Nick Morabito. Photo Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

TRIPLE-A

WORCESTER (40-40) VS SYRACUSE (42-42)

6:35 PM

After losing the first three games of the series, Syracuse is looking to get back in the win column at home on Friday night. Right-hander Xzavion Curry, who has logged a 4.50 ERA in nine starts since signing with the Mets in early May, will get the ball.

Nick Morabito is currently on a 13-game hitting streak while also posting a slash line of .304/.390/.478 in June.

DOUBLE-A

CHESAPEAKE (33-43) VS BINGHAMTON (29-49)

7:00 PM

Right-hander R.J. Gordon has struggled to the tune of a 9.19 ERA over 12 outings so far this year, and his 2 2/3-inning start against Erie on June 27 in which he gave up five earned runs was a step backwards after throwing 4 2/3 shutout frames during his prior trip to the mound on June 21.

Chris Suero went 0-for-4 on Thursday, but he had five hits over his last three games prior to that contest and recorded an .868 OPS during June.

HIGH-A

BROOKLYN (32-45) VS. FREDERICK (47-29)

7:00 PM

Right-hander Dakota Hawkins is sporting a 1.74 ERA this season and will start for Brooklyn after throwing five scoreless innings his last time out on June 27 against Jersey Shore.

JT Benson (1.107), Mitch Voit (1.106) and Yohairo Cuevas (1.060) have all been on heaters for the Cyclones, as all are sporting OPS’s of over 1.000 across their last nine games.

SINGLE-A

TAMPA (44-34) VS. ST. LUCIE (35-41)

6:10 PM

St. Lucie will look to snap a seven-game losing streak with right-hander Christian Rodriguez on the bump, who has a 3.40 ERA in 21 appearances (zero starts) this season.

Julio Zayas‘ nine-game hitting streak ended on June 28, though he’s begun July by going 3-for-7 with a triple and a walk.

The post Mets Minors Game Chat: Morabito Looks to Extend 13-Game Hitting Streak appeared first on Metsmerized.

Nick Morabito
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A 

Norfolk Tides (27-45) 5, Syracuse Mets (36-36) 6

Box Score

• LF Nick Morabito, 2-for-5, 2 HR (7), 2 RBI (.767 OPS)
• CF Cristian Pache, 2-for-5, 2B (.709 OPS)

Morabito’s two home runs on the night marked his first pair of June. He’s now slashing .255/.359/.436 this month.

• LHP Nate Lavender (5.02 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
• RHP Dan Hammer (1.76 ERA) 2 2/3 IP, H, BB, 5 K

Syracuse went with a bullpen game on Thursday night, which saw Lavender, Felipe De La Cruz and Jefry Yan combined to give up five runs while Hammer, Guillo Zuñiga and Daniel Duarte turned in scoreless outings.

Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (33-31) 1, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (25-41) 8

Box Score

• DH Chris Suero, 1-for-3, HR (11), 2 RBI, 2 BB (.771 OPS)
• C Vincent Perozo, 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI (.835 OPS)

Suero’s June heater continued on Thursday, as he’s now sporting an .867 OPS this month, and Perozo has excelled at the plate since being promoted from High-A Brooklyn in May.

• LHP Jonathan Santucci (3.73 ERA) 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K

Santucci bounced back from a bit of a rough outing on June 12 against the Somerset Patriots (4 IP, 3 ER) with a gem vs. New Hampshire.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (25-40) 4, Wilmington Blue Rocks (31-34) 5

Box Score

• SS Mitch Voit, 0-for-4, BB (.721 OPS)
• 1B Corey Collins, 3-for-4, BB (.786 OPS)

Voit was held hitless for just the third time this month while Colin Houck launched his sixth home run of the season.

• LHP Daviel Hurtado (2.01 ERA) 4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 K

Hurtado had his first uneven outing for Brooklyn since being promoted from St. Lucie in late May, though Hunter Hodges, Bryce Jenkins and Gregori Louis combined for 3 2/3 scoreless frames out of the bullpen.

Single-A

Daytona Tortugas (21-45) 5, St. Lucie Mets (33-33) 8

Box Score

• 2B Elian Peña, 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BB (.759 OPS)
• SS Ronny Mauricio, 1-for-3 (.666 OPS)

Mauricio began his rehab assignment on Thursday with a one-hit showing. Peña had been struggling in June, but he now has five hits over his last two games.

• RHP Joel Lara (5.40 ERA) 4 IP, BB, 7 K

St. Lucie’s bullpen combined to allow five runs over five innings, but Lara’s hitless outing made it five-straight appearances for him without giving up an earned run.

Florida Complex League

FCL Cardinals (10-21) 2, FCL Mets (14-18) 4

Box Score

• SS Anthony Frobose, 2-for-3 (.737 OPS)
• LF Vladi Gomez, 2-for-3 (1.019 OPS)

Wyatt Vincent hit his second homer of the campaign, and Gomez had his third multi-hit performance over his last four games.

• RHP Nathan Hall (0.00 ERA) 1 IP, K
• RHP Eris Albino (5.82 ERA) 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Hall made his professional debut after being selected in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB Draft while Camden Lohman turned in two scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Dominican Summer League

DSL Mets Orange (8-5) 5, DSL Cardinals (7-6) 4 Box Score

DSL Colorado (7-6) 13, DSL Mets Blue (6-7) 14 Box Score

DSL Mets Orange got a three-hit performance from Yadier Fuentes and four scoreless innings of relief from Olmedo Barria while six players had two or more hits for DSL Mets Blue in a slugfest with DSL Colorado.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Nick Morabito Hits Two Homers appeared first on Metsmerized.

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.

Triple-A 

Syracuse Mets (26-21) 12, Buffalo Bisons (23-25) 8

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford, 1-for-4, BB, 3 RBI (.728 OPS)
• DH Eric Wagaman, 2-for-3, HR (2), 2 BB (.692 OPS)

Every player in Syracuse’s lineup finished with a hit as the club won its third-straight game over Buffalo to start the series.

• RHP Xzavion Curry (4.80 ERA) 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• RHP Dylan Ross (4.32 ERA) 2/3 IP, H, 2 ER, 3 BB, K

Four of Syracuse’s six pitchers were credited with earned runs on Thursday night, with the only exceptions being Danis Correa (2 IP) and Nate Lavender (1/3 IP).

Jacob Reimer. Photo by Rick Nelson

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (15-27) 9, Richmond Flying Squirrels (29-12) 2

Box Score

• RF Eli Serrano, 1-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI (.703 OPS)
• SS Marco Vargas, 2-for-4, RBI, BB (.663 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer, 1-for-4, RBI, BB (.767 OPS)

Binghamton has scored nine or more runs in three of their last four contests. Reimer’s slash line in May is now up to .273/.379/.545.

• RHP R.J. Gordon (12.15 ERA) 3 1/3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Gordon turned in his second scoreless outing of the season and also completed three innings for the first time this year.

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (20-21) 7, Brooklyn Cyclones (11-30) 3, 7 Innings

Game 1 Box Score

• RF John Bay, 1-for-3, 2B, 2K (.747 OPS)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez, 1-for-3, HR (2) (.559 OPS)

Brooklyn struck out 16 times in the first game of its doubleheader against Hudson Valley.

• RHP Noah Hall (6.46 ERA) 5 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 3 BB

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (21-21) 7, Brooklyn Cyclones (11-31) 0, 7 Innings

Game 2 Box Score

• CF John Bay, 1-for-3 (.744 OPS)
• 2B Yonatan Henriquez, 1-for-3, 2 K (.396 OPS)

Bay and Henriquez had Brooklyn’s only two hits in the second game of the doubleheader as the team was shut out.

• RHP Hoss Brewer (4.76 ERA) 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K
• RHP Cristofer Gomez (3.06 ERA) 2 IP, 2 K

Single-A

Palm Beach Cardinals (24-18) 18, St. Lucie Mets (17-25) 6

Box Score

• RF Randy Guzman, 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB (.848 OPS)
• DH Yohairo Cuevas, 3-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, 2B, 3B (1.458 OPS)

Cuevas remains hot following his demotion from Brooklyn, and Guzman has recorded a hit in five-straight games.

• RHP Cam Tilly (6.19 ERA) 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Despite striking out 12 batters, St. Lucie’s pitching staff issued 15 walks en route to allowing 18 runs (15 earned).

The post Mets Minors Recap: Syracuse, Binghamton Have Offensive Outbursts appeared first on Metsmerized.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (12-11) 4, Worcester Red Sox (13-10) 10 

BOX SCORE

• 1B Ryan Clifford – 2-for-4, 1 R, HR (4), 3 RBI (14), 2 K (.846 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito – 1-for-4, 1 K (.789 OPS)
• SS Vidal Bruján – 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 SB (3) (.671 OPS)

Syracuse was powered early on by a Clifford home run, but Syracuse did not score after the fourth inning. Trace Willhoite, on a fill-in call up, went 0-for-3 with a run scored, a walk and three strikeouts.

• RHP Jack Wenninger (2.16 ERA) 2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 4 K (29 of 64 pitches for strikes)

Wenninger has struggled with his control this season, walking 11 in 16 2/3 innings despite striking out 19. Even with the lack of control, he still sports a 2.16 ERA. The bullpen struggled behind him, with the three pitchers who relieved Wenninger allowing two earned runs each.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-11) 1, Erie SeaWolves (7-11) 3

BOX SCORE

• CF A.J. Ewing – 2-for-3, 1 R, HR (1), 1 RBI (4), 1 SB (10), 1 BB, 1 K (.980 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer – 0-for-4, 4 K (.593
• C Chris Suero – 0-for-4, 2 K (.844 OPS)
• 2B Marco Vargas – 2-for-4, 1 K (.533 OPS)

Ewing isn’t going to remain at Double-A for much longer if he keeps hitting like this. He is already up to ten stolen bases in 17 games. Kevin Parada went 0-for-4 with 2 K’s, dropping his OPS to .487.

• RHP Joander Suarez (3.38 ERA) 5 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (55 of 86 pitches for strikes
• RHP Brian Metoyer (0.00 ERA) 1 IP, 2 K

Suarez had a quality start, but the offense couldn’t muster much to back him up. Douglas Orellana went one inning while allowing a hit and a walk and striking out two batters. He has struck out 12 batters in 6 2/3 innings.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (4-13) 2, Hudson Valley Renegades (10-7) 10

BOX SCORE

• SS Antonio Jimenez – 1-for-4, 1 K (.449 OPS)
• 3B Colin Houck – 0-for-3, 1 K (.600 OPS)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez – 0-for-3, 1 K (.673 OPS)
• DH Corey Collins – 2-for-4, 1 R, 2B, HR (1), 1 RBI (5), 1 K (.739 OPS)

Outside of Collins, the Cyclones had three hits, with none going for extra bases and zero walks. John Bay, who has been hot to start the year, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Ryan Clifford Homers for Fourth Time in Last Five Games appeared first on Metsmerized.

Jack Wenninger Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

TRIPLE-A

SCRANTON (10-7) VS SYRACUSE (8-9)

6:35 PM

After their game was rained out on Thursday, Syracuse will send Jack Wenninger out for the start against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Friday night before playing a doubleheader on Saturday.

Wenninger, who is ranked as MMO’s No. 7 prospect in the Mets’ system, has allowed only one earned run over two starts totaling nine innings so far this season with 10 strikeouts. The right-hander had a 2.92 ERA in 26 outings for Double-A Binghamton in 2025.

Hayden Senger has been Syracuse’s best hitter in 2026, as the catcher is slashing .257/.316/.714 with five home runs.

DOUBLE-A

BINGHAMTON (5-6) VS AKRON (8-4)

7:17 PM

Joander Suarez, after posting a 13.00 ERA in three outings (two starts) to begin the year for Syracuse, is making his first appearance of the season for Binghamton after being sent down on April 14.

Suarez’s first outing for the Rumble Ponies came all the way back in 2023, and he has a 3.27 ERA across 220 innings for the affiliate during his career. In 2025, he posted a 3.05 ERA over 20 appearances (15 starts) for Binghamton.

Chris Suero is batting .259/.475/.667 with three home runs through nine games, while A.J. Ewing has a 1.078 OPS with six stolen bases and a .389 average.

HIGH-A

GREENSBORO (9-3) VS BROOKLYN (3-8)

6:40 PM

Wyatt Hudepohl is toeing the rubber for Brooklyn tonight. In two starts for the club this season, the right-hander has recorded a 10.57 ERA with six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

2025 third-round pick Antonio Jimenez is looking to homer for a third game in a row, and 2025 first-rounder Mitch Voit, after having six hits and a homer in three games from April 11 to April 14, is searching for a bounce-back performance after going 0-for-5 on Wednesday.

LOW-A

ST. LUCIE (5-7) VS DAYTONA (5-7)

6:35 PM

Joel Lara, who has given up seven earned runs over two outings (one start) and 3 2/3 innings this season, will look to get back on track against Daytona.

Randy Guzman is scorching hot, having launched three homers over his past two games, and Elian Peña has an .857 OPS with five stolen bases this season.

The post Mets Minors Game Chat: Randy Guzman Looking for Third-Straight Game with Home Run appeared first on Metsmerized.

St. Lucie and Triple-A Syracuse both dropped their respective games yesterday, and they’ll look to get back in the win column today.

Christian Scott Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

4:05 PM · NBT Bank Stadium · Toledo (2-4) at Syracuse (3-3)

Fresh off a 17-7 loss to Toledo on Thursday night, Syracuse will look to get back in the win column with Christian Scott on the bump. Scott, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 and thus missed the entire 2025 campaign, is making his season debut and could eventually work his way back up to the majors.

6:03 PM · Delta Dental Stadium · Binghamton (0-0) at New Hampshire (0-0)

Binghamton will open its season on the road against New Hampshire, the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Right-hander Will Watson, who was recently ranked as the Mets’ No. 9 prospect by MMO, gets the nod for the Rumble Ponies. A seventh-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Watson posted a 2.60 ERA over 28 outings (23 starts) and 121 1/3 innings between Binghamton, Brooklyn and St. Lucie last year.

6:40 PM · Maimonides Park · Hudson Valley (0-0) at Brooklyn (0-0)

Brooklyn, after winning the South Atlantic League championship last season, will start its path to a repeat by taking on Hudson Valley, the New York Yankees’ High-A affiliate.

Noah Hall, who was a force on the mound for the Cyclones in 2025 with a 2.72 ERA and 115 strikeouts across 25 outings (21 starts) and 112 2/3 innings, will get the Opening Day start for the club.

6:30 PM · Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium · St. Lucie (0-1) at Palm Beach (1-0)

After losing to Palm Beach on the road to open the year on Thursday, St. Lucie is looking to buck that trend tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals’ Low-A affiliate.

Elian Peña is the main name to watch for St. Lucie, as he made his official stateside debut for the team on Opening Day and went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.

Frank Camarillo, a 13th-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, is set to make his professional debut as the starting pitcher for St. Lucie.

The post Mets Minors Game Chat: Christian Scott Making Season Debut for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized.

This loss brought Syracuse to 3-3 before squaring off again with Toledo at 4:05 PM for Fizzy Friday & Fireworks day.

Jonah Tong
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (3-3) 7, Toledo Mud Hens (2-4) 17

BOX SCORE

• DH Nick Morabito 2-for-4, BB, 2B, R (.818 OPS)
• SS Ronny Mauricio 3-for-5, 2B, RBI (.697 OPS)
• LF Ryan Clifford 2-for-5, 2 K (.572 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R (1.257 OPS)
• 2B Vidal Bruján 2-for-2, 2B, BB, R, K (1.127 OPS)

Offense was not the issue for Syracuse, as the team was able to put together 13 hits and score seven runs. Five Syracuse players collected multi-hits, most notably Senger, who added two home runs and three runs batted in, raising his 2026 OPS to 1.257. Mauricio continued to heat up, adding three hits, including a double. Clifford, MMO’s No. 5 prospect, tallied his first multi-hit game of 2026. Clifford has had hits in five out of the first six games in Syracuse, though he’s also struck out in five of the first six games as well.

• RHP Jonah Tong 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (6.35 ERA)
• RHP Ryan Lambert 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K (13.50 ERA)
• RHP Alex Carrillo  1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB (27.00 ERA)
• RHP Dan Hammer 1 1/3 IP, 1 H , 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Daniel Duarte 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (6.75 ERA)

It was not just Tong who struggled on the Syracuse pitching staff. Seven Met pitchers made an appearance, and only two of them did not give up any earned runs. Lambert gave up two extra base hits and a run before striking out the side in the fourth inning. Carrillo, a familiar face to some Mets fans, let the game get out of hand in the fifth with a combination of loud contact and a pair of walks, surrendering four earned runs while only being able to record one out.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Single-A

St. Lucie Mets (0-1) 3, Palm Beach Cardinals (1-0) 6

BOX SCORE

• SS Elian Peña 2-for-4, 2B, BB, K (1.350 OPS)
• 1B Randy Guzman 0-for-4, BB, K (.200 OPS)
• DH Julio Zayas 2-for-5, 2R, 2K (1.000 OPS)
• LF AJ Salgado 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB (1.400 OPS)

The St. Lucie Mets opened their season with a 6-3 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals. This game marked the official stateside debut of 18-year-old shortstop prospect Elian Peña. Peña, MMO’s no. 8 prospect, notably bypassed the Complex League by being assigned directly to St. Lucie in 2026. Peña tore up the Dominican Summer League in 2025, producing a .949 OPS, nine home runs, 33 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and an equal number of walks and strikeouts. His talent was on direct display in the opener, as Peña went 2-for-4 with a well-struck double to right, while also drawing a walk. Zayas added a pair of hits and runs, and Salgado hit the team’s first home run of the season.

• LHP Nicolas Carreno 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2K (3.86 ERA)
• RHP Tyler McLoughlin 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (16.20 ERA)
• RHP Omar Victorino 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 1 K (3.00 ERA)
• RHP Felix Cepeda 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER (0.00 ERA)

Opening day starter Nicolas Carreno was up to 96 mph. Carreno made a brief appearance for St. Lucie last year, pitching six innings with a 1.50 ERA. McLoughlin, the Mets’ 10th-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia, made his debut for St. Lucie last season. McLoughlin, throwing from a nearly sidearm arm slot, looks to establish himself this year as a relief pitching prospect in the Mets’ farm system. Cepeda, formerly a member of the Boston Red Sox farm system, made his Mets debut, throwing a scoreless inning to start his season.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Elian Peña Shines in St. Lucie Debut appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Syracuse Mets

Hitter: Nick Morabito

This may be cheating a bit, as most people probably know Nick Morabito by now, but by the time a prospect gets to Triple-A, they have done enough to be recognized. If Morabito makes the majors, it will be through his glove, though some analysts disagree about how strong he is in center field. He has enough speed that he should be capable there as a fourth outfielder, but likely not as an everyday option. He is a high-contact bat that has not shown much power, though he did manage to hit a single ball 111.8 miles per hour in the Arizona Fall League. His true value is in his defense and base-running.

Pitcher: Jonathan Pintaro

Jonathan Pintaro already got a cup of coffee in the majors last season, coming straight up from Double-A Binghamton. He profiles similarly to Michael King in that they throw from the same arm angle, with a similar pitch mix and movement profile. The big difference is that King tunnels much better and has better overall control, and Pintaro throws a cutter while King throws a slider. Pintaro has three plus-rated pitches that he generates a significant amount of swing and misses off of, rating in the 95th percentile in whiff rate in 2025. He is probably more of a swing man because of his poor control, but if he could ever fix that, his ceiling could be a mid-rotation starter, though that would be a very high percentile outcome.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Hitter: Marco Vargas

When the Mets acquired Marco Vargas, he looked like he could potentially be a rising star. Two injury-plagued seasons with some bad results, though, have diminished that outlook. It is unclear if he could really handle shortstop everyday at the major league level anymore, and as a second baseman, his value does take a bit of a hit. He does not have much power in his bat, so his hit tool is what will lead him. Analysts are divided on whether his hit tool issues in 2025 came just from his injuries or if they are lingering issues for the future, which is why he is someone to watch in 2026. If he is an 85-86% contact rate hitter or better, there is reason for optimism. If Vargas is an 81-82% contact rate hitter again, there is reason for concern. But his speed, ability to take walks, low swing-and-miss rate and defensive versatility in the infield could still help him forge his way to the majors as a light-hitting utility player like Luis Guillorme. The best comp I have heard for Vargas is Chase Meidroth from the Chicago White Sox.

Pitcher: Ben Simon

Ben Simon is a very interesting pitcher who could potentially join the Mets’ bullpen at some point in 2026. In spring training, he had two different fastball shapes, which he tunneled with his changeup. He also threw a slider, which he tunneled with his cutter. He does not seem to be throwing a curveball anymore, and his new slider is much tighter than the one he threw when he was drafted. Simon has added velocity over the last few years, touching 99 mph, has dropped down his arm angle to get more horizontal break, and has greatly improved his ability to tunnel pitches. He does not always know where the ball is going, but he still excels at generating swing and misses.

Irving Cota. Photo by Ed Delany, Metsmerized

Brooklyn Cyclones

Hitter: Ronald Hernandez

Ronald Hernandez has struggles offensively with both poor contact rates and poor power metrics, but he has a plus glove, which for a catcher could be enough to bring him to the majors as a defensive-minded backup catcher, similar to Hayden Senger in 2025 or Tomás Nido before him. He does not have great sprint speed, but he did manage to swipe 23 bags in 2025. He does pull the ball, but he struggles to lift it, so maybe there could be some more to unlock with the bat.

Pitcher: Irving Cota

Irving Cota profiles like the old-school pitchers your dad probably loves. He does not have elite velocity or wipe out swing-and-miss stuff, but he has some of the best control in the Mets’ system and can command five pitches with ease. He is a rare pitcher that has a curveball as his primary offering, similar to Charlie Morton and Adam Wainwright. Morton threw from a much lower arm angle, but Wainwright’s was similar. None of Cota’s pitches truly profile as “plus” from a stuff perspective, but his ability to place them where he wants should help him limit hard contact.

St. Lucie Mets

Hitter: Randy Guzman

Randy Guzman, younger brother of former Rangers first baseman Ronald Guzman, reached Low-A in 2025 and may be the best power prospect in the Mets system not named Ryan Clifford. The chase rate is a concern, but his contact is consistently loud. His 90th-percentile EV of 108.8 MPH ranked in the 100th percentile in Low-A, with a 91.3 MPH Average EV (95th percentile) and 111.9 MPH Max EV (92nd percentile). His 82% zone-contact was above average, but a 5.6% walk rate and 4th-percentile selectivity underscore his aggressiveness. Better discipline will be essential against upper-level breaking balls. Defensively, Guzman profiles as a first baseman long term, with some corner outfield and third base reps potentially mixed in. If he keeps refining his approach, he could climb these rankings quickly.

Pitcher: Cam Tilly

Cam Tilly is one of the many high-slot pitchers in the Mets system that throws a plus splitter. Baseball America rates his splitter as a 70-grade pitch. His sweeper also rates well above average and he has a good fastball that comes in at 92-94 mph and tops out at 97 mph. His control needs to improve for him to remain a starter, and increasing the fastball velocity could elevate all of his stuff. It will be exciting to see what the Mets can do with his already high floor.

St. Lucie Mets

Hitter: Edward Lantigua

Edward Lantigua was the Mets’ top IFA signing in 2024, and while the power has yet to develop, he just turned 19 in November. This season will show if that power is starting to develop as he continues to fill out. He looked to have put on muscle when he showed up to camp this year. He hit .288 in the Florida Complex League last year and looks like he could have a 50-grade hit tool. This is interesting because when he first signed, it was believed he would be a power-over-hit player. To this point, however, he has been the opposite. Lantigua is currently a center fielder, but he could move to a corner spot if he continues to bulk up. It is exciting that we will have Statcast data for him in St. Lucie so we can see his exit velocities and zone-contact rate.

Pitcher: Camden Lohman

You may notice a bit of a pattern here of the Mets signing high-slot pitchers with good splitters. The organization is showing that they have the right personnel in place to develop these types of pitcher, and they have been skyrocketing through the system. In the majors, the Mets already look like they may have helped Tobias Myers take a step forward, and at this moment, they profile somewhat similarly. While Lohman was drafted in the eighth round in 2025, he signed for the third-highest bonus of the draft class, and in January, he took part in the Mets’ “Top Guns” pitching development camp. Lohman is the type of pitcher that could skyrocket up the system in 2025.

Dominican Summer League

Hitter: Cleiner Ramirez

As someone who is not the tallest person, I had to shout out at least one short king, and recent international free agent signing Cleiner Ramirez is one of them at 5′ 9″. He has exceptional bat speed, good pitch recognition and plate discipline, and has been showing gains with his power. Defensively, he has shown versatility across the diamond and could profile well at either shortstop or center field. This will be his first taste of pro ball, which is a big step at such a young age. We saw how it took Elian Peña a few weeks to adjust, so we should be patient with Ramirez too.

Pitcher: Yordan Rodriguez

Yordan Rodriguez was the return for Jeff McNeil in the trade with the Athletics this past offseason, and while every pitcher at his level is arguably a bit of a lottery ticket, there are plenty of reasons to be excited and optimistic about him. Rodriguez has good feel for his changeup and curveball and has enough weapons behind his fastball that he may be able to develop as a starter. His fastball has topped out at 97 mph and he has good extension, which helps that velocity play up even more. He has had good feel for spin too, with his slider topping out around 2,800 RPM. He is a very interesting pitcher who has the stuff to shoot up the system at such a young age if he can improve his control.

The post Two Under-the-Radar Mets Prospects to Look Out For at Each Level appeared first on Metsmerized.

A day after the New York Mets took down the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day, their Triple-A affiliate will begin their season on the road with a notable name on the mound.

Right-hander Jonah Tong, who is universally viewed as one of the Mets’ top prospects, will toe the rubber for Syracuse against left-hander Jake Bennett and the Worcester Red Sox.

Syracuse also opened the 2025 campaign in Worcester, resulting in a 4-3 victory aided by a one-run, five-strikeout performance over five innings by starter Blade Tidwell, who was later traded to the San Francisco Giants at last year’s deadline as part of the package for Tyler Rogers.

Jonah Tong
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Syracuse Lineup

1. MJ Melendez – LF
2. Nick Morabito – CF
3. Ronny Mauricio – SS
4. Ryan Clifford – 1B
5. Christian Arroyo – 3B
6. Jose Rojas – DH
7. Cristian Pache – RF
8. Jackson Cluff – 2B
9. Hayden Senger – C

Worcester Lineup

1. Nick Sogard – 3B
2. Kristian Campbell – CF
3. Mickey Gasper – 1B
4. Nate Eaton – RF
5. Mikey Romero – 2B
6. Allan Castro – DH
7. Tsung-Che Cheng – SS
8. Matt Thaiss – C
9. Braiden Ward – LF

Game Notes

• Tong, who recorded a 7.71 ERA in five starts and 18 2/3 innings at the big-league level in 2025, did not allow an earned run across 11 2/3 frames for Syracuse last season.
• Both Ben Rortvedt and Vidal Bruján cleared waivers and have been out-righted to Syracuse, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
• Mauricio is heading into his third season in Syracuse. Over 125 total games with the team, he has slashed .306/.361/.526 with 26 home runs and 28 stolen bases. The 24-year-old batted .226/.293/.369 in 184 plate appearances with the Mets last season.

The post Mets Minors Game Thread: Tong Gets Opening Day Start for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized.