IN FOCUS: Mack's 12th Mets Prospect - Elian Pena, Power Rankings, Jerry Jeff Walker, WAR By Team, Cyclone Power

 

Well... they didn't lose.

And Philly didn't win.

it's a start.

Lots of positive chatter about what some of the DSL kids are doing this year. Ain't ever seen stats from multiple players like this.

A warning. At best all of them are four new seasons away. That would make them Flushing bound in 2030.

But here's the catch. This is the Mets and they just don't move this fast. 

I read an article today on The Athletic about Jonah Tong and how the Mets feel he is "too young" to promote him to AAA ball. 

He's 22

Most of the GMs in this game would laugh at this, but this is how the Mets roll

2031 at best.

We continue with my countdown of Mets prospects with…

#12 – SP Noah Hall

Noah Gibbs Hall is a right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets organization, born March 30, 2001, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He stands 6'0" tall and weighs 195 pounds, batting and throwing right-handed. Hall was drafted by the Mets in the 7th round (216th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of South Carolina, after being previously selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 20th round of the 2022 MLB Draft but choosing not to sign.

Hall began his college career at Appalachian State University, where he pitched in 2020 and 2021, posting a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings as a freshman and a 3.99 ERA in 49.2 innings as a sophomore. He later transferred to South Carolina, where he faced tougher SEC competition. 

In 2022, he had a 4.34 ERA over 76.2 innings with 78 strikeouts. In 2023, before a back injury cut his season short, he excelled with a 3.29 ERA over 41 innings in seven starts, striking out 43 and walking only nine. Notable performances included:

A career-high 12 strikeouts in eight innings, allowing three hits in a 1-0 win over Penn (Feb. 25, 2023), earning SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week and Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week honors.

A complete-game win over Georgia (March 18, 2023) with five strikeouts and no walks.

10 strikeouts in seven innings against Missouri (March 25, 2023).

Eight strikeouts and no runs allowed in eight innings against Kentucky (May 14, 2023).

Since signing with the Mets in July 2023, Hall has pitched in the minor leagues, primarily with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones in 2024 and 2025. In 2025, he showed promise despite control issues, posting a 2.27 ERA over 63.1 innings in 14 games (10 starts) with 69 strikeouts, a .196 opponent batting average, but 40 walks, indicating a need to improve command. A standout performance came on May 5, 2025, with 5 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, and 6 strikeouts, and on June 22, 2025, he threw 2 scoreless innings in a piggyback role.

Hall’s fastball ranges from the low-to-mid-90s, topping out at 96 MPH, and is complemented by an above-average changeup, considered one of the best in the 2023 draft class with a 55% whiff rate and high spin rate, effective against both left- and right-handed hitters. 

His mid-80s slider shows promise but is less developed, as he relies primarily on his fastball-changeup combination. His unique mechanics involve sweeping his lead foot across the pitching rubber before his wind-up.

As of 2025, Hall remains in the Mets’ minor league system, playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones. His contract for 2025 is reported at $176,250, though detailed breakdowns are unavailable. While he has not yet reached the majors, his low ERA and high strikeout rates suggest potential, though his walk rate is a concern for future promotions

Mets Player Development                  @MetsPlayerDev

Elian Peña turned some heads with a MONSTER performance.

He is the Mets Minor League Player of the Week!

 

MLB Power Rankings -

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6461871/2025/07/01/mlb-power-rankings-guardians-mets/

7. New York Mets (6.9)

Record: 48-37

Last Power Ranking: 5

June trend: Roller coaster

As of June 12, the Mets had won six straight and 15 of 18. They were dominant, with a comfortable lead in an NL East expected to be a dogfight. But June 13 began a seven-game losing streak — which started a stretch in which they lost 10 of 11 — and over the weekend, the Mets were swept by the Pirates to finish 12-15 in June. Juan Soto was awesome (highest wRC+ in baseball for the month), but Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Kodai Senga went on the IL, straining a rotation that had been an unexpected strength, and the Phillies moved ahead of the Mets in the division. Early June showed how good the Mets can be, but late June showed something else entirely.

Jim Koenigsberger                                  @Jimfrombaseball

"Jerry Jeff Walker and I stood there and watched this guy sing “Mr. Bojangles” in front of a closed-down old blues bar, and I could feel us both getting choked up. And I was asking myself, ‘Should I tell this guy that he’s  playing Jerry Jeff’s song, and that Jerry Jeff is standing right here?’

But, no, I figured that if Jerry Jeff wanted to let this guy know who he was, he’d tell him.

He chose not to.

When the song was over, Jerry Jeff said, ‘That sounded great,’ and then he put a fuckload of cash—every bit of  cash he had on him—into that guy’s hat. And then we walked off to the  hotel, and I just couldn’t leave the moment alone.

‘Maybe the highlight of my life,’ I said.

‘Boring life so far, kid.’"

Todd Snider

Mack – Is this a baseball story? Nah, but a great sidebar.

I met Jerry Jeff in 1981 when I hired him to sing at a cocktail party for clients of mine in Austin Texas. I just recently moved there and didn’t realize that OG country greats were having a real hard time getting even a nightly local gig. Was told that local clubs on 6^th Street wouldn’t hire Willie anymore.

I let someone else work out the cost of paying Jerry Jeff (don’t call him J.J.) to someone else and expected this was gonna cost me. It didn’t. He agreed to $300. I actually felt sad and threw in another $50 in his guitar case.

There was about 200 people at that cocktail party. No one was a kinder soul there than Jerry Jeff.

Thomas Nestico                       @TJStats

WAR by Team 

Brooklyn Cyclones                  @BKCyclones

Here's a look at the National Grid Power Report featuring the hardest hit balls from our most recent series with the Jersey Shore Blue Claws