In Focus - Yesterday's Highlights

 

Morning

One thing before I get going this week

 
Tom remains on a hiatus and we hope to have him back soon. My IN FOCUS posts and just here to fill the scheduling holes created when Tom took a breather.  I'll find other slots for them when Tom returns.

Hurry back my friend.
Mack

Per request to reprint – 

Twelve Mets prospects to watch early in the minor-leagues

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6253398/2025/04/04/mets-prospects-minor-league-season/

SP Matt Allan, St. Lucie

On Sunday, Allan will do something he hasn’t since 2019: pitch in a professional baseball game. It will cap off a remarkable return journey from three elbow surgeries for the 2019 third-round pick, and the Mets are ecstatic he’s even gotten to this point.

“A reasonable expectation would have been that he never pitches again,” Christie said. “He doesn’t really care about reasonable expectations. He just has an insane amount of belief in himself.”

The Mets made Allan the centerpiece of their 2019 draft for a reason, and they still believe him capable of reaching that level.

Allan will be treated as a typical starter at St. Lucie, which means a first outing of three or maybe four innings.

“There’s been a lot of breath wasted on pitch and innings limits and determining a limit on a guy prior to seeing how a guy responds to each outing. That’s not what we want to do,” Christie said. “We want to see how he’s bouncing back and how his body and his arm feel and just keep stacking days. That’s been the theme for the last year.”

Thomas Nestico                 @TJStats

Prospect Parade: Florida State League Opening Week

Will Watson was selected in the 7th round of the 2024 Draft and he is already looking like a win for the Mets. He wields a duo of fastballs that each exhibit intriguing characteristics and he supplements them with a changeup and slider. His fastball is his strongest pitch, sitting in the mid-90s with well above average ride for his slot. The offering averages 94.7 MPH with 18” iVB from a 5.3 ft release which helps it grade out as a plus offering. His cutter looks promising, sitting in 89-91 MPH with minimal arm-side action and 8-10” iVB. Along with his slider, it should make up most of his usage against RHH. His changeup is the last piece of the puzzle and its immense arm-side run and vertical separation from his fastball helps push it towards average.

Similar to Khal Stephen, Watson has a 4-pitch mix that should excel in the lower minors. He could be a fast mover in the Mets system with his fastball carrying the bulk of the load.

MLB OPS Leaders

Bottom 10 OPS

 

BrooksGate             @Brooks_Gate

the most popular MLB player walk-up songs this season

Transactions

 Please note the following Syracuse Mets roster moves:

-RHP Jordan Geber placed on Syracuse's Development List

-RHP José Ureña activated off Syracuse's Development List

 

Syracuse –

After shaking off a game one 2-0 loss, the Syracuse Mets turned around to beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 7-0, in game two of the Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Coca-Cola Park. Syracuse starting pitcher Brandon Waddell was magnificent in game two of the doubleheader, delivering five shutout innings.

Although the bats couldn’t get going, the Syracuse pitching staff was very solid. José Ureña made his Mets debut, pitching three and one-third innings, allowing just one run. After Ureña, Austin Warren got five outs, giving up one run. To end it, Rico Garcia threw one scoreless inning.

On the mound,  Waddell was spectacular. The left-hander threw five one-hit, scoreless innings with four strikeouts. After Waddell, Anthony Gose and Tyler Zuber completed the shutout with two more scoreless innings.

 

Binghamton –

he Binghamton Rumble Ponies (3-4) defeated the Hartford Yard Goats, 2-1, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Mirabito Stadium. Right-hander Nolan McLean (1-0) made the start for Binghamton and earned the victory. He struck out six batters over five innings and allowed just one run on three hits and three walks.

 

McLean stranded six runners on base including the bases loaded in the fourth inning.

Right-hander Joander Suarez made his season debut in relief and struck out six batters over four scoreless frames, while allowing just two hits. Suarez earned the save.

Postgame Notes: McLean has recorded 14 strikeouts over nine innings in his first two starts and has only allowed one run…Center fielder Nick Morabito singled and stole a base in the third inning…Morabito is now 5-for-5 in stolen bases this season…Catcher Kevin Parada reached base twice with a double and a walk…First baseman Nick Lorusso doubled in the sixth inning, which marked his fourth double and fifth extra base hit of the season.

 

Brooklyn –

The Cyclones closed out their first home stand of the season with an 8-1 victory over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Sunday afternoon. With the win the Cyclones improved to 6-3 on the season. SS Kevin Villavicencio went 3-for-3, while 1B Ronald Hernandez and LF D’Andre Smith each collected three RBI to pace the Brooklyn bats.

With the way the Cyclones pitchers were throwing the ball, that lead would be more than enough. RHPs R.J. Gordon, Dylan Ross, Ben Simon and Anthony Nunez combined to limit the Renegades to just one run – a solo shot from 2B Jose Colmenares – on four hits while striking out ten.

 

St. Lucie –

The St. Lucie Mets could not quite complete a comeback, falling by a final score of 2-1 to the Lakeland Flying Tigers on Sunday afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium. The Mets ended the week with a 3-3 series split against the Flying Tigers.

The Mets’ lone run came early. Drew Gilbert hit a line-drive RBI double off the right field wall in the first to give St. Lucie a 1-0 lead. Gilbert finished the day with 2-4 with the double and RBI.

Pitching continued to be the story of this game, with Mets pitchers racking up nine strikeouts. The staff held Lakeland to eight hits and one earned run while limiting the walks to just two. Will Watson continued his great week, giving up three hits in 3.1 IP with two strikeouts. Juan Arnaud and Chandler Marsh followed, combining for 1.2 IP and three strikeouts.

Jesus Baez had a solid day at the plate, going 2-4 with two singles in the sixth and eighth and solid defensive work in the field with two assists.

  

Daniel Wexler                    @WexlerRules

Strong outing Edgar Moreta for 3 innings 4 hits 1 er striking out 5 (a whopping 16 swings and misses, FB up to 95.4). He and Will Watson are piggybacking for St. Lucie today. Watson 1 inning 1 hit 95-97 on his FB

 

Ernest Dove             @ernestdove

Drew Gilbert RBI double brings home Jeff Mcneil to get things going for St. Lucie Mets. This seriously needs to be Gilbert last rehab game here.

Its now back to back scoreless appearances for Mets RHP Prospect Will Watson in Low A. His two outings combined. - 7.2 inn  3 H 0 ER 2 BB 9 K

Imagine not having Luis Torrens on your team.

Mets prospect Chris Suero is blossoming before our very eyes right now. He's now off to a start hitting .345 with a 1.234 OPS through 8 games. He's played C 1B & LF.

Absolutely fantastic & encouraging sign from Kodai Senga today and oh by the way I could Absolutely care less who the opponent is. This is good for Senga and the entire Mets team.

 

Mets Prospect Group                   @bkfan09

Angel Montero should be fun to watch pitch this summer in the DSL , Mets just paid a $175K Bonus for Montero

Josmir Reyes Finally healthy, Venezuelan Catching Prospect who had all of 3 AB. 2 H, 1 BB in 2024. Just another name to throw in the group of Catching Prospects for the Mets.

Mike Mayer                        @mikemayer22

Mets pitching prospect Nolan McLean for Double-A Binghamton today:

5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 81 pitches/47 strikes

 

Sam Maxwell                      @THE_SamMaxwell

With the Padres surging, it is hard as a Mets fan not to see a correlation to Iglesias’s energy. And w the Mets offense scuffling (Torrens hit notwithstanding) & ESP at 2nd base w/o McNeil around, you have to wonder if there would be a better feeling around the team if Josè was here

 

Michael Baron                    @michaelgbaron

The Mets have pitched to a team ERA of 2.47 over their first 14 games of the season, the best in baseball. Their starters have an MLB-best 2.80 ERA, their relievers a 2.03 ERA, the third best in baseball. Their hitting? Not quite as good yet.

Kodai Senga brilliant!

Good bounce back for the #Mets offense today, and some key hits late for both Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. Hopefully they’re on track.

Kodai Senga was brilliant, so was the bullpen. Third shutout of the year.

 

Codify                        @CodifyBaseball

2025 OPS+:

143 NYY

126 CHC

122 ARI

121 STL

120 DET

117 SD

116 LAA

114 LAD ATH

112 TB

109 WSH PHI

108 SF

105 SEA

103 CLE

101 BOS TOR

99 BAL

96 MIL

95 ATL

88 NYM

 

Corne Hogeveen                @CorneHogeveen

The Mets have the fourth best winning percentage in the NL and the Majors. Yes the NL is much more competitive!

Every day when I follow the Mets organization, there is an intriguing arm pitching somewhere!

 

Mike Puma              @NYPost_Mets

Jose Urena, who pitched today for Syracuse, is among the possibilities the Mets have discussed as the sixth starter for the Cardinals series. Urena would be on full rest if the Mets place him into Friday's start, giving Kodai Senga an extra day of rest.

 

Subway To Shea Podcast            @SubwayToShea

This offense has to come through at some point… right?… RIGHT?

 

Andy Martino                     @martinonyc

Luis Torrens was a bat-first catcher early in his career. Went to the Yankees’ renowned catching program to shore up his defense, and Carlos Mendoza was smart enough to note the progression and help with the trade last year. Now he’s a legit big league C

 

Just Baseball                       @JustBB_Media

After making just one regular season start in 2024, Kodai Senga has been very sharp through his first three starts this year.

19 IP   2 ER   16 K   1.06 ERA