Steve Sica: Prospects or Playoffs? The Mets Deadline Strategy

We’ve reached July, and as most baseball fans know, one of the most important days of the season is approaching.

The MLB trade deadline is just four weeks away. All signs point to the Mets being buyers, which means several top prospects could be on the move. With the starting rotation seemingly losing a pitcher to injury every week, the lineup showing glaring holes, and even the once-reliable bullpen springing leaks, there’s no shortage of needs as the team gears up for a playoff push.

What prospects will the Mets be willing to part with? How aggressive will they be? And which players do David Stearns and the Mets’ front office consider untouchable? Let’s break it down.

The Untouchables:

• Jonah Tong
  
  

• Jett Williams
  
  

• Carson Benge
  
  

• Nolan McLean
  
  

Personally, I’m a prospect hugger, so I could’ve made this list 10 names long. But realistically, these are the players the Mets brass would want to keep in the system.

Tong and McLean have excelled on the mound this season, with Tong emerging as arguably the best pitcher in Double-A. McLean, who started the year alongside Tong in Binghamton, has adjusted well to hitter-friendly Triple-A, posting a 2.72 ERA in 49 innings for Syracuse. For a team watching its starting pitching depth shrink weekly, it seems unlikely the Mets would part with their best young, controllable arms unless a rich prize becomes available (think Juan Soto in the 2022 Nats/Padres trade).

Jonah Tong has risen to the top 100 overall prospect list in 2025

Jett Williams has been one of the most hyped prospects in the system since being drafted in the first round in 2022. He’s been bullying Double-A pitching this season (.892 OPS) and, with a blend of contact, speed, and versatility in the field, he seems more likely to join the Mets later this season than be dealt.

Carson Benge, the Mets' 2024 first-round pick, is living up to expectations. He earned a promotion to Double-A Binghamton after slashing .302 with an .897 OPS in 60 games at High-A Brooklyn. Benge is climbing not just the Mets' rankings but national ones as well—he’s now MLB Pipeline’s No. 81 overall prospect. It would take a near-elite player to pry away either Williams or Benge.

Marquee Trade Pieces:

• Brandon Sproat
  
  

• Ryan Clifford
  
  

• Jesus Baez
  
  

If the Mets are going after a big name at the deadline—like a Jarren Duran, Eugenio Suárez, or even a reunion with Seth Lugo—it would likely require dealing one of these three.

Sproat remains a top-100 prospect despite his struggles in Syracuse this year. His ERA has ballooned to 5.43 over 68 Triple-A innings, but the 2023 second-rounder is still intriguing to teams looking to sell. It’s worth noting that he posted a sub-3.00 ERA across High-A and Double-A last season.

In the 2023 deadline sell-off, the Mets acquired Ryan Clifford in exchange for Justin Verlander. Clifford may now be the best power bat in the Mets’ system, drawing comparisons to Kyle Schwarber. He leads all Mets minor leaguers with 13 home runs in Binghamton and posted a .930 OPS in June. As a first baseman, his path could be blocked if the Mets extend Pete Alonso. Trading Clifford might sting, but could benefit both sides.

Ryan Clifford is the best pure power hitter in the Mets' system.

Jesus Baez has reached High-A Brooklyn, and the 20-year-old middle infielder is making a name for himself. He’s totaled 40 RBIs, eight home runs, and has shown impressive plate discipline with 29 walks to 38 strikeouts. The Mets haven’t found much success in the international market in recent years, but Baez could change that. He’s exactly the kind of talent rebuilding teams look to add.

Buy Low, Sell High:

• Nick Morabito
  
  

• Jacob Reimer
  
  

• A.J. Ewing
  
  

• Jack Wenninger
  
  

These four are enjoying breakout years in 2025, which could make them prime trade candidates. While they’ve caught attention and climbed the system ranks, it’s unclear whether their performance is sustainable. Think back to once-hyped Mets prospects like Dilson Herrera, Gavin Cecchini, or César Puello—players the Mets might’ve traded at their MiLB peaks to bolster playoff runs in 2015 and 2016.

Hindsight is 20/20 with deadline deals. Will it be a Yoenis Céspedes-type trade? In 2015, the Mets dealt Michael Fulmer—who went on to win Rookie of the Year in 2016—for Céspedes, who powered the Mets to a pennant. Fulmer’s early success would eventually dissolve and now that’s a deal the Mets would make again in a heartbeat.

Or could it be a Pete Crow-Armstrong scenario? In 2021, the Mets sent the future All-Star to Chicago for two months of Javier Báez in a season that ended 77–85.

It’s been a thrill watching A.J. Ewing set the basepaths on fire in High-A with 33 steals. Jacob Reimer, a 2022 fourth-round pick, has finally found his rhythm (.887 OPS) and is already adjusting to Double-A. Jack Wenninger—drafted in the sixth round in 2023 and once outside the top-30 prospects—has been a revelation. He owns a 2.97 ERA and ranks second in the Eastern League with 89 strikeouts.

The Mets could move any of these players, land a key piece, and no one will complain—especially if there’s a parade in November. Or they could hold firm and hope these prospects develop into the next homegrown core. The risk? Trading them away and watching them succeed elsewhere while 2025 goes nowhere.

There’s no perfect answer—unless you’ve got a crystal ball. Welcome to the MLB Trade Deadline. May the odds be ever in your favor.