MACK - DEEP DIVE - RHSP Jean Brito - C Ali Sanchez - OF AJ Ewing

 

Mets Prospect Group                     @bkfan09

19/yr old Jean Brito had a solid 2025 yr in the DSL. Brito will be 20 for the entire 2026 Season.

                A deep dive…

                Jean Pablo Arturo Brito is a 19-year-old right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets' minor league system, who just completed the season playing for the DSL Mets Orange, a rookie affiliate in the Dominican Summer League.

 Born on March 28, 2006, in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, Brito stands at 6'3" and weighs 180 pounds. He throws and bats right-handed. The Mets signed him as an international free agent to a minor league contract in 2023.

He pitched for both Mets DSL teams this past season and his combined stats were:

                13-G, 7-ST, 1-5, 2.84, 1.17, 44.1-IP, 36-K, 21-BB

                MACK –

Not much to write about here… yet. Brito wasn’t one of the top IFA but these are quite impressing in a league known more for hitting.

                Obviously, he needs to work on his BB/9.

He only pitched in 13 games and, being only 19, the Mets may decide to have him repeat in the DR for another season. We’ll keep an eye on his.

 

Will Sammon                     @WillSammon

The Mets and catcher Ali Sanchez are in agreement on a minor-league deal, league sources said.

                A deep dive…

                Ali Sánchez is a 28-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball catcher currently with the New York Mets organization, having recently signed a minor league deal.

He has played in MLB for five teams: the New York Mets (2020), St. Louis Cardinals (2021), Miami Marlins (2024), Toronto Blue Jays (2025), and Boston Red Sox (2025).

Over his four-year MLB career, Sánchez has appeared in 47 games, with a .185 batting average, 22 hits, 6 doubles, 4 RBIs, and 7 runs scored.

In 2025, he played 9 games split between the Blue Jays and Red Sox, hitting .227 with 5 hits and 2 doubles.

 Sánchez is known for his strong defensive skills, particularly his game-calling, pitch-framing, and ability to throw out base stealers, with a 44% caught stealing rate in the upper minors in 2019.

His arm strength is average, but his quick transfer and accuracy enhance his defensive impact.

Offensively, he’s a contact-oriented hitter with limited power, often using an inside-out swing to hit to all fields.

His career minor league stats include a .262 average and .766 OPS in 2025 with Triple-A Buffalo, where he hit 6 home runs.

Originally signed by the Mets in 2013 as an international free agent for $690,000, Sánchez progressed through their system, earning prospect rankings (e.g., 15th in Mets’ system in 2016 per MLB Pipeline). He’s bounced around recently, being claimed off waivers multiple times, including by the Red Sox from the Blue Jays in August 2025, before being designated for assignment and returning to the Mets.

Sánchez is valued for his defensive prowess but faces challenges securing a consistent MLB role due to his light bat.

                MACK –

My guess is that the Mets signed Sanchez because of the multiple dings going around regarding their current catchers. My second guess is Francisco Alvarez will be shut down for the season and have the surgery that is needed to fully heal his troublesome thumb.       

Once again, I am surprised that the Mets haven’t promoted Kevin Parada to Syracuse. But, what do I know?

 

Ernest Dove                       @ernestdove

Small sample size success at the moment for Mets OF prospect AJ Ewing since promotion to AA

10 gm

5 XBH

4 SB

.318/.362/.455/.817

                A deep dive…

                A.J. Ewing is a 21-year-old American professional baseball outfielder and second baseman in the New York Mets organization, born August 10, 2004, in Kettering, Ohio.

Drafted in the fourth round (compensatory pick for Jacob deGrom’s departure) of the 2023 MLB Draft from Springboro High School,

Ewing signed for an above-slot $675,000, forgoing a commitment to Alabama.

Listed at 5’11”, 160 pounds, he bats left and throws right.

2025 Performance:

Ewing has emerged as a standout Mets prospect, ranked No. 8 by Baseball America.

In 2025, he played across three minor league levels: Low-A St. Lucie, High-A Brooklyn, and Double-A Binghamton. He posted a .308/.410/.429 slash line with an .839 OPS and 58 stolen bases across St. Lucie and Brooklyn, including a .400 average and 1.121 OPS in 18 games at St. Lucie, earning Florida State League Player of the Month honors for April.

At Brooklyn, he hit .288 with 44 stolen bases (fourth in the South Atlantic League) and a .387 OBP. Promoted to Binghamton on August 11, 2025, he doubled twice in a game on August 21. His 2025 stats highlight his speed (60-grade run tool) and on-base skills, with a .383 average with runners in scoring position and 50-for-56 stolen bases in 255 at-bats.

Scouting Report:

Ewing’s strengths include his strike-zone discipline (19% chase rate, 14.7% walk rate at St. Lucie) and above-average speed, making him a stolen base threat and effective in center field and second base. His hit tool (graded 50) and bat speed generate surprising power for his size, with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 102 mph and 10 home runs in 2024. However, his pull-heavy approach (40.9% pull rate) and struggles with high-velocity pitches lead to a high strikeout rate (29.1% at St. Lucie). His arm strength (45-grade) limits him to second base or outfield roles, with the Mets transitioning him from shortstop to a utility profile, potentially resembling Jeff McNeil. Defensively, he’s solid (55-grade fielding), with versatility across center field, left field, and second base.

Background and Development:

At Springboro High School, Ewing was the Great Western Ohio Conference Player of the Year, hitting .464 with four home runs, 37 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases. Rated the No. 3 prospect in Ohio and No. 57 nationally by Perfect Game, he shone at the 2022 PBR National Program Invitational (.684, three HRs). In 2024, his first full season, he hit .233/.361/.390 (.751 OPS) across St. Lucie and the Florida Complex League, with 10 home runs and 13 stolen bases. His 2025 breakout has boosted his stock, with analysts noting his potential as a high-floor player due to his hit tool, speed, and glove, though his power (45-grade) remains a question.

                Mack –

There is no doubt that Ewing will be ready to become one of the Mets outfielders in 2027. The questions are whether that will be as a starter or will it be on another team.

The internal development of starters like Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong is taking the pressure off of the brass regarding to continuing trading prospects for possible solutions needed on the mound. If that continues, players like Ewing can compete with other Mets prospects for either the starting role down the road in left or center.

Me?

I would project Ewing as the starter in 2027 at either of the corner Mets positions, moving the current starter there to a DSH role. I would also make him the lead-off hitter for a new, faster, more exciting lineup going forward.