance in all aspects of the game, he could be in the big leagues before too long. Kevin Parada, Ryan Clifford, Blade Tidwell, Tyler Stuart and Coleman Crow all litter the Mets’ top 20 prospect list and will all be integral parts of the Rumble Ponies team to start the season.

Final Thoughts

With an immense crop of young talent knocking on the doors, it is hard to imagine the Mets acquiring any of the headline players available this offseason. Guys like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Juan Soto will all be available to differing extents. Premium players command a premium, and the Mets are still in the midst of a farm restock. When the Mets are on the precipice of perennial contention and can be flexible with their roster is the time to make these moves. 

What the Mets do need to do is to fill out their roster with a blend of high-upside players who will require coaching and development yet will only need a short-term commitment. The kind of commitment that, if it doesn’t work out, will not prevent players like Acuña, Gilbert and Jett Williams from receiving at-bats at the Major League level.

Additionally, the Mets need a few reliable players. The kind of players who can play every day, who are assets in the clubhouse and make the manager’s job easier. The kind of guy who if pressed into full-time duty can be an average big leaguer yet willingly to secede their starting spot if a younger, more talented player does arrive.

In the following parts of this series, I will break down the kind of players the Mets, under Stearns, will look to add to their roster.

The post New York Mets Offseason Outlook: Part I appeared first on Metsmerized.

Surprisingly, the Mets protected only Alex Ramírez from the Rule 5 draft by placing him on the 40-man roster. That leaves Justin Jarvis, Coleman Crow, Joander Suarez and others listed below to get picked to an MLB roster in the December 6 draft.

The team’s 40-man roster sits at 33 after adding Ramírez and placing Penn Murfee on waivers. He was claimed by the Braves. (Their 40-man roster is full, so it’s likely Murfee, who had Tommy John surgery recently, will be on waivers again.

Original Post, 11/14/23

The deadline for teams to protect prospects from the December Rule 5 Draft is Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. The current 40-man roster is at 33.

Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club’s 40-man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons.

If the Mets don’t choose to add any of the mentioned players to the 40-man roster, they will be available to be selected On Dec. 6 in the Rule 5 Draft.

Let’s take a look at some of the notable players from the Mets farm system that are Rule 5 draft eligible.

Alex Ramírez. Photo by Frank Becerra of Journal News

Rule 5-Eligible Pitchers

• RHP Justin Jarvis – The Mets acquired the 23-year-old from the Brewers for Mark Canha at the trade deadline, and while he struggled following the trade in Triple-A (8.04 ERA in 9 starts), I would expect the Mets to add him to the 40-man roster. The former fifth round pick had a 3.33 ERA and 10.8 K/9 in 14 starts at the Double-A level this season before the trade.
• RHP Coleman Crow – Another arm that the Mets got via trade this year, this time in the deal for Eduardo Escobar. The 22-year-old had a 1.88 ERA in four Double-A starts in the Angels farm system before the trade. Unfortunately, Crow had Tommy John surgery in late July/early August this year and has yet to pitch in the Mets system.
• RHP Joander Suarez – The 23-year-old had an incredible run to finish out his season with 24 scoreless innings between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, including a 7-inning no-hitter that followed a 6-inning no-hit start.
• RHP Brendan Hardy – The 23-year-old is known for his high-spin pitches and getting great extension on his delivery to the plate. The former 31st round pick had a 2.16 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 35 innings across three levels this year, finishing with allowing two runs in 8 2/3 Double-A innings. Hardy did struggle in limited time in the AFL this fall, with a four runs allowed in 5 2/3 innings.
• RHP Eric Orze – A bullpen arm that the Mets certainly had hoped would be in the big leagues already, but Orze has struggled with command and the long ball since getting selected in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. Orze struggled overall to the tune of a 5.31 ERA this year in Triple-A, though he did strike out 81 batters in 61 innings and tossed 11 scoreless innings with only two hits allowed and 22 strikeouts to finish out the season.
• LHP Daniel Juarez – The small lefty with a interesting fastball has a 2.50 career ERA with 5.5 H/9 and 11.9 K/9. He posted a 2.37 ERA between High-A and Double-A this season.
• RHP Wilkin Ramos – The Mets actually scooped up Ramos in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft last year. The 23-year-old had a 2.50 ERA and a groundball rate over 60% in 57 2/3 relief innings between Brooklyn and Binghamton this year.

Rule 5-Eligible Position Players

• OF Alex Ramírez – The 20-year-old struggled mightily this season (.627 OPS) in 120 games for Brooklyn, but his potential is enough to likely warrant him still getting added to the 40-man roster.
• UT Jeremiah Jackson – Certainly one of the more interesting cases after coming to the Mets from the Angels in exchange for right-handed reliever Dominic Leone. The 23-year-old had a .802 OPS with 11 extra-base hits and six stolen bases in 37 Double-A games following the trade. The former second round pick has played all three outfield spots and everywhere in the infield besides first base. His most career games (159) come at shortstop.
• OF Brandon McIlwain – The former D-I quarterback is strong defensive outfielder that posted a .748 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A this season. The Mets depth in the outfield at the major league level is pretty weak.
• INF Luke Ritter – The Mets 2023 minor league home run leader with 27 might’ve been a late-season call up if not for an oblique injury that shut his year down early. The 26-year-old has played all four infield spots and left field.
• OF Stanley Consuegra – The 23-year-old has some of the best raw power in the Mets system as he set the Brooklyn Cyclones single-season home run record with 23 this year. However, he posted a .294 OBP and has yet to reach Double-A.

Other Eligible Players

• RHP Matt Allan
• RHP Hunter Parsons
• RHP Luis Moreno
• RHP Junior Santos
• C Hayden Senger
• C Vincent Perozo
• OF Joe Suozzi
• INF William Lugo
• INF Junior Tilien
• OF Carlos Cortes
• RHP Robert Colina
• RHP Jordany Ventura
• RHP Jeffrey Colon
• RHP Jawilme Ramirez
• LHP Tyler Thomas
• RHP Josh Hejka

Teams that draft a player must pay $100,000 to the club from which said player was selected.

Rule 5 Draft picks are assigned directly to the drafting club’s 26-man roster and must be placed on outright waivers in order to be removed from the 26-man roster in the subsequent season. Should the player clear waivers, he must be offered back to his previous team for $50,000 and can be outrighted to the Minors only if his original club does not wish to reacquire him. A Rule 5 Draft pick can be placed on the Major League injured list, but he must be active for a minimum of 90 days to avoid being subject to the aforementioned roster restrictions in the next campaign.

Who Will The Mets Add to the 40-Man Roster?

Ramírez and Jarvis are the two most likely players protected to me.

I believe there’s a chance the Mets keep adding pitching with Crow and/or Suarez as the next arms up.

Jackson is on the fence because of his high strikeout totals, but he could be a good utility type player to have in Triple-A this year for the Mets.

And as for Matt Allan, he’s still recovering from surgery, but before his injuries, he was viewed as the Mets’ top pitching prospect. He might not be protected now, but he could be added to the 40-man roster by next offseason.

The post Mets Protect Only Alex Ramirez From Rule 5 Draft appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jaylen Palmer. Photo by Ed Delany of MMO

Even though the Triple-A season will be over after Sunday’s game, Syracuse Mets’ (61-84) outfielder Jaylen Palmer is going into the offseason on a strong note. The 23-year-old, and 22nd-round pick in 2018, went 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI in Syracuse’s 6-4 loss to the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (72-75) on Saturday.

Palmer ended up getting Syracuse on the board in the bottom of the fourth when his RBI single drove in Brandon McIlwain and cut the then RailRiders lead to 5-1. He has multiple hits in three of the last five games and he has driven in at least one run in four of the last five games.

The Mets were playing catchup from the beginning as right-handed starter Justin Jarvis (0-7, 8.79 ERA) was unable to get the big outs when he needed them. He allowed a two-run home run to Carlos Narvaez in the third, a two-run double by Franchy Cordero, and another RBI double by Narvaez in the fourth.

On the night, Jarvis went 3 1/3 innings, allowed five runs on nine hits, walked two, and struck out three on 78 pitches (48 strikes) in the loss. The 23-year-old right-hander who the Mets got from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Mark Canha deal will end September going 0-3 with a 9.64 ERA in four starts.

Syracuse tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the eighth when Wyatt Young’s RBI single cut the lead to three. However, Scranton Wilkes-Barre got one back in the following inning on an RBI double by Jake Lamb against Sam Coonrod.

In the ninth, the Mets did cut the four-run deficit in half thanks to an RBI double by Daniel Palka (60^th RBI of the year) and Danny Mendick scoring thanks to an error on a ball hit by Carlos Cortes. The Mets had the winning run at the plate, but Young flew out to right to end the threat. On the night, Syracuse went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Scranton Wilkes-Barre did have a pitcher making a rehab appearance starting the game in RHP Frankie Montas. Montas threw two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, and struck out two.

On a positive note, the Mets got a strong pitching performance by right-handed reliever William Woods in relief of Jarvis. Woods threw 3 2/3 hitless innings, walked a batter, and struck out five on 50 pitches (36 strikes). The 24-year-old ended his September having a scoreless outing in five of his last six appearances.

Syracuse will wrap up their season on Sunday at 1:05 p.m ET at NBT Bank Stadium. RHP Clayton Beeter (2-5, 5.32) will start for Scranton Wilkes-Barre against RHP José Chacin (1-0, 5.81) for the Mets.

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