ANGRY MIKE
Nolan McLean was brilliant across 3 different levels, starting at AA and finishing as the Mets #1 SP during the final 6 weeks of the 2025 season.
He tallied a remarkable 13 quality starts across those 3 levels out of only 22 games started.
He tallied 18 outings where he averaged better than a strikeout per inning.
He established himself as a premier strikeout artist, tallying 5+ strikeouts in his final 15 consecutive outings
23 of McLean’s 29 total outings he recorded 5+ strikeouts, and 12 outings he recorded 7+ strikeouts, & 3 outings with double digit strikeouts
His final outing of the season was arguably his most dominant outing, despite giving up a career high 3 HR and 5 ER, but he still helped secure a must-win against the Cubs on the road during the final week of the season.
McLean set a career high in games started and innings pitched for the season but showed zero signs of fatigue, diminished velocity, or control issues.
It was also the first time in McLean’s career he accumulated a 100+ IP in consecutive seasons, and he still flashed plus velocity on his 4-seam & 2-seam fastballs
McLean finished the season as arguably the most exciting pitching prospect to debut with the Mets since Doc Gooden, and that’s even with fellow prospect Jonah Tong earning Minor League Pitcher of the year honors
McLean arguably flashed the filthiest arsenal the MLB has seen since Paul Skenes, defying physics with many of his pitches and setting the analytics data charts on fire.
McLean also became the first Mets rookie to win his first 4 starts, as well as recording one of the lowest ERA’s in MLB history thru his first 7 outings.
2026 SEASON OUTLOOK
McLean established himself as the ACE of Mets rotation, and his bulldog mentality and humble demeanor made him a fan favorite among the Mets fanbase and among baseball fans across the league who appreciate pitchers with his unique skill set.
McLean finished with just enough innings to maintain his rookie status for the 2026, and looks like the early favorite to become the Mets first Rookie of the Year since Pete Alonso (2019).
As good as McLean was during the 2025 season, there is still plenty of room for improvement, making him straight NIGHTMARE FUEL for opposing hitters
At times he fell behind hitters, but his pitches are so lethal he’s capable of recovering with relative ease.
Improving upon his ability to minimize falling behind hitters and mastering his plus-plus arsenal will position him to not ont only runaway with R.O.Y. honors, but perhaps even challenge to become only the fifth Mets pitcher to win a Cy Young Award.
As rookie he made some of the best hitters in the league look like amateurs, and was regularly touted as a special talent by opposing hitters and broadcasting personnel.
The only tangible benefit to the Mets 2025 season ending early is it saved McLean and his fellow rookies from accumulating any further innings in October, which should enable them to come back strong for the 2026 season.
McLean gained incredibly valuable experience during his brief MLB stint, which should allow him to deploy his tactical approach to attacking hitters with even more confidence during the 2026 season.
UPDATED SCOUTING REPORT
I don’t care which websites say what, what I saw from McLean were at least 4 pitches that are 65-grade or better.
His 4-seam fastball is a legit 60-grade pitch and a future 65 grade offering, that features plus average velocity, plus top-end velocity, and plus command.
McLean’s plus athleticism and plus projection should allow him to increase both his average velocity & top-end velocity as he continues to build arm strength.
Concerns over his 11% walk rate in the minors were quickly dispelled with each start in a Mets uniform and will continue to improve as he gains experience.
His curveball and slider/sweeper are at a minimum 70-grade offerings that could easily become 80-grade in the near future.
If Devin Williams changeup is known as the “Air Bender”, it makes sense to label McLean’s slider/sweeper as the “AIR BREAKER”, due to its wiffle-ball like movement.
Spin rates, command, and his ability to manipulate speeds and movement of his curveball and slider/sweeper simply hasn’t been seen before.
His 2-seamer features plus velocity and he can manipulate its movement pretty much anyway he wants, from a back-door break on the outside corner it to right-handed batters, or make it tail away from lefties.
His changeup offers the same type of lethality as his other breaking balls but with a wicked sharp fade and a distinct pitch shape that baffled hitters at times.
Everyone from scouts to hitters can only speculate as to how McLean was able to master so many different pitches during his limited experience in the minors, especially when you take into account 2025 WAS HIS FIRST YEAR AS A FULL-TIME STARTING PITCHER.
What’s even more fascinating is the fact McLean only accumulated 57 career innings across 3 seasons at Oklahoma State.
To say McLean is the MLB version of “Neo” from the “Matrix” is fitting, because of how insane his arsenal is and because he’s only begun to tap into his true potential.
12 comments:
I have to say that I had HOPED this guy would make it to Queens but I never had him pegged as an ace
McLean is remarkable and comports himself like a veteran. He could also challenge Pete Alonso in a HR Distance Derby. When he made contact in the minors, reminded me of Dave Kingman.
On April 10, 2024, McLean made his Brooklyn and pro pitching debut with 3.1 scoreless innings. On April 12, he got his first chance to play in a game as a hitter…and homered. Love that dude.
In his career as a hitter, he fanned way too much, but hit an amazing 9 HR and 9 doubles in 167 plate appearances.
Correction. He briefly debuted in the lower minors in 2023. Homered once and pitched well over 3 innings.
I was concerned he’d not be a good enough pitcher or hitter, when drafted as a two way player. He struck out too much to make it likely he’d have ever made it someday as a MLB power hitter. But he sure pitches great.
I'm thrilled I got a chance to see him pitch multiple times at the end of the season
Just filthy
Great Post Mike.
Imagine if the Mets used McLean as a DH 14 times in order to gain that extra roster spot during the playoffs. That would be very interesting. Probably to risky though.
O.S.U. primarily focused on developing him as a hitter, which explains the low IP total. I think the majority of scouts saw him more as a hitter coming out of college, which makes how he re-invented himself even more remarkable.
Thanks John!
He didn’t even have the best numbers in the minors, Tong was the first pitcher in history to lead the minors in ERA & strikeouts
McLean's stardom comes from making the ball move an extraordinary distance due to the high RPM he generates. MLB hitters always have a way of catching up to pitching but it will be more difficult in Nolan's case because he has many pitches with very different breaks. Try to guess your way through that at-bat!
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