The group below is an interesting mixture of pitchers and position players headlined by a 2025 draft pick.

No. 25: Daviel Hurtado, LHP

B/T: L/L, Age: 21 (01/26/2005)
Height: 6’1″, Weight: 166 lbs
Acquired: International free agency, 2023
Position: LHP
2025 Stats (FCL Mets/Low-A St. Lucie): 18 G (12 starts), 65 2/3 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.173 WHIP, 1-2, 75 K, 24 BB
ETA: 2028

Player Profile

Signed as an international free agent in 2024, Hurtado enjoyed a bit of a breakout season in his first full season of professional ball. The 20-year-old southpaw allowed just one earned run in 19 innings in Rookie Ball before being promoted to Low-A St. Lucie, where he posted a 2.70 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. Hurtado uses a five-pitch mix – a four-seam fastball and sinker that sit in the low-to-mid 90s, a curveball, slider and change-up. Both of his breaking pitches had hitters off balance in 2025 – his curveball produced a .273 xSLG and 31.7% whiff rate, while his slider held hitters to a .193 xSLG and 40% whiff rate.

Standout Stat

While he at times struggles with control, Hurtado excelled at keeping the ball in the yard in 2025, allowing just three home runs in 65 2/3 innings.

No. 24: Marco Vargas. INF

B/T: L/R Age: 20 (05/14/2005)
Height: 5’11”, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: Trade with MIA, 2023
Position: INF
2025 Stats (Low-A St. Lucie, High-A Brooklyn): 463 PA, .258/.352/.323/.675, 103 H, 2 HR, 47 RBI, 40 SB
ETA: 2028

Player Profile

Vargas came over from the Marlins in the deal that sent David Robertson to Miami in 2023. After an injury-plagued 2024, Vargas got off to a hot start in St. Lucie and was promoted to High-A Brooklyn early in the season. Vargas only recorded 18 extra-base hits in 463 plate appearances, but he had a strong 12.5% walk rate and swiped 40 bases in 48 tries. Primarily a shortstop entering the year, Vargas played 49 games at second base and 45 games at shortstop in 2025.

Standout Stat

Vargas’ 40 steals ranked third in the Mets’ organization behind A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito.

R.J. Gordon. Photo by Bella Dunning/Brooklyn Cyclones

No. 23: R.J. Gordon, RHP

B/T: R/R Age: 24 (10/26/2001)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 195 lbs
Acquired: 2024 Draft, 13th round
Position: RHP
2025 Stats (High-A Brooklyn, Double-A Binghamton): 26 G (21 starts), 128 2/3 IP, 3.36 ERA, 1.236 WHIP, 11-3, 147 K, 46 BB
ETA: 2027

Player Profile

In his first taste of pro ball, Gordon began the year in High-A Brooklyn and pitched well enough to earn a promotion to Double-A Binghamton over the summer. Gordon continued to impress for the Rumble Ponies, finishing the year with a 3.36 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings between the two levels. Upon arriving in Binghamton, Gordon cut his walk rate down from 10.6% in Brooklyn to 6.1%.

Gordon uses a low-90s fastball that hit 96 mph last season, and he gets above average induced vertical break on it. Part of his success in 2025 was linked to the development of his kick change that he got more comfortable with as the season went on. He also mixes in a slider and curve, and he showed improved command of both pitches in 2025. Check out the interview we did with him during the 2025 season.

Standout Stat

Gordon had an ERA north of 5 and a strikeout rate below 20% during his time at the University of Oregon, but he boasted a solid 27.3% strikeout rate in 2025.

No. 22: Edward Lantigua, OF

B/T: R/R, Age: 19 (11/13/2006)
Height: 6’1”, Weight: 174 lbs
Acquired: International free agency, 2024
Position: OF
2025 Stats (FCL Mets): 194 PA, .288/.433/.399/.832, 44 H, 3 HR, 27 RBI
ETA: 2030

Player Profile

Lantigua saw improved results in 2025, with OPS increasing from .792 in 2024 to .832. While he doesn’t hit for much power, Lantigua boasted a strong 17% walk rate in 194 plate appearances and swiped 13 bases. Defensively, Lantigua spent most of the year playing center field, appearing in 43 games there and seven games in the corners.

Standout Stat

Lantigua drew 33 walks against 29 strikeouts, and both marks were improvements from his 2024 campaign.

No. 21: Antonio Jimenez, INF

B/T: R/R Age: 21 (06/15/2004)
Height: 6’1″, Weight: 200 lbs
Acquired: 2025 Draft, second round
Position: INF
2025 Stats (Low-A St. Lucie Mets): 110 PA, .263/.345/.274/.619, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 8 SB
ETA: 2029

Player Profile

Jimenez enjoyed a strong 2025 season at the University of Central Florida, batting .329/.407/.575 with 11 homers, 14 doubles and 11 steals in 242 plate appearances. The Mets drafted him in the second round, and he spent the rest of the season in Low-A St. Lucie. While he posted just a .619 OPS in pro ball, Jimenez posted a solid 10.9% walk rate and swiped eight bases in 11 tries. Almost exclusively a shortstop in college, Jimenez played 12 games at shortstop and five games at third base for St. Lucie.

Standout Stat

Jimenez ranked in the 88th percentile of the Florida State League in speed, getting a 7.52 speed rating from FanGraphs.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 25-21 Features Young Talent appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

This group is dominated by right-handed pitchers but also features a young infield prospect and a lefty I just can’t give up on.

No. 35: Saul García, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 22 (6/11/2003)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 180 lbs
Acquired: Signed as international free agent
Position: Right-handed reliever
2025 Stats (A+ Brooklyn/AA Binghamton): 47.2 IP, 29 H, 28 BB, 76 K, 1.70 ERA (3.01 FIP)
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

The cousin of former Mets legend Wilmer Flores had easily the best season of his career in 2025 with a 1.85 ERA in 34 innings for High-A Brooklyn and then signed with a 1.32 ERA in 13 2/3 innings for Double-A Binghamton. His strikeouts were well-above average in both stops with a 37.6 K% overall. Following the regular season, García pitched 35 more innings in the Venezuelan Winter League and was solid with a 4.37 ERA and 42 strikeouts to only nine walks. The walks are a good sign as that was his lone issue during the regular season with 28 in 47 2/3 innings.

García features a fastball that sits 93-95 mph that tops out at 97 with above average spin. He gets good extension and comes from a low release. He also mixes in a slider and changeup. The slider is by far his best secondary and looks like a big league pitcher with the number of whiffs it induces.

Standout Stat

García’s 37.6% ranked fourth among 57 Mets minor leaguers with at least 40 innings pitched. His 1.70 ERA also ranked fourth.

No. 34: Cam Tilly, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 21 (6/27/2004)
Height: 6’2”, Weight: 207 lbs
Acquired: Drafted in 2025, 7th RD
Position: Right-handed pitcher
2025 Stats: N/A
ETA: 2029

Player Profile

The Mets drafted Tilly in the seventh round last year and gave him a signing bonus of $397,000 (slot value $254,000). Tilly was a starter and reliever in two years at Auburn, but has the type of arsenal that could play as a starter. His fastball sits in the mid-90s (max 97 mph) with above average spin rate and induced vertical break. He mixes in a slider with above average spin that generates whiffs and he also mixes in a curve (again, impressive spin) and a splitter with above average drop.

As you can tell, Tilly has a potentially impressive mix of pitches but struggled to command most of his arsenal in college. Tilly hasn’t appeared in a pro game yet but did participate in the Mets’ “Top Guns” pitching development camp during the offseason and was listed as a starting pitcher.

Felipe De La Cruz. Photo Credit: Matt Kipp/Binghamton Rumble Ponies

No. 33: Felipe De La Cruz, LHP

B/T: L/L, Age: 24 (5/21/2005)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 160 lbs
Acquired: Signed as international free agent
Position: Left-handed pitcher
2025 Stats (AA Binghamton/AAA Syracuse): 64.1 IP, 56 H, 32 BB, 90 K, 5.04 ERA (4.27 FIP)
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

I know, Felipe De La Cruz had a 5.04 ERA and is almost 25, but I’m a sucker for lefties that throw hard and pitchers capable of going multiple innings out of the pen. Felipe De La Cruz was almost exclusively a starter prior to the 2025 season, before pitching in a variety of different roles last year. Felipe De La Cruz had a 3.63 ERA and a whopping 58 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings for Double-A Binghamton last year. The lefty did struggle (as many pitchers do) in his first taste of the International League with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. He had a 7.30 ERA fueled by 17 walks in 24 2/3 innings.

De La Cruz sits 94-96 mph with his fastball and reached 99 mph once in Triple-A last year. His best secondary is his slider that he uses a ton against lefties and gets plus chase rates vs both hands. He mixes in a changeup as well that he uses rarely out of the pen. I believe we will see De La Cruz in the big leagues at some point in the 2026 season out of the pen.

Standout Stat

His 31.8 K% ranked second among Mets minor league pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched last year.

No. 32: Jeremy Rodriguez, UT

B/T: L/R, Age: 19 (7/4/2006)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: Trade (for Tommy Pham)
Position: SS, 2B, 3B
2025 Stats (A St. Lucie): 492 PA, .202/.304/.236, 1 HR, 34 SB, 61 wRC+
ETA: 2029

Player Profile

Certainly, tough to spin anything positive from what Jeremy Rodriguez’s 2025 season, but the good news is he’s still only 19 years old. His 61 wRC+ was the second lowest in the Florida State League and his .236 slugging was the second worst, too. He did steal 34 bases last year, though he also got caught stealing 13 times. On the plus side, Rodriguez has great plate discipline and rarely chases out of the zone, a good sign for a 19-year-old. One key going forward for Rodriguez will be making more hard contact because he makes a ton of contact right now though it’s below average in terms of exit velo.

Defensively, Rodriguez has played shortstop, second base and third base. He’s a solid fielder with an average arm that best profiles to play second base long-term and does play short and third well enough to bring value as a utility type.

Standout Stat

His swinging strike rate was in the 99th percentile in the FSL.

No. 31: Camden Lohman, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 19 (11/5/2006)
Height: 6’4”, Weight: 195 lbs
Acquired: Drafted in 2025 (8th RD)
Position: Right-handed pitcher
2025 Stats: NA
ETA: 2030

Player Profile

The second right-handed pitcher drafted last year on this list as the Mets continue to bring in high-upside arms into the system and have a great recent track record of developing them. Lohman received the third highest signing bonus in the 2025 draft at $797,500. The 19-year-old already looks the part at six-foot-four and could continue to add velo as he potentially adds weight.

Lohman is currently in the low-90s and maxing out at 95 mph with his fastball. He mixes in a two-plane slider, a curveball and has started working on a splitter. Lohman has a clean, easy over the top delivery that keeps him in the strike zone often.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 35-31 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

McLean, Benge, Tong and Ewing are all prospect promotion incentive eligible as long as they spend at least 172 days on the major league roster in 2026. If they either win Rookie of the Year or place top three in MVP or Cy Young voting in any year before hitting arbitration, the Mets would receive an extra draft pick after the first round. Since its introduction in 2022, the following PPI eligible players have earned their team a draft pick: Julio Rodriguez, Corbin Carroll, Hunter Brown, Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr., and Drake Baldwin.

You can see below where the top Mets prospects fall across the main lists.

Nolan McLean

• 3 – FanGraphs
• 4 – Baseball Prospectus
• 6 – Pipeline
• 8 – Baseball America
• 12 – Fangraphs
• 13 – ESPN
• 15 – Keith Law

Carson Benge

• 10 – Baseball Prospectus
• 15 – ESPN
• 16 – Pipeline
• 18 – Keith Law
• 19 – Baseball America
• 21 – FanGraphs
• 59 – Fangraphs

Jonah Tong

• 23 – Baseball Prospectus
• 31 – ESPN
• 33 – Fangraphs
• 44 – Baseball America
• 48 – Pipeline
• 58 – Jonah Tong
• 72 – Keith Law

A.J. Ewing

• 28 – ESPN
• 38 – Baseball Prospectus
• 83 – Baseball America
• 97 – Pipeline
• 98 – Keith Law

Jacob Reimer

• 63 – Fangraphs
• 70 – Baseball Prospectus
• 85 – FanGraphs

Ryan Clifford

• 86 – Baseball Prospectus

Will Watson

• 96 – Baseball Prospectus

Jack Wenninger

• 79 – FanGraphs

MMO’s Write-up of the Mets’ Prospects on Each List

• Baseball Prospectus
• Pipeline
• Baseball America
• ESPN
• Keith Law
• Fangraphs

The post Where Mets Prospects Land on the Main Top 100 Lists appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The two prospects the Mets traded to Milwaukee – Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat – were ranked in the network’s top 100. The Mets still have four top-100 prospects, led by Nolan McLean.

“The point here is that this empirical system heavily values prospects who are high in the top 100 over dozens of lower-ranked prospects, and the Mets’ system is heavily skewed toward a handful of prospects who rank very high,” McDaniel wrote. “There is also some depth in this system, with five players landing in the 101-200 range (and nearly a sixth, with RHP Jack Wenninger just missing).”

McDaniel tweeted shortly after the Mets traded for Freddy Peralta that the deal dropped the Mets from the number one ranking, while the Brewers shot up to the top spot.

Meanwhile, the Mets took a bit more of a hit in Keith Law’s rankings for The Athletic. Law dropped the system to 12th in the majors, though he said the organization’s recent track record with drafting should help them.

“This was a tier-3 system before they swapped two top 100 prospects for Freddy Peralta, although that move certainly was a good call for a team that needs to get back to the postseason this year,” Law writes. “The Mets have been drafting well for a decade or more, and they’ve clearly got a formula for developing pitchers – part of which is giving everyone a sweeper – that’s helped them develop a large group of arms, three of whom reached the majors last year, with a couple more that are likely to at least debut in some role in 2026.”

Like McDaniel, Law had four Mets in his top 100 prospects – McLean, Carson Benge, Jonah Tong and A.J. Ewing.

The post Mets’ Farm System Draws Praise From National Outlets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Spring training games are now officially underway and the New York Mets will begin their Grapefruit League schedule on Saturday afternoon.

In total, the Mets will play 31 spring training games – 32 if you include the Spring Breakout. And, as always, there is a ton of intrigue and excitement prior to the first Grapefruit League contest.

Furthermore, there is something really quite beautiful about the start of spring training games. You can feel the weather start to change, we have actual baseball games to digest and it all means Opening Day is just getting closer.

To that end, here are some compelling storylines to watch out for over the next few days…

SIX THINGS TO WATCH 

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

STAR ATTRACTION

Spring training games mean very little in the grand scheme of things, other than acting as a means for players to ramp up to the games that do matter. They also provide a platform for prospects to impress and fight for roster spots. Outside of those two things, however, the results in these Grapefruit League games won’t matter.

What will matter, though, and especially on Saturday, will be fans getting the first opportunity to see Juan Soto in a Mets uniform in an actual game environment. Soto will make his unofficial debut for the team in Saturday’s Grapefruit League opener against the Astros. It will be a moment Mets fans have been waiting for all offseason long, and maybe even longer than that.

Granted, Soto will only play a few innings before making a swift exit from the game, but the occasion will still be special for all involved. After watching Soto hit at a Hall of Fame level for other teams, including the Yankees, it will be nice to see the generational hitter do it in Mets colors. A home run in his spring debut would be even nicer.

Plus, with manager Carlos Mendoza leaning towards hitting Soto second in the lineup, behind Francisco Lindor, it will be fascinating to see how the lineup with Soto in it takes shape over the course of spring training.

TRANSITION TIME

Outside of Soto, one of the Mets’ biggest offseason additions was Clay Holmes, who signed a three-year, $38 million contract in December. What was bigger perhaps, however, was the news that the Mets intend on using Holmes as a starter in Queens. The righty saved 74 games over a three-year span for the Yankees, including 30 in 2024 before losing the closer job in September after also blowing 13 saves.

Those days are seemingly behind Holmes now, and his transition to a full-time starter will begin on Saturday. The two-time All-Star is expected to get the start against the Astros on Saturday, and the hope is he will go around three innings. Of all the things to keep an eye on during the early weeks of spring training will be how Holmes adjusts to his new role, and how that will impact the rotation as we edge closer to Opening Day.

COMPETITION TIME

Without doubt the biggest question mark hovering over this team is the starting rotation. President of baseball operations David Stearns is again banking on the collective effort rather than relying on one or two elite arms to carry the pitching. It was a strategy that paid off in a huge way in 2024. We will see if similar magic can happen in 2025.

You can’t be blamed if you have doubts, though. Outside of Sean Manaea, there are a lot of question marks. And we will get some answers to the test throughout the first batch of spring training games. Can Holmes become a reliable starter? What will Kodai Senga look like after an injury-ravaged 2024 season? Will David Peterson continue to pitch at a high level? Can Paul Blackburn be a consistent arm over the course of a full season? And who will win the battle for that sixth spot in the rotation with Frankie Montas currently injured? Can Tylor Megill add some much-needed consistency to his game? Or will Griffin Canning enjoy a strong start to spring and move ahead of Megill in the depth chart? Or could there be a late addition to the rotation?

All of those pitching storylines will be intriguing to watch play out over the first load of Grapefruit League games. And the rotation will continue to be the biggest conversation starter in the buildup to Opening Day.

Brandon Sproat, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

PROSPECT WATCH

One of the most enjoyable and fun aspects of spring training is getting to watch the future stars of tomorrow battle and make the most of their chance in big league camp. The Mets have a handful of prospects who could earn a call-up to The Show at some point in 2025. Arguably the most intriguing prospect to keep an eye on in the early part of spring training will be Brandon Sproat. The right-handed pitcher has filthy stuff and looks certain to pitch in the majors at some point in 2025. A fast start in spring training could mean a call-up in May or June. Sproat is arguably the prospect most fans are invested in given how important pitching is, and his early spring starts will be must-watch.

Other names to keep an eye on will be Luisangel Acuña (more on him later), Ryan Clifford, Jett Williams, and Drew Gilbert. Williams and Gilbert were hurt for most of 2024, so will need a big spring training in order to prove their health. And, as for Clifford, the outfielder has a lot of power and a dominant spring could pave the way for a call-up later on in the season. All in all, the first few games will allow us all an opportunity to see how talented and ready some of the organization’s top prospects really are.

SECOND BASE FLEXIBILITY 

Both David Stearns and owner Steve Cohen have spoken about the importance of roster flexibility this offseason. Stearns expanded on that point when closing the door on a return for Jose Iglesias. Instead, there could be an open competition at second base this year. Jeff McNeil, who is looking to prove that he’s still got something left in the tank, could be the Opening Day second baseman. However, there will seemingly be opportunities for the likes of Brett Baty and Acuña to challenge McNeil for the job in spring. Throw Nick Madrigal and, when he’s healthy, Ronny Mauricio into the mix too. Overall, the intense battle for reps at second – and an infield utility role – could shape up to be one of the most fascinating developments to fixate on as games begin.

NEW FACES

Outside of the notable additions of Soto and Holmes, the Mets were busy this offseason. Madrigal and Canning were on-the-margin signings, Jose Siri was signed to improve the outfield defense, and Frankie Montas and A.J. Minter were notable pitching acquisitions. When you throw in the returns of Sean Manaea, Pete Alonso, Jesse Winker, and Ryne Stanek, Mets fans will have plenty of new and familiar faces to pay close attention to in the first few games of Grapefruit League action. After all, watching old heroes and fresh names for the first time after a long winter is always one of the biggest thrills of spring training.

The post Six Key Things To Watch In Early Spring Games appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

B/T: L/R        Age: 20 (08/20/2004)
Height: 5’11”  Weight: 160 lbs
Acquired: Selected in the fourth round by the Mets in 2023 MLB Amateur Draft (Compensatory pick for Jacob deGrom signing with Texas)
ETA: 2028 
2024 Stats: St Lucie: .228/.345/.344/.689, 299 PA, 57 H, 5 HR, 10 2B, 35 RBI, 8 SB, 87 SO, 44 BB
FCL Mets: .254/.422/.571/.993, 83 PA, 16 H, 5 HR, 3 2B, 14 RBI, 5 SB, 22 SO, 19 BB

Overview

A.J. Ewing has been with the Mets organization since the team drafted him out of Springboro High School (OH) in the 2023 Draft. Originally a shortstop, he committed to the University of Alabama but instead decided to sign with the Mets after they selected him in the fourth round.
Ewing was named Great Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) Player of the Year after earning the triple crown of hitting. He hit .464, laced four home runs and drove in 37 runners. In addition, he stole 19 bases and hit eight doubles and seven triples his senior year. Perfect Game rated Ewing the No. 3 prospect in Ohio and the No. 57 prospect nationally.

The Mets and Ewing agreed to a $675,000 signing bonus, around $200,000 more than the assigned slot value ($483,000) for the No. 134 pick. After signing, the Mets assigned Ewing to the FCL Mets, where he appeared in just seven games in 2023, hitting .286/.524/.357..881. While he managed just four hits in his limited 21 plate appearances, he walked five times, striking out six times.

Ewing saw his first full season action in 2024, splitting his time between the FCL Mets and St. Lucie Mets. Between both levels, he hit .233/.361/.390/.751, compiling 73 hits, 10 home runs, 49 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. In 2024, Ewing saw action predominantly at second base, center and left field, signaling a position switch from shortstop. His lack of arm strength projects him as a second baseman for the future, although the Mets trying him out in the outfield signals their likeness of transforming Ewing into a utility player in the vein of Jeff McNeil someday.

A.J. Ewing. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The 20-year-old earned FCL Player of the Week honors for June 2, which saw him promoted to Single-A St. Lucie. However, growing pains hit Ewing, and he struggled at the plate. His strikeout percentage rate jumped from an already high 26.5% to 29.1% between levels, and his walk rate took a drastic hit, falling from an impressive 22.9% to 14.7%. For context, in MLB, 8% is the league average for walk percentage. Francisco Lindor‘s walk rate percentage in 2024 was 8.1%, slightly above the league average, while new Met Juan Soto‘s walk rate percentage was 18.1%, landing him in the 100th percentile (and second in the league next to Aaron Judge).

All to say, Ewing’s best trait remains his ability to stay in the zone and his unwillingness to go beyond it at the plate. While his chase rate in the FCL was in the 80th percentile, he’s struggled with velocity, often beaten in the strike zone. This explains his high strikeout rate, but if he can learn to catch up, then he can turn into a lethal threat at the plate.

A pull-first hitter, Ewing takes advantage of the left side of the diamond. Throughout 2024, 40.9% of his batted balls in play were pulled, while 30.3% were hit to the opposite field, and 28.8% up the middle. In addition, while not a line-drive hitter, he has some pop. 39.2% of his hits in 2024 were fly balls, while 40.7% were ground balls, and 20.1% were line drives. Once more, the lack of line drives might be attributed to Ewing’s struggles with velocity in the zone. If he can work on his timing, that number should rise.

That said, the Mets look to develop the 5-foot-11 Ewing as a utility player. While he’s a work in progress, there’s plenty of potential and upside once things click for him. He’s an above-average runner and solid defensive player who can transform into a top-1o prospect for the Mets once his bat catches up.

2025 Outlook

Due to his struggles in Single-A St. Lucie after promotion in mid-2024, the Mets will likely start Ewing there in 2025. Before he can advance, he needs to work on catching up to higher-velocity pitches, something others have struggled with once they advance to higher levels. If all goes well in St. Lucie, there’s every chance Ewing can find himself in Binghamton before the end of 2025, but it’s more likely than not the Mets will want him to get a full season in Single-A ball before he advances.

Previous Rankings

• No. 30: Will Watson, RHP
• No. 29: Jack Wenninger, RHP

The post Mets 2025 Prospects: No. 28: A.J. Ewing appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets had one pick in the first round of the 2023 Draft, selecting shortstop Colin Houck out of Parkview HS in Lilburn, GA. Houck has not had the best of starts to his Mets career, which could prompt the Mets to pivot to a college arm or bat this time around.

Here are some early names to look out for.

Vance Honeycutt. Jeffrey Camarati-USA TODAY Sports

Carson Benge

The 19th-best prospect in MLB Pipeline’s prospect rankings is Carson Benge, a left-handed hitting outfielder who has also had success on the mound for Oklahoma State. Pipeline also mocks Benge to the Mets in their most recent mock draft.

He has a 1.109 OPS and 18 homers in 61 games this season to go with a 3.16 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 18 relief appearances. He profiles more as a hitter long-term than as a pitcher, and he already received Tommy John surgery during his freshman year at Oklahoma State. However, the Mets have shown through the recent emergence of fellow Cowboy Nolan McLean that they are willing and able to develop a two-way player.

Brody Brecht

ESPN’s most recent mock draft has the Mets taking Iowa pitcher Brody Brecht at pick No. 19.

Brecht, who also played football at Iowa, is a 6’4″ right-hander with an outstanding fastball-slider combo and excellent strikeout stuff. His fastball gets up to 101 mph, and his low 90s slider helps him put batters away at a phenomenal clip (128 strikeouts in 78.1 innings this season). However, he has notable troubles with his command, issuing 49 walks in those 78.1 innings and also hitting 12 batters. He also lacks a reliable third pitch, so there is still a lot of development that will need to be done to morph Brecht into a frontline starter, though the underlying stuff is already there.

Vance Honeycutt

Finally, Bleacher Report has the Mets taking North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt with the No. 19 pick in their most recent mock draft.

Honeycutt is a power-first right-handed hitter at the plate who has slugged 61 homers in his college career, including 24 in his 57 games this season. He hit .309 this year and also stole 28 bases, although he did strike out 78 times in those 57 games. He has strong defense, arm, and run tools that all seem to project him as a centerfielder long-term, although a move to a corner outfield spot is not out of the question.

The post Mets 2024 Draft Outlook: College Prospects Galore at No. 19 Pick appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

B/T: R/R      Age: 20 (11/03/03)
Ht: 5’6″        Weight: 175 lbs
Acquired: Selected in the first round (14th overall) by the Mets in the 2022 draft.
ETA: 2025   Previous Rank: 5
2023 Stats: 121 G, .263/.425/.451/.876, 13 HR, 108 H, 55 RBIs, 45 SB
– Single-A (79 games), High-A (36 games), Double-A (six games)

Disclaimer: All prospects rankings were made in the preseason and have not been adjusted for play in 2024.

Williams’ first full professional season is in the books, and it earned him a boost all the way to the top of the Mets’ prospect rankings.

Some might argue Drew Gilbert deserves to be first; Williams and Gilbert have different skillsets, and they’re undoubtedly the Mets’ top two prospects, but which one of them is “better” varies on who you ask. FanGraphs slightly prefers Gilbert, ranking him the No. 52 prospect in baseball with Williams only barely behind at No. 54. MLB Pipeline, on the other hand, narrowly likes Williams better, putting him at No. 43 with Gilbert at No. 50.

In any case, Williams represents one of the brightest spots in the Mets’ future, and he only just finished his teenage years.

After getting a taste of pro baseball with 10 Rookie ball games in 2022, Williams began last season with Single-A St. Lucie. He spent more than half the minor league season there and continued to develop an advanced approach at the plate that raised some eyebrows among scouts and casual fans alike. Though his batting average was a modest .249, his OBP was a whopping .422. He actually had more walks than hits — 69 to 65 — and struck out only seven more times than he walked.

Keep in mind that Williams was doing this as a 19-year-old. Even Brandon Nimmo, who’s become known for his plate discipline at the big league level, didn’t post numbers quite that pristine when he was at Williams’ age and level. It’s impressive for any player to show that kind of maturity at the plate, but it’s even more eye-popping for a teenager.

Williams, who was drafted as a shortstop, also added the outfield to his game. He made his center field debut for St. Lucie on April 16 and ended up playing 118 innings there (compared to 481 at shortstop). He showed a prowess on the base paths, too, with 32 stolen bases. He was only caught stealing six times.

Photo by Bronson Harris of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies

It all earned Williams a midseason promotion to High-A Brooklyn, where he got even better. In 36 games, he posted a 1.018 OPS. His batting average jumped to .299, and his walk rate rose from 19.9% in St. Lucie to 20.4%. He walked more than he struck out, with 33 compared to 32. Though the sample size was relatively smaller, his production increased against theoretically tougher competition.

Williams was the primary shortstop for Brooklyn, though he got five starts in center field as well.

He got a taste of Double-A at the end, playing six games for Binghamton down the stretch. The sample size is too small to make anything out of — in one direction or the other — but he went 5-for-22 with a .308 OBP and one extra-base hit.

Williams is an interesting type of player, standing at only 5-foot-6 and not possessing a ton of raw power. He doesn’t fit the typical mold of someone you’d expect to be drafted in the first round, but his plate discipline makes it quickly apparent why so many people think highly of him. Add in his speed on the bases, plus his ability to play a premium position (whether it’s shortstop or center field), and you have a really complete player. Power might be one of his weaker tools, if not his weakest, but he still hit double-digit home runs last year, which could just be the cherry on top for a player who does so many other things well.

2024 Role

For Williams, this season will be all about mastering the upper levels of the minors. He handled Single-A and High-A with little problem; now it’s time to see if he can do the same in Double-A.

If he does, he’ll almost certainly get a promotion to Triple-A at some point in 2024. He probably won’t debut in the majors until next season, unless he really tears the cover off of Double and Triple-A and forces the Mets’ hand. Expect him to get substantial time at both levels in 2024, assuming all goes well and he remains healthy.

Come 2025 — or maybe even late 2024 — he should be making his highly anticipated MLB debut.

• No. 2 Drew Gilbert 
• No. 3 Luisangel Acuña
• No. 4 – Ryan Clifford
• No. 5 – Christian Scott
• No. 6 – Marco Vargas
• No.7 – Ronny Mauricio
• No.8- Kevin Parada
• No.9 – Jeremy Rodríguez 
• No. 10 – Mike Vasil
• No. 11 – Colin Houck
• No. 12 – Blade Tidwell
• No. 13 – Yovanny Rodriguez
• No. 14 – Dom Hamel
• No. 15 – Brandon Sproat
• No. 16—Jacob Reimer
• No. 17—Jesus Baez
• No. 18—Boston Baro
• No. 19—Ronald Hernandez
• No. 20—Alex Ramírez
• No. 21-25
• No. 26-30

The post Mets Minors 2024 Prospects: No. 1 Jett Williams appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

B/T: L/L, Age: 23 (9/27/2000)
Height: 5’9, Weight: 195 lbs
Acquired: Via trade with Houston Astros at 2023 Trade Deadline
Previous Rank: NA
2023 Stats (AA Binghamton): 35 G, .325 BA, .984 OPS, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 22 R, 19 BB

Disclaimer: All prospects rankings were made in the preseason and have not been adjusted for play in 2024.

Drew Gilbert is one of three highly-touted prospects the Mets acquired at last year’s trade deadline in the deals that sent Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to the Texas teams. A former first-round pick in the 2022 Draft, Gilbert might have the highest ceiling of those three players, and he made quite the first impression with Mets fans to close out the 2023 season.

Gilbert hit .325 in 35 games with Binghamton, posting a .984 OPS. He spent the majority of his time in center field, although he demonstrated strong defense at all three outfield positions. Gilbert was a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball, and his strong play was rewarded with a placement on the Syracuse roster to start the 2024 season.

Photo Credit: James Farrance

2023 Outlook

Unfortunately, Gilbert has been sidelined since April 7 with a right hamstring strain. He hit .240 and launched one home run in the seven games before his injury. He should return within the coming weeks and will slot right back into the top of the Syracuse lineup.

Barring any setbacks, Gilbert should be a prime candidate for a major league call-up sometime before the end of the 2024 season. The Mets are languishing near the bottom of the National League, and after deadline trades the roster should have an opening for a young outfielder like Gilbert to get a taste of the bigs.

Gilbert is an extremely well-rounded prospect who gives maximum effort every time he steps on the field. Although he is being played primarily as a center fielder, he also profiles as a corner outfielder given his strong arm. He possesses the exact amount of versatility on defense and with the bat that the major league squad appears to currently lack. Gilbert could get his first chance to make a name for himself this summer, and there is a lot to be excited about when that moment arrives.

• No. 4 – Ryan Clifford
• No. 5 – Christian Scott
• No. 6 – Marco Vargas
• No.7 – Ronny Mauricio
• No.8- Kevin Parada
• No.9 – Jeremy Rodríguez 
• No. 10 – Mike Vasil
• No. 11 – Colin Houck
• No. 12 – Blade Tidwell
• No. 13 – Yovanny Rodriguez
• No. 14 – Dom Hamel
• No. 15 – Brandon Sproat
• No. 16—Jacob Reimer
• No. 17—Jesus Baez
• No. 18—Boston Baro
• No. 19—Ronald Hernandez
• No. 20—Alex Ramírez
• No. 21-25
• No. 26-30

The post 2024 Mets Minors Prospects: No. 2 Drew Gilbert appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Among all of these team performances, there were some individual performances that were great and some that were poor. Tylor Megill and Jeffry Rosa were two of the standout players of the week for differing reasons. Megill for his dominance on the mound, and Rosa for his rollicking start at the plate in St. Lucie.

For the rest of the news from this past week, let’s dive into the Mets Minors Weekly Report.

Triple-A Syracuse

Syracuse’s week against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs was thoroughly dominant. The Mets won five of six games, outscoring their opponent 48-15 in the six games including an 18-3 drubbing in the first game. Following their impressive week, the Mets sit at 22-15 and in second place in the International League East.

Three batters (Trayce Thompson, Luke Ritter, Mike Brosseau) recorded a 1.000 OPS on the week, with Ritter leading the pack at 1.111. Ritter played in five games, recording six hits including two doubles, a home run, and six walks. He also drove in eight runs. Ritter has been fantastic this year and he holds an .872 OPS for the season.

Trayce Thompson led the team with two home runs this week, also driving in ten runs. Thompson also recorded two doubles and walked three times. His season OPS is .755.

Ben Gamel also had a very impressive week, recording six hits and six walks. He also drove in seven runs as he continues to be one of the best hitters in the Mets organization. On the season, he has a fantastic 1.032 OPS.

While he wasn’t as good as his teammates, Luisangel Acuña had a notable week considering his ugly start to the year. He slashed .320/.393/.400/.793 on the week with eight hits and four stolen bases. He raised his OPS to .629 as he looks to get his season going.

In two rehab starts, Tylor Megill was very impressive this week. He pitched a total of 9 1/3 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts and just seven hits and one walk allowed. He’s looking to make his way back to the major leagues, but with a currently crowded rotation, his stay in Triple-A might last a bit longer.

Joey Lucchesi had another quality start for Syracuse this week, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings during his start against Lehigh Valley. It was his fourth quality start of the year as he consistently looks like a solid depth piece. His ERA on the year is 2.58 through seven starts.

Out of the bullpen, several relievers including Grant Hartwig, Dedniel Núñez, and Yacksel Ríos had scoreless weeks despite making multiple appearances. The Syracuse pitching staff held Lehigh Valley to 2.5 runs per game, so it was a very successful week for a myriad of pitchers on the staff.

Tylor Megill. Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Double-A Binghamton

Binghamton also had a really good week, winning five out of six games. Binghamton’s games were much closer, however, as they outscored the Portland Sea Dogs 34-24 in the six games. Following their week, the Rumble Ponies now sit in first place in the Eastern League Northeast division at 18-13.

Kevin Parada has had a sluggish start to the year, but he had a productive week for the Rumble Ponies. He recorded seven hits in six games, including two home runs. He also drove in eight runs. Parada’s OPS on the season is still just .634 but he appears to be trending upwards.

In five games, Rhylan Thomas recorded eight hits including a double and he drove in three runs. His OPS for the week was .924, raising his season OPS to .803.

Wyatt Young demonstrated his plate discipline this week, recording six hits and seven walks in five games played while striking out just four times. Young got on base at a .591 clip, raising his season OBP to .446 and his OPS on the year to .835.

Tyler Stuart made two starts this week, allowing three runs in 10 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed 13 baserunners and struck out just six, but overall, he was effective. On the season, Stuart sports a 3.86 ERA.

Joander Suarez continued his fantastic season with another great appearance, this time coming as a starting pitcher. Suarez went six innings, allowing just one run. Suarez now has a 2.41 ERA on the year in six appearances.

Cameron Foster also had a good start for Binghamton, allowing just one run in 4 2/3 innings pitched. He allowed nine baserunners, but he did a good enough job preventing them from scoring. Foster has had a good start to the year for Binghamton, as he has a 3.22 ERA.

Kevin Parada. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

High-A Brooklyn

Brooklyn didn’t have as much success as Syracuse and Binghamton this week, but they did manage a split of their series with the Rome Emperors. After taking the first game of the series, the Cyclones dropped the next two before winning two in a row and then dropping the series finale. Brooklyn currently sits tied in third place in the South Atlantic League North division at 18-15.

In his first week with Brooklyn, Nick Morabito got off to a fast start. In five games, he recorded six hits including two doubles. He also walked four times, giving him an .899 OPS through his first five games in High-A.

Nolan McLean had a productive but interesting week at the plate for the Cyclones. In four games, he recorded five hits including two doubles and a home run, but he also struck out nine times and didn’t walk. Still, his OPS on the week was .978 and his OPS on the season is .874.

McLean also had a positive outing on the mound, allowing two runs in five innings pitched. That outing lowered his season ERA to 3.00, giving him impressive statistics both on the mound and at the plate.

Douglas Orellana had a very dominant game for the Cyclones this week, throwing four scoreless innings and striking out 10 batters. He also allowed just three baserunners. Orellana has now made seven appearances for Brooklyn this year, and he leads the team in strikeouts with 35 and also has a 1.11 ERA.

Brandon Sproat continued his strong start to the year, allowing a run in 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts in his start this week. Sproat has been one of the best pitchers in the Mets organization this year, and he currently has a 1.07 ERA in six appearances.

Sproat and Ryan Clifford were both promoted after this series to Double-A.

Low-A St. Lucie

There have been very few positives for the St. Lucie Mets this year, and that continued this week with a six-game sweep against the Bradenton Marauders. The Mets were outscored 39-26 and are now in last place in the Florida State League East division at 12-21.

Jeffry Rosa made his Low-A debut this week, and he is off to a really fast start. In five games, Rosa clocked two home runs and walked three times. He is a name to watch this year, as he can surely do damage with the bat. In his limited playing time, the slugger has a 1.125 OPS.

Jesus Baez also had a really productive week, recording nine hits including two home runs and two doubles in six games. In 23 at-bats, Baez recorded a 1.179 OPS and raised his season OPS to .800 on the year.

Marco Vargas also shined, especially with his 5:1 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He didn’t record an RBI, but he himself scored six runs and had a 1.018 OPS on the week aided by a .563 on-base percentage. His season OPS is now .846.

There were very few positive pitching performances from the St. Lucie staff this week, and David Peterson was easily the most effective starter as he made a rehab assignment. In 3 2/3 innings, he allowed no runs and struck out seven. Outside of Peterson who is an established major league pitcher, Kade Morris, Jack Wenninger, Wyatt Hudepohl, and Austin Troesser all struggled this week.

Jimmy Loper was the most effective St. Lucie reliever, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings across two appearances. Loper lowered his season ERA to 2.57.

Alan Perdomo, Miguel Alfonseca, Juan Arnaud, and Saul Garcia all had scoreless weeks out of the bullpen. Alfonseca (0.00 ERA) and Arnaud (1.29 ERA) have been the most impressive out of this bunch this season.

Florida Complex League Mets

The FCL Mets went 3-1 this past week, improving to 4-2 on the young season. They are in second place in the FCL East division behind the FCL Marlins.

A.J. Ewing (1.376 OPS), Willy Fanas (1.274 OPS), Simon Juan (1.150 OPS), and Jeremy Rodriguez (1.475 OPS) all had really strong weeks, though Rodriguez only played in two games. It’s still extremely early in the season and the stats reflect that, but these young prospects are off to really good starts.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

AVG – Nick Morabito (STL/BRK) – .385

OPS – Ben Gamel (SYR) – 1.032

HR – Trayce Thompson (SYR) – 7

SB – Omar De Los Santos (BRK) – 21

Pitching

(Among Qualified Players)

ERA – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK) – 0.33

SO – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK) – 47

WHIP – Jonah Tong (STL/BRK) – 0.87

Players of the Week

Offense – Jeffry Rosa, OF St. Lucie

One of the more exciting young players in the Mets system that most people probably don’t know about yet is Jeffry Rosa. Rosa is listed at 6’1″ and 190 pounds, but he’s certainly bigger than that and his power proves that. He had a great first week beyond rookie ball, clocking two home runs in 17 at-bats for St. Lucie while also recording three walks.

If he can slug at the Low-A level the way he did when he led the Dominican Summer League in home runs in 2023, he’ll start to shoot up Mets prospect rankings.

Even though Rosa gets the shoutout here, other players including Luke Ritter, Kevin Parada, and Jesus Baez were also productive enough to be deserving of player of the week. Because of Rosa’s showing, though, in just his first week above rookie ball, he deserves the recognition this time.

Pitching – Tylor Megill, P Syracuse

Maybe it doesn’t count because he’s technically on a rehab assignment, but Tylor Megill is the pitcher of the week for his efforts in Syracuse this week. As tough as it is to pitch in the International League, Megill made it look easy by putting together two shutout starts. Megill has looked really good as he tries to work his way back from injury, and if he stays in Syracuse beyond what’s expected of him, he’ll continue to serve as a really valuable depth piece.

In addition to Megill, Joander Suarez, Douglas Orellana, and Brandon Sproat also had excellent outings this week. Sproat is a well-known name as a top prospect in the Mets system and Suarez is continuing to make a name for himself, but Orellana is pretty unknown. Despite this, he’s performed about as well this year as any pitcher in the Mets system not named Jonah Tong.

Upcoming Schedule – May 14-19

Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Iowa

Double-A Binghamton: vs. Bowie

High-A Brooklyn: @ Bowling Green

Low-A St. Lucie: @ Palm Beach

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