Triple-A Syracuse’s home game with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs was postponed because of bad weather. It will be made up on Thursday as part of a single-admission doubleheader starting at 4:05 p.m. ET.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (8-14) 2, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (12-8) 8

Game 1 Box Score

• 1B Nick Lorusso, 2-for-3, 2B, RBI (.708 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer, 0-for-2, R, 2 BB (.609 OPS)
• DH Eli Serrano III, 0-for-3, R, BB (.796 OPS)

Reimer, 22, hit nine homers in 61 games for Binghamton last season, but has connected only once in 20 contests this year.

• RHP Will Watson (6.98 ERA) 3 IP, 7 R, (6 ER), 4 H, 4 BB, 3 K, L

A rough one for Watson, a 2024 seventh-round pick out of the University of Southern California. He has struck out 19 and walked 10 in 19 1/3 innings. He is the No. 10 Mets prospect on MLB Pipeline.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (8-15) 3, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (13-8) 5

Game 2 Box Score

• C Chris Suero, 0-for-4, 3 K (.783 OPS)
• DH Jacob Reimer, 2-for-4, 2B, R, K (.643 OPS)
• CF Eli Serrano III, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB, 2 K (.813 OPS)

Suero, the No. 15 Mets prospect on MLB Pipeline, is 2-for-28 with one homer, 12 strikeouts and five walks over his last eight games.

• RHP Joander Suarez (3.52 ERA) 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K
• RHP Saul Garcia (5.59 ERA) IP, K

High-A

Frederick Keys (12-10) 5, Brooklyn Cyclones (5-17) 0

Box Score 

• LF Corey Collins, 1-for-2, BB (.794 OPS)
• 2B Mitch Voit, 2-for-4, 2 SB (.696 OPS)
• SS Antonio Jimenez, 1-for-4, 2B (.437 OPS)

Voit has stolen 10 bases in 11 attempts. He swiped 20 in 21 tries in 22 games at St. Lucie last year after being drafted in the first round (38th) out of the University of Michigan. The last-place Cyclones were held to five hits.

• RHP Joel Díaz (8.68 ERA) 4 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, L

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (10-12) 6, Tampa Tarpons (9-13) 7, 8 innings

Game 1 Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 2-for-4, 2 K (.932 OPS)
• 1B Randy Guzman, 1-for-4, 2 R (.868 OPS)
• LF JT Benson, 1-for-3, HR (3), SF, 3 RBI, CS (.931 OPS)
• RF AJ Salgado, 2-for-4, 2 SB (.791 OPS)

Salgado has four homers and four steals in 23 games. He hit 12 homers and stole 14 bases in 64 games for UCLA last year.

• RHP Frank Camarillo (4.64 ERA) 5 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, BB, 7 K, HR

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (10-13) 4, Tampa Tarpons (10-13) 7

Game 2 Box Score

• DH Elian Peña, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB (.941 OPS)
• C Francisco Toledo, 1-for-3, HR (2), K (.742 OPS)
• CF Edward Lantigua, 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 K (.375 OPS)

Lantigua, 19, of the Dominican Republic, is off to a slow start after posting an .832 OPS in 149 plate appearances in Rookie Ball last season.

• LHP Conner Ware (6.50 ERA) 4 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 K, HR, L

The post Mets Minors Recap: Elian Peña Notches Three Hits appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Following Ewing’s impressive week, he was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday morning.

Elian Peña has continued a great start to the season, too, as one of the youngest players in the minors. He collected another six hits this week and two steals this week, bringing his season totals to a .916 OPS and nine steals in 19 games.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A Syracuse

The Syracuse Mets lost their series last week to the Worcester Red Sox, dropping four of the six games. Syracuse won game one of the series 12-3 but were unable to do much else in the other five games. The Mets are now 13-13 and in fourth place in the International League East division.

Ronny Mauricio had limited action this series, playing in two games, but he made his presence known. Mauricio went 3-for-8 with all three of his hits leaving the yard. Mauricio drove in five runs and scored four runs while walking twice. Now with the major league team in Francisco Lindor‘s absence, Mauricio’s Triple-A OPS for now stands at .987.

Ryan Clifford continued his power streak by hitting two more home runs and also driving in eight runs, a team high for the series. Clifford, however, went just 5-for-23 in the series with 11 strikeouts. He owns a .769 OPS.

Nick Morabito, Ji Hwan Bae, and Cristian Pache all performed well in the series, each recording an OPS over .900.

• Morabito went 6-for-21 with two doubles, a home run, seven walks and two stolen bases
• Bae went 8-for-19 with a double, four walks and two stolen bases
• Pache went 10-for-25 with three doubles, a walk, and a stolen base

Jonah Tong made two solid starts, totaling four runs allowed over 10 innings. Tong struck out 15 batters as he lowered his ERA through six starts to 5.68.

Bryce Conley also had a decent start, though he dealt with a lot of traffic. He allowed four hits and six walks in just four innings of work, but he limited the damage to just a run while striking out two. He has a 4.22 ERA in three starts.

Dakota Hawkins looked sharp in a three-inning stint out of the bullpen, allowing just a walk and no hits with four strikeouts. This was Hawkins’ first Triple-A appearance this year after having already appeared in High-A and Double-A.

Marco Vargas. Photo by Ed Delany, MMO

Double-A Binghamton

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies also dropped their series this past week to the Erie SeaWolves, losing four of six games. After losing the first three games of the series, Binghamton was able to rebound and win two of the final three games. The Rumble Ponies are now 8-12 and tied for fourth place in the Eastern League Northeast division.

Marco Vargas, whose stock has fallen tremendously over the past few years, broke out with a good week. Vargas went 7-for-17 with two doubles, a triple, four walks and three stolen bases. He still has just a .636 OPS on the year.

Nick Lorusso also impressed, going 4-for-13 with a double, triple and a home run. Lorusso has otherwise been off to a really slow start to the year, owning a .678 OPS.

Zach Thornton delivered Binghamton’s best start of the series, firing six innings with two runs allowed and six strikeouts. Thornton has been great after missing most of the 2025 season due to injury. He has a 2.76 ERA in his first three starts of the season.

Brendan Girton looked good on the mound, allowing a run over five innings. Girton allowed two hits and three walks while striking out five. He has a 4.02 ERA on the year.

Ronald Hernandez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Cyclones had a rough week, dropping five of six games to the Hudson Valley Renegades. The Cyclones have had a brutal start to the season and are now sitting at 5-15 and in last place in the South Atlantic League North division.

Corey Collins had a breakout week, recording two home runs including one off of Gerrit Cole. Collins went 4-for-16 and also added a double and two walks. He has a .798 OPS through 15 games.

Kevin Villavicencio also contributed, going 4-for-11 with a home run, a walk and two stolen bases. He’s had a slower start to the year, owning a .663 OPS.

Ronald Hernandez led the team with six hits in 21 at-bats, recording four doubles, two walks and two stolen bases. Despite a batting average of .214, he has his OPS up to .732.

Channing Austin looked phenomenal in two starts, allowing no runs in 9 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts. He allowed five hits and four walks while lowering his ERA through four starts to 1.62.

Dylan Ross started two games as an opener in a rehab assignment and he looked great, firing two perfect innings with a strikeout. Those were Ross’ first two appearances for Brooklyn this year.

Cristofer Gomez was the standout arm out of the bullpen as he allowed no runs in three innings across two appearances. Gomez allowed two hits and three walks while striking out four. His ERA is now 1.04 through seven appearances.

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets lost four of their six games to the Palm Beach Cardinals this past week. Pitching was an issue as the Mets allowed 52 runs in six games. St. Lucie is now 10-11 and in third place in the Florida State League East division.

Randy Guzman‘s fast start to the year continued as he went 7-for-19 this series with three doubles, a home run and four walks. Guzman has an .888 OPS through 20 games.

Sam Biller impressed at the plate, going 7-for-19 with two doubles, three walks and four stolen bases. Biller, originally signed by the Mets as an undrafted free agent, owns an .893 OPS in 11 games.

Branny De Oleo had a great week as well, going 5-for-13 with a home run, a walk and two stolen bases. Unlike Guzman, De Oleo has mostly struggled this year and owns a .694 OPS.

Nicolas Carreno was outstanding in two appearances, including one start. He totaled just one run allowed in eight innings on two hits and three walks. He also struck out 10 and he now has a 2.25 ERA through five appearances (three starts).

Jose Chirinos has also shone early in the year and did so again in this series. Chirinos allowed a run in 4 2/3 innings, striking out six. He owns a 2.45 ERA in four appearances (three starts).

Frank Camarillo also gave the Mets a solid start, allowing two runs in five innings. He allowed five hits and a walk while striking out five. He owns a 4.41 ERA in four starts.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (BNG) – .349
• OPS – A.J. Ewing (BNG) – 1.052
• HR – Ronny Mauricio (SYR) – 6
• SB – A.J. Ewing (SYR)/Sam Robertson (STL) – 12

Pitching (min. 10 innings)

• ERA – Anderson Severino (SYR)/Christian Rodriguez (STL) – 0.00
• SO – Jonah Tong (SYR) – 38
• WHIP – Christian Rodriguez (STL) – 0.68

Players of the Week

Offense – A.J. Ewing, 2B/OF Binghamton

A.J. Ewing broke out as one of the Mets’ top prospects in 2025 with a fantastic season, and he’s already outperforming himself this year. The 21-year-old has an OPS over 1.000 and has now earned a promotion to the final level of the minors before the major leagues. If he can continue to dominate in Syracuse, he may be a contributor in Flushing before long.

Pitching – Channing Austin, P Brooklyn

Channing Austin is enjoying a great start to the season in Brooklyn after a relatively underwhelming 2025 (4.38 ERA in 21 appearances) in St. Lucie. Austin, 24, is certainly older than most of the competition he’s facing, but it’s good to see him have success after not having much last year.

Upcoming Schedule – April 28-May 3

• Triple-A Syracuse: vs. Lehigh Valley
• Double-A Binghamton: @ New Hampshire
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Frederick
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Tampa

The post Mets Minors Weekly Report: Ewing, Peña Continue to Impress appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Elian Peña, the Mets’ No. 8 prospect, kept hitting as well. The shortstop smacked his sixth double (see it here) and stole third base twice in Low-A St. Lucie’s 12-4 loss to Palm Beach. Peña is slashing .329/.448/.905, has hit safely in 15 of 18 games, and stolen eight bases in nine tries.

AJ Ewing
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (13-11) 3, Worcester Red Sox (13-11) 0

Box Score

• RF Ryan Clifford, 0-for-4, RBI, K (.801 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 2-for-3, 2B, R, 2 BB, K, CS (.838 OPS)
• LF Jihwan Bae, 3-for-4, RBI, R, SB, BB (.914 OPS)

Morabito scored on a head-first slide on a Clifford sacrifice fly. Clifford has driven in 13 runs in his last six games.

• RHP Daniel Duarte (3.72 ERA) 2 1/3 IP, BB, 3 K
• LHP A.J. Minter (4.50 ERA) IP
• RHP Dakota Hawkins (0.00 ERA) 3 IP, BB, 4 K
• LHP Anderson Severino (0.00 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, H, SV

Six pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout. David Stearns said at a news conference Friday that Minter could rejoin the Mets within the first week to 10 days of May. Hawkins has thrown 7 2/3 scoreless innings across three levels. Severino has thrown 9 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out 11.

Double-A

Erie SeaWolves (7-12) 2, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (7-11) 10

Box Score

• 2B A.J. Ewing, 1-for-3, HR (2), 3 RBI, BB, E (1.018 OPS)
• CF Eli Serrano III, 1-for-3, RBI, R (.859 OPS)
• C Chris Suero, 1-for-5, HR (4), K (.863 OPS)
• 3B Nick Lorusso, 3-for-4, HR (2), 2B, 3 R, K (.694 OPS)
• LF Jose Ramos, 1-for-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, K (.603 OPS)

Suero, 22, of the Bronx, might be the Mets’ most fascinating prospect as MMO’s Jorge Eckardt told us earlier this month. He is a catcher/first baseman/outfielder with power and speed.

• RHP Brendan Girton (4.02 ERA) 5 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K, W
• RHP Saul Garcia (6.75 ERA) IP, 2 K
• LHP Gabriel Rodriguez (0.00 ERA) IP, 3 K
• RHP Ben Simon (3.68 ERA) IP, 2 K

Girton, 24, a 10th-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2024, has struck out 15 and walked 16 in 15 2/3 innings.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (4-14) 4, Hudson Valley Renegades (11-7) 6

Box Score

• 2B Kevin Villavicencio, 2-for-3, HR (2), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB, BB (.648 OPS)
• SS Mitch Voit, 1-for-4, SB, K (.635 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB, K (.696 OPS)

Hernandez has five doubles and five RBIs in his last six games. Voit is 3-for-21 with two walks and three strikeouts in his last five.

• RHP Irving Cota (1.32 ERA) 3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 K, L

Cota, 22, of Mexico, gave up his first runs of the season. He’s struck out eight and walked three in 10 2/3 innings.

Low-A

Palm Beach Cardinals (14-5) 12, St. Lucie Mets (9-10) 4

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 1-for-3, 2B, R, 2 SB, 2 BB, 2 K (.905 OPS)
• LF JT Benson, 1-for-4, 2B, R, BB (.984 OPS)
• RF Randy Guzman, 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 K (.793 OPS)
• DH AJ Salgado, 2-for-4, HR (4) (.843 OPS)
• CF Sam Biller, 2-for-4, 2B, R, K (.913 OPS)

Benson, 24, hit 10 homers and stole 24 bases in 80 games in the independent Frontier League last year. He went undrafted after finishing his college career at Louisville, where he stole 34 bases and posted .963 OPS in 52 games in 2024.

• RHP Cam Tilly (5.87 ERA) 4 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, BB, 4 K

After throwing five scoreless, hitless innings in his St. Lucie debut, Tilly had his third straight rocky showing. The 21-year-old was a seventh-round pick last year out of Auburn.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Ewing, Peña Stay Hot appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

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 Online.

Ryan Clifford, Ronny Mauricio and Randy Guzman are a few of the bats who really turned it on this week. They helped Syracuse and St. Lucie to series wins, while Binghamton and Brooklyn are still looking to find their footing early on.

Ryan Clifford
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A Syracuse

The Syracuse Mets were only able to get in five games against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders due to weather, but they performed well, winning four of the five games. The Mets are 11-9, tied for first place in the International League East division.

Ryan Clifford had a breakout week, going 6-for-16 with two doubles, two home runs, and three walks. Clifford drove in five runs and also scored three runs. He had been off to a poor start to the season, but the slugging first baseman now owns a .767 OPS for the year.

Ronny Mauricio also broke out, going 5-for-17 with a double, two home runs, a walk and two stolen bases. Mauricio also drove in five runs to tie Clifford for the team-lead in the series, while scoring four runs. Mauricio has an .821 OPS through his first 50 at-bats.

Ji Hwan Bae and Yonny Hernández were a couple of other standout position players from the series. Bae went 5-for-12 with two doubles, a home run, three walks and a stolen base. He also drove in three runs and scored four runs. Hernández went 5-for-11 with a home run and two runs scored. Bae owns an .842 OPS, while Hernández owns a .717 OPS.

Jack Wenninger had another solid start, allowing one run over 5 1/3 innings. He allowed six baserunners and struck out five batters. Wenninger now owns a 1.26 ERA through his first three Triple-A starts.

Christian Scott also performed well, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two hits and a walk while striking out five, lowering his ERA to 5.27.

Aj Ewing
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A Binghamton

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies had an extremely rough series against the Akron RubberDucks, losing five of six and getting shut out three separate times. Binghamton is now 6-8 and tied for fourth place in the Eastern League Northeast division.

A.J. Ewing was the only member of the Rumble Ponies lineup to show up in this series, going 6-for-19 with two doubles, two walks and four stolen bases. Ewing has been off to a scorching start to the season, owning a .962 OPS.

Chris Suero only went 2-for-12 with a double, not performing particularly well with the bat, but demonstrating fantastic plate discipline. He walked a whopping eight times while striking out just three times in the series. Suero has also been great to begin the year, possessing a 1.075 OPS.

Joander Suarez allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings with five strikeouts during his lone start of the series. Suarez’s successful outing was his first since returning from Triple-A, where he got roughed up in three outings.

Zach Thornton allowed two runs over five innings, striking out six with seven baserunners allowed. Thornton has a 2.61 ERA through his first two starts of the season.

Brendan Girton and Will Watson had similar starts, each allowing just one run over four innings. Girton struck out five batters while Watson struck out three. Girton owns a 5.06 ERA through three starts, while Watson has a 4.09 ERA through three starts.

Colin Houck. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Cyclones dropped four of their six games against the Greensboro Grasshoppers this past week. It has been a major struggle for the Cyclones early in the season, as they are now 4-10 and in last place in the South Atlantic League North division.

John Bay was one of the few standouts offensively, going 6-for-17. Bay recorded two doubles, a triple, a home run, two walks and a stolen base while driving in six runs. He also scored six runs, both team-highs for the series. Bay has been excellent to begin the season, owning a .948 OPS.

Daiverson Gutierrez also excelled at the plate, going 7-for-19 with a double, a home run and five walks. Guttierez raised his OPS with his stellar week to .748.

Former first-round pick Colin Houck went 8-for-20 with two doubles, two walks and a stolen base, while also driving in five runs. Houck had struggled prior to this series, and he now owns a .672 OPS.

Wyatt Hudepohl allowed a run over four innings in his lone start of the series. Hudepohl struck out six while allowing three hits and no walks. He owns a 7.71 ERA through three starts.

A.J. Minter made two rehab appearances, allowing no runs over 1 2/3 innings. Minter has now made four rehab appearances across two minor league levels without allowing a run.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets won four of six games against the Daytona Tortugas this past week, in a series characterized by offense: St. Lucie outscored Daytona 52-41 in the six games. The Mets are now 8-7 and in second place in the Florida State League East division.

Elian Peña had a solid week, going 9-for-27 with two doubles, five walks and three stolen bases. Peña drove in six runs and scored five of his own. He now has a .900 OPS through 14 games.

Randy Guzman launched three bombs against the Tortugas, going 6-for-24 while also recording a double and a triple. Guzman walked five times, stole two bases, drove in seven runs and scored eight runs of his own. Guzman broke out of an early-season slump, now owning a .784 OPS.

AJ Salgado went 7-for-24 with two home runs, also hitting two doubles and walking three times. Salgado drove in six runs and scored seven runs. He has a .943 OPS in the early going.

JT Benson also had a fantastic week, going 6-for-19 with a double, a home run, two walks and a stolen base. Benson recorded five RBIs and five runs scored. He has a 1.038 OPS through 11 games.

Jose Chirinos made two great starts, allowing two runs over eight innings with 10 strikeouts. Chirinos allowed seven hits and just one walk over the eight innings. He has a 2.70 ERA through three starts.

Nicolas Carreno also impressed, tossing 3 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in his start. He allowed just one hit and one walk, lowering his ERA to 3.38.

Christian Rodriguez was fantastic out of the bullpen, allowing no runs in 5 2/3 innings across two outings. He struck out eight while allowing just two hits and two walks. Rodriguez has yet to allow a run in 8 2/3 innings this year.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (BNG) – .356
• OPS – Chris Suero (BNG) – 1.075
• HR – Hayden Senger (SYR) – 5
• SB – Sam Robertson (STL) – 11

Pitching (min. 10 innings)

• ERA – Irving Cota (BRK) – 0.00
• SO – Jonah Tong (SYR) – 23
• WHIP – Irving Cota (BRK) – 0.84

Players of the Week

Offense – Randy Guzman, OF St. Lucie

Randy Guzman is coming off an excellent 2025 season in which he put up an .898 OPS between rookie ball and Low-A. Starting this season in Low-A, he had been struggling prior to this week, but he broke out with three home runs. The 21-year-old will look to keep his positive momentum going as the season continues.

Pitching – Jose Chirinos, P St. Lucie

Like Guzman, Jose Chirinos also impressed last year between rookie ball and Low-A. He had a 3.01 ERA in 19 games (13 starts). He’s now off to a fast start this year, aided by two strong performances this past week. Chirinos could see himself emerge as one of the Mets’ more exciting pitching prospects with another strong season.

Upcoming Schedule – April 21-26

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Worcester
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Erie
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Hudson Valley
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Palm Beach

The post Mets Minors Weekly Report: Clifford, Mauricio Break Out of Early-Season Slumps appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Ryan Clifford. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (10-9) 4, Syracuse Mets (10-9) 9 

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford, 2-for-3, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, CS (.674 OPS)
• DH Ronny Mauricio, 1-for-4, HR (3), K (.809 OPS)
• SS Vidal Bruján, 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, K (.709 OPS)
• C Onix Vega, 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 RBI (.812 OPS)
• RF Nick Morabito, 0-for-2, R, 2 BB (.794 OPS)

Mauricio homered for the second straight game and added his fifth steal in the second game of the doubleheader.

• RHP Carl Edwards Jr. (5.29 ERA) 5 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K, HR, W

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (10-10) 4, Syracuse Mets (11-9) 7

Box Score

• DH Ryan Clifford, 2-for-3, HR (2), 2B, 2 RBI (.767 OPS)
• SS Ronny Mauricio, 1-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, SB, K (.821 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 1-for-4, 2 R, SB (.776 OPS)
• LF Jihwan Bae, 2-for-3, 2 R, SB, K (.842 OPS)
• RF Cristian Pache, 2-for-3, 3B, 2B, R, K (.676 OPS)

Clifford was 4-for-6 with the homers, a double and a walk in the two games. His OPS jumped from .578 to .767. Morabito is 3-for-3 stealing bases. He stole 49 in 60 tries last season.

• RHP Bryce Conley (5.40 ERA) 4 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, K, HR

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

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-7) 4, Akron RubberDucks (9-5) 5

Box Score

• CF A.J. Ewing, 2-for-5, R, 2 SB, 2 K (1.047 OPS)
• SS Marco Vargas, 0-for-3, R, SB, 2 BB, K (.460 OPS)
• C Chris Suero, 1-for-4, 2B, BB (1.112 OPS)
• DH Eli Serrano III, 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K, HBP (.934 OPS)

Ewing entered Saturday sixth in the Eastern League in batting average (.389) and third in on-base percentage (.522). He now has eight steals in 11 games. He stole 70 in 81 attempts last year. Suero was sixth in slugging percentage (.667) and fifth in OPS.

• RHP Brendan Girton (5.06 ERA) 4 IP, ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 K, HR

Girton, 24, was excellent at Brooklyn last season (2.59 ERA in 76 1/3 innings), but gave up eight earned runs in 10 2/3 innings after he was promoted to Double-A Binghamton.

Colin Houck. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

Greensboro Grasshoppers (10-4) 3, Brooklyn Cyclones (4-9) 8

Box Score

• 1B Ronald Hernandez, 2-for-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R, 2 BB, K (.745 OPS)
• 2B Colin Houck, 3-for-4, 2 RBI, BB, K (.672 OPS)
• SS Mitch Voit, 1-for-5, R (.720 OPS)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez, 2-for-5, R, 2 K (.748 OPS)

Voit made a sensational diving catch on Saturday that you can see here. Houck, 21, a first-round pick (32nd overall) in 2023 out of Parkview (Georgia) HS, had three hits for the second time in three games.

• RHP Irving Cota (0.00 ERA) 4 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K
• LHP Gregori Louis (8.31 ERA) IP, 3 K

Cota, 22, hasn’t allowed a run in 10 2/3 innings. He pitched to a 4.36 ERA over 84 2/3 innings at St. Lucie last season.

Elian Peña. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Single-A

St. Lucie Mets (7-7) 12, Daytona Tortugas (5-9) 8

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 2-for-5, 2 RBI, R, SB, BB, K (.845 OPS)
• 1B Chase Meggers, 3-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB, K (.657 OPS)
• LF Randy Guzman, 0-for-3, 2 R, 2 SB, 2 BB, K (.774 OPS
• DH AJ Salgado, 1-for-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K (.995 OPS)

St. Lucie stole seven bases in nine attempts and Peña notched his sixth. Peña made his second error of the season. The 18-year-old committed 14 errors in 43 games at shortstop in the Dominican Summer League last year.

• RHP Cam Tilly (5.56 ERA) 3 IP, 7 R, (4 ER), 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

Tilly was a seventh-round selection last year out of Auburn.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Ryan Clifford Clobbers Two Homers During Doubleheader appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (6-7) 1, Buffalo Bisons (5-6) 7, 6 innings

Box Score

• RF Ryan Clifford, 0-for-1, 2 BB, K (.560 OPS)
• LF MJ Melendez, 1-for-3, R, CS (.606 OPS)
• DH Christian Arroyo, 1-for-3, RBI (.773 OPS)

Clifford is still looking for his first home run (47 plate appearances) after hitting 24 to lead the Double-A Eastern League last season. The game was called in the sixth inning due to rain.

• LHP Anderson Severino (0.00 ERA) IP, H, 2 K
• RHP Joander Suarez (13.00 ERA) 3 IP, 7 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, L

Suarez, 26, performed well at Double-A last season (3.05 ERA over 82 2/3 innings) but was hit hard after he earned a promotion to Triple-A. The growing pains have continued into his first three outings this season (13 earned runs over nine innings for an ugly-but-even 13.00 ERA).

Double-A

Somerset Patriots (2-4) 1, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (4-2) 13 

Box Score

• CF A.J. Ewing, 1-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K, CS (1.101 OPS)
• 2B Marco Vargas, 2-for-5, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K (.633 OPS)
• 1B Chris Suero, 1-for-2, HR (3), 2 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, K, CS (1.116 OPS)
• RF D’Andre Smith, 2-for-4, 3B, 2B, 5 RBI (1.012 OPS)
• C Kevin Parada, 0-for-3, RBI, 2 R, SB, 2 BB, K (.306 OPS)

Ewing threw out a runner at the plate trying to score on a sacrifice fly. Suero hit three homers in 41 games last season at Binghamton. He’s got three in four games this year. The minor leagues seem to bring out a lot of wacky line scores. Binghamton had 13 runs on eight hits and no errors. (The Rumble Ponies walked 13 times.)

• RHP Bryce Conley (1.29 ERA) 4 IP, 4 H, BB, 6 K
• LHP Gabriel Rodriguez (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, H, 4 K, W

Conley, 31, was selected in the 22nd round of the 2017 draft by the Athletics. He entered Friday with a career 4.55 ERA in 496 2/3 innings over eight minor-league seasons.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (1-5) 6, Jersey Shore BlueClaws (4-2) 4, 10 innings

Box Score

• SS Mitch Voit, 0-for-5, K, SB (.304 OPS)
• 2B Colin Houck, 0-for-3, RBI, 2 K (.591 OPS)
• DH Corey Collins, 2-for-4, 3B, RBI, R, BB, K (.591 OPS)
• 3B Kevin Villavicencio, 2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI (.846 OPS)

Houck, a first-round pick in 2023 out of Parkview (Georgia) High School, is 3-for-21 with a double and nine strikeouts. He posted an .812 OPS at St. Lucie last season, but his numbers tumbled after he was promoted to Brooklyn. His slash line in 54 games at High-A was .198/.269/.289.

• RHP Noah Hall (3.86 ERA) 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K
• RHP Juan Arnaud (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, 2 K, W
• RHP Hoss Brewer (0.00 ERA) IP, H, R (0 ER) BB, K, SV

Hall, 25, pitched to a 2.72 ERA over 112 2/3 innings last season for Brooklyn. He was a seventh-round pick in 2023 out of the University of South Carolina.

Low-A

Dunedin (3-3) 9, St. Lucie Mets (3-3) 2

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña, 2-for-5, HR (1), 2B, 2 R (1.069 OPS)
• LF Tommy Pham, 0-for-2, BB (.533 OPS)
• 1B Randy Guzman, 1-for-4, RBI (.325 OPS)

Pham, 38, was drafted by the Cardinals out of high school the year before Peña was born.

• RHP Frank Camarillo (5.40 ERA) 5 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, L

Camarillo, 22, was a 13th-round pick last year out of UC-Santa Barbara.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Elian Peña Hits First St. Lucie Homer appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

For pitching depth, it’s pretty clear. There are a handful of starters on call in Syracuse, and the same goes for the relievers. For the hitting depth, it’s a little less clear.

Ronny Mauricio was the first to get the call, replacing Soto, even though he’s an infielder. With five players capable of playing at least a corner outfield spot (Luis Robert Jr., Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Jared Young and Tyrone Taylor), an outfielder was not required to be Soto’s replacement.

If the Mets do not sustain another injury by the time Soto returns, Mauricio will be demoted and, in turn, become the next in line to be promoted again the next time he’s needed. If Soto is still on the injured list and the Mets need to call up a second player, the question gets a bit more complicated.

Ronny Mauricio
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

If a catcher is placed on the injured list…

Hayden Senger will be promoted. If Senger is unavailable at that time, it’ll likely be Ben Rortvedt. Simple.

If a middle infielder is placed on the injured list…

The list of replacements isn’t very exciting.

But first, even if Mauricio is already on the roster, that doesn’t guarantee him every day playing time. If Francisco Lindor is the one injured, Mauricio will likely play a good amount, but the Mets can put Bo Bichette at shortstop and Baty at third base. If he’s replacing Marcus Semien, Baty likely gets a good chunk of the playing time at second base while Mauricio enters a weird platoon with Taylor and Young. If one of those two occupies the third outfield spot, Baty plays second. If Baty heads to the outfield, Mauricio plays second.

While the Mets could theoretically call up an outfielder and still have enough infielders to survive, they’ll likely want someone capable of backing up a middle infield spot. There are no infielders besides Mauricio currently on the 40-man roster, so MLB veterans Christian Arroyo and Vidal Bruján would be in line to be added to the 40-man and promoted. Out of camp, it sounded like Bruján is in the lead.

Cristian Pache. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

If a corner infielder is placed on the injured list… 

It could be anyone. There is a lot of position flexibility on the Mets roster.

It doesn’t even have to be an infielder called up to replace them. If it’s Jorge Polanco, the Mets still have three players on the roster capable of playing first: Baty, Young and Mark Vientos. If it’s Bichette, Baty likely becomes the everyday third baseman and Mauricio is his backup.

Morabito and Melendez are options, as are Bruján, Arroyo, and Christian Pache. There’s also Tommy Pham, who the Mets recently brought back, though he hasn’t appeared in a minor league game yet this season. He also has an opt out on April 25.

Nick Morabito. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

If another outfielder is placed on the injured list…

An outfielder will be called up to replace him.

Nick Morabito and MJ Melendez are both already on the 40-man roster. Morabito is the more exciting option of the two, because he would be promoted to make his MLB debut. He’s a speedy, contact-oriented outfielder who can play all three spots on the grass—and play them well. Melendez would likely be the pick if the Mets deem Morabito not ready. He is only a corner outfielder, but Benge’s versatility doesn’t rule him out as an option even if Luis Robert Jr. is the one to hit the shelf.

If they go with someone not on the 40-man roster, the list grows. Ryan Clifford, as Steve Gelbs noted on SNY over the weekend, is the most interesting of those options.

A first baseman and corner outfielder, Clifford has prodigious power and a high strikeout rate, though it has steadily improved throughout his minor league career. While he’ll always strike out more than the average hitter, it’s probably good enough to stay afloat in the majors at this point. It would be an aggressive move, but it can’t be ruled out. There are a couple of holdups. If the Mets promote Clifford, they will likely want him to play every day versus right-hand pitching. With the current group of Mets position players, that might not be possible. The other is Clifford and Young on the same roster would be a bit redundant, as they’re both 1B/OF who would only play vs right-handed pitching.

Pache, who had a very impressive spring training, is another option.

A.J. Ewing, Jacob Reimer or Chris Suero could theoretically be options to be called up straight from Double-A, but that’s highly unlikely. If the Mets want a player like Ewing, they’ll likely go for Morabito first, just as they’ll likely go for Clifford before Reimer. And, the Mets will want all three playing as much as possible, not joining the Mets just to ride the pine.

Odds are, a good handful of these players will take at-bats for the Mets in 2026. Injuries hit every team, and when the Mets do need to call on Syracuse for help, this is who is in line for the opportunity.

The post Examining the Mets’ MLB-Ready Position Player Depth appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Syracuse will play Worcester again Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Its home opener is on Tuesday vs. Toledo. The other Mets affiliates get their seasons started next week. Low-A St. Lucie opens on Thursday at Palm Beach. Double-A Binghamton (at New Hampshire) and High-A Brooklyn (hosting Hudson Valley) begin play on Friday.

Jonah Tong via Syracuse Mets

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (1-0) 3, Worcester Red Sox (0-1) 1

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford, 1-for-4, 2 K, E (.500 OPS)
• SS Ronny Mauricio, 1-for-4, R, SB, K (.500 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 2-for-4, RBI, K (1.000 OPS)
• DH Jose Rojas, 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI (1.250 OPS)

Clifford, who the Mets acquired at the 2023 trade deadline in a deal with the Astros for Justin Verlander, hit 24 homers at Binghamton last season and five more in 34 games at Syracuse. He is the No. 5 Mets prospect on MLB Pipeline. Rojas, 33, hit six homers in 83 career games he played in for the Angels in 2021-2022.

• RHP Jonah Tong (0.00 ERA) 4 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K
• LHP Anderson Severino (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K, W
• LHP Joe Jacques (0.00 ERA) IP, H, SV

Tong was the 2025 MiLB Pitching Prospect of the Year. He went 8-5 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 20 starts at Binghamton, then threw 11 2/3 scoreless innings at Syracuse over two starts before he was called up to the big leagues. He is the No. 48 prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline and ranked third on the Mets behind Nolan McLean and Carson Benge.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Jonah Tong Fires Four Scoreless appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Jorge Polanco. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Major League Starters

Bo Bichette (3B)

Age: 27

Contract: 3 years, $126 million, with two opt outs

Roster Status: 40-man roster

Bo Bichette is coming off one of the best offensive seasons of his career slashing .311/.357/.483/.840 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in 139 games. He brings to the Mets an elite hit tool and a positive clubhouse presence full of energy and grit. Even though he does not possess high-end exit velocities, he hits the ball consistently hard with elite selectivity traits. His 91 mph average exit velocity was in the 76th percentile. He has shown an innate ability to preform in high leverage situations and with runners in scoring position and works long at bats looking for his pitch to drive.

Bichette will be playing third base for the first time in his career, and his defensive skillset projects well there. His range is in line with third baseman Matt Shaw and his arm is in line with Alex Bregman. Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic wrote that the Mets have targeted specific changes in Bichette’s footwork that they believe will help him take that next step defensively. Mets bench coach Kai Correa previously helped former Met J.D. Davis improve his defense at third base with the Giants. Bichette will also be moving down the defensive spectrum with the move.

Bichette brings one of the best contact tools in the game with more power potential than one may expect. If he is even a 45 level defender at third base he will easily be one of the three best third basemen in the sport in 2026.

Jorge Polanco (1B/DH)

Age: 32

Contract: 2 years, $40 million

Roster Status: 40-man roster

Jorge Polanco had a huge bounce back season in 2025 slashing .265/.326/.495/.821 with 26 home runs and 78 RBIs in 138 games. He split his time on the field between second base and third base and spent the summer learning first base from the Mariners coaching staff. Polanco is a 12-year veteran who has hit as many as 33 homers in a season, preforms well with runners in scoring position, and routinely takes competitive at-bats.

Unlike Bichette, Polanco prioritizes pulling the ball with a 49.1% pull rate (95th percentile) and 19.6% pulled fly ball rate (19.6%). His 86% zone-contact was in the 70th percentile and all of his exit velocity markers were above average. He also rated above average across selectivity metrics.

Defensively, Polanco began his career as a shortstop and has added to his defensive versatility throughout his career. As mentioned before, he spent the summer of 2025 learning first base with the Mariners coaching staff so he is not truly a novice at the position. Like Bichette he is moving down the defensive spectrum. Polanco will likely split time between first base and designated hitter and could take some reps across the infield as needed.

Brett Baty. Photo Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Major League Depth

Brett Baty (3B/2B/1B/OF)

Age: 26

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: 40-man roster

Brett Baty took a step forward in 2025. After a red hot spring training, Baty struggled his first 10 games slashing .111/.111/.148/.259 but on April 12 he said he found the feel for his swing and from that point forward he slashed .265/.327/.456/.783. Baty moved further back in the box in 2025 letting the ball come deeper while utilizing his plus bat speed. This seemed to help him recognize pitches better and improve his swing decisions improving across all selectivity metrics. He also hit the ball harder than he did in 2024 with all of his exit velocity markers ranking in the 77th-to-89th percentiles.

Baty does still have some red flags offensively. In 2025 he seemed to trade contact for power dropping from an 83.6% zone-contact (51st percentile) to a zone-contact rate of 79.8% (21st percentile). He whiffed on pitches 27.3% of the time (30th percentile) and ran a 25% strikeout rate (25th percentile). He walked less than he did in 2024 though he did chase significantly less at 24.8% (71st percentile). If Baty can find a balance between his plate discipline and pull rates from 2024 with his power gains from 2025 he could be primed for a big breakout. 2026 will also be a test if he continues to produce despite his swing-and-miss or if there is some regression there.

Defensively, Baty shined across the infield. He profiled as an above-average defensive third baseman ranking 13th in outs above average despite logging significantly less innings at the position than most of the names above him. He picked up second base quickly and ranked as a roughly league average defender there. He spent the 2025 offseason learning first base and continued to learn the position in the 2026 offseason. Baty also has some experience in left field and the Mets have discussed potentially using him in the corner outfield spots as needed in 2026.

Baty could start the season splitting time at first base and designated hitter with Jorge Polanco but he may be best suited for a role that involves getting 500 plate appearances moving around the diamond as a super utility player at first base, second base, third base, left field, and right field.

Mark Vientos (1B/DH)

Age: 26

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: 40-man roster

Mark Vientos took a big step back in 2025 slashing .233/.289/.413/.702 with 17 HRs in 121 games. There were signs in 2024 that some regression could happen in 2025 – in the last two months he slashed .243/.298/.460/.758 – but he took a bigger step back than expected. At the time of writing Marks spot on the roster is far less clear than it was last year. President of baseball operations David Stearns’ comments about Mark having the opportunity to earn at bats makes it seem that he is not currently penciled into an everyday role. He is very limited defensively and has struggled with both right handed pitching and high velocity at times which also impacts his effectiveness off the bench. He could build a role for himself if he can dominate left handed pitching in 2026. This was a skill he flashed in 2024 when he put up an .884 OPS against left handed pitching.

A lot of Mark’s batted ball profile from 2024 was still in place for 2025. His 91.5 MPH average EV and 106 MPH 90% EV were almost identical to 2024. His 11.2% barrel rate was down from 13.5% in 2024, but it was still in the 73rd percentile. His 51% hard hit rate (86th percentile) was actually better than his 48.2% in 2024. He also cut his strikeout rate from 29.7% to 24.8%. But he still struggled heavily to make contact with a 9th percentile zone-contact rate 6th percentile whiff rate and 19th percentile chase rate. The new Mets coaching staff will likely work with Mark on making adjustments to improve his contact and swing and miss in 2026.

Defensively and on the base paths Vientos does not offer much. At third base Mark looked borderline unplayable for most of the season placing in the bottom 6% in outs above average. It is unclear if he will be an option there in 2026 with multiple other Mets better suited for the position. He has worked to learn first base and this year may be the true test on if he can handle that position better than third base. Mark is also one of the slowest runners in the game which limits his ability to play elsewhere in the field and on the base paths.

David Stearns described Vientos as a bat first player and said he will go as far as his bat takes him. Mark likely over-preformed him metrics in 2024 and under-preformed in 2025 so maybe in 2026 he settles somewhere between those two years.

Ronny Mauricio (3B/SS/2B)

Age: 24

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: 40-man roster

After post surgery complications in 2024, Ronny Mauricio returned in 2025 from his 2023 ACL injury. 2025 was very much a mixed bag which ended with him slashing .226/.293/.369/.663 across 61 games. Most of the final month of the season Mauricio was on the bench. Injuries to major league players as well as a hot July performance kept Mauricio in the majors throughout the summer and if they sent him down in September he would have only had around 50 plate appearances of regular time there. Keeping him on the roster as the 28th man in September afforded the Mets the opportunity for up to a full season where they can have him spend getting regular at-bats in Triple-A. He only spent nine games there in 2025.

Mauricio did perform well against right handed pitching slashing .265/.336/.447/.783 but struggled heavily against left handed pitching slashing .083/.132/.083/.215. He also struggled heavily against breaking pitches hitting .150 against them.

His 74.1% zone-contact was in the 2nd percentile, his 33.9% whiff rate in the 3rd percentile, his 39.9% chase rate in the 4th percentile, and his 29.5% strikeout rate in the 4th percentile. He does hit the ball hard and he pulls the ball consistently. Mauricio will need to improve his plate discipline, selectivity, and pitch recognition if he wants to have sustained success in the majors.

Defensively, he profiled well at third base while capable at second base and shortstop. His range was not as strong as it was pre surgery and time will tell if he gains some of that back further removed from the procedure. Barring Lindor missing opening day, Mauricio likely begins the season in the minors working on his refining his skillset and getting regular at bats.

Ryan Clifford. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High Minors Depth

Ryan Clifford (1B/OF)

Age: 22

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

President of baseball operations David Stearns stated that Ryan Clifford will begin the season at Triple-A. He described him as a viable option in the outfield and Baseball America wrote that he is a, “quality defender at first base.” Clifford hits the ball harder than most players in the minors and could be a 30-home run bat in the majors. He has some potential platoon and three true outcome concerns but his contact rates overall took a big step forward in 2025. He could very much impact the major league club in 2026.

Clifford’s 54.3% hard-hit rate was in the 97th percentile, his 93.6 mph average exit velocity was in the 99th percentile, and his 11.1% barrel rate was in the 88th percentile. He slashed .237/.356/.470/.826 with 29 home runs across 139 games, and his metrics and .274 BABIP argue that he was unlucky with that slash line.

Jacob Reimer (3B/1B)

Age: 22

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

Jacob Reimer makes good swing decisions and with good contact rates and has above average power projections. Reimer ended the year in Double-A and could reach Triple-A early in the 2026 season. In 2025, he optimized his swing to pull the ball in the air more, leading to some of the best exit velocities in the minors. He has mostly played third base and first base, but he has sprinkled in some left field.

Christopher Suero (1B/C/OF)

Age: 22

Contract: Pre Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

Chris Suero has interesting defensive versatility that could help him carve out a role in the majors in the not too distant future. He ended the year in Double-A and did struggle to a .221/.374/.324/.697 slash, but he lit up the Arizona Fall League to a .283/.353/.567/.920. He improved his framing enough to be a catcher in the majors and has experience at first base and the outfield. He brings power and defensive versatility with him to any roster he is on.

Christian Arroyo. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Spring Training Non Roster Invites

Vidal Bruján (3B/SS/OF)

Age: 28

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

Vidal Bruján debuted in 2021 as the No. 50 prospect per MLB Pipeline but has struggled in the majors since slashing .199/.267/.276. He did seem like he could have taken step forward in Atlanta in 2025 slashing .268/.362/.317/.679 though that could also just be small sample size noise. He does make consistent contact with an above average whiff rate, but the quality of contact is poor. He has experience defensively at every position on the diamond except catcher.

Grae Kessinger (3B/1B/SS)

Age: 28

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

Grae Kessinger has only played 49 games in the majors serving mostly as a defense first bench piece. He provides above average defense at every infield position and has maintained at least a 10.2% walk rate at each stop in the majors or Triple-A. Offensively, that is largely where his skill set ends.

Christian Arroyo (3B/1B)

Age: 30

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

Christian Arroyo has been an above average hitter in the majors even as recently as 2022 when he slashed .286/.322/.414/.736 in 300 plate appearances for Boston. He spent the last two years in the minors and slashed .314/.367/.485/.869 in 45 games for the Phillies’ Triple-A club. He hits the ball hard but his contact profile is below average and he does not walk much. He is capable of playing every infield position as well as right field but he is not a plus defender anywhere.

Jackson Cluff (3B/2B/SS)

Age: 30

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

Jackson Cluff has yet to debut in the majors and slashed .242/.349/.422/.771 with the Nationals’ Triple-A club in 2025. He can draw walks and barrel the ball but he struggles to make consistent contact. He is a plus defender throughout the infield and he can steal bases, swiping 23 bags in 103 games in 2025.

Coming Soon

Randy Guzman (1B/OF)

Age: 20

Contract: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Roster Status: Not on the 40-man roster

If there is one Mets minor league player to challenge Ryan Clifford for the best power is it Randy Guzman. He sits among the leaders in the minors across all exit velocities and consistently makes contact in the zone, but he chases far too much. He is still young and can develop more plate discipline, but this is the main thing that separates him and a borderline top 100 prospect like Clifford. He will likely be a first baseman long term, but has some corner outfield and third base experience.

The post 2026 Mets Positional Outlook: Corner Infield appeared first on Metsmerized Online.