MACK - MY FRIDAY OBSERVATIONS - MACK'S #18 PROSPECT/SP R.J.GORDON - AFL, Cedrick Mullins, Zach Pop, Jacob Reimer, Level of Disappointment, Tatsuya Imai,Pete Alonso, Channing Austin

 

I promised all of you that, as soon as the season ended, I would breakout and post my current Top 30 prospects.

This is performance based, not players that came to the Mets full of promise but have only produced butterscotch pudding. A perfect example of a player that didn’t make this list is catcher Ronald Hernandez. I still like the guy, but based on what he did in 2025, I don’t like him “top 30 guy”.

Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong are not on this list. They have graduated.

I will post them in each of my weekly Observations and In Focus posts… one player at a time… beginning with #30.

Today, we move to #18:

                                                                     SP             R.J. Gordon 

23/years old                      6-0          195         RHSP 

2025:     A +/AA -             26-G, 21-ST, 11-3, 3.36, 1.23, 128.2-IP, 46-BB, 147-K 

R.J. Gordon is a right-handed pitcher and a prospect in the New York Mets organization, currently ranked as their No. 25 prospect. Born on October 26, 2001, in Thousand Oaks, California, he stands at 6'0" and weighs 195 pounds. Gordon was selected by the Mets in the 13th round (383rd overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft out of the University of Oregon. 

Gordon grew up in Santa Clarita, California, and attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks before transferring to West Ranch High School for his senior year. Initially a two-way player (outfielder and pitcher), he transitioned to full-time pitching at Oregon under coach Mark Wasikowski. His high school career was impacted by injuries, including a freshman-year setback, and his senior season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, he batted .414 in his abbreviated senior year and drew attention from college scouts, committing to Oregon.

At Oregon, Gordon had a notable college career, finishing with a 14-9 record and a 5.22 ERA over 51 appearances (28 starts) and 182.2 innings, with 155 strikeouts and 89 walks. In 2024, his redshirt junior season, he was named Honorable Mention All-Pac-12, starting 17 games with a 7-6 record, 5.13 ERA, 87 strikeouts, and 46 walks in 94.2 innings. He missed the 2023 season due to a UCL injury requiring internal brace surgery but returned as Oregon’s opening day starter in 2024. 

In his professional career, Gordon debuted with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones in 2025, posting a 3.06 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 67.2 innings over 15 appearances. 

Promoted to Double-A Binghamton in July 2025, he excelled, going 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts). His standout performance earned him the Eastern League Pitcher of the Month award for August 2025, where he went 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 42 strikeouts, and nine walks in 34.2 innings, leading the league in innings pitched and ranking high in WHIP (0.95) and batting average against (.190). 

Fastball: Gordon has expressed a goal of reaching 100 mph, a common aspiration among young pitchers. While he hasn’t hit that mark, his fastball velocity has been sufficient to compete effectively at the professional level. 

Kick Change: Upon joining the Mets, Gordon began developing a kick change, a pitch popularized by pitchers like Clay Holmes. He noted that this pitch suits his post-surgery mechanics and has become one of his best offerings. The kick change likely provides deception and movement, helping him keep hitters off balance. 

Gordon emphasizes unpredictability, stating that he aims to keep hitters guessing with no clear tendencies in his pitch selection. This suggests a varied arsenal, likely including additional pitches like a slider, curveball, or cutter, though specific details on these are not explicitly documented in the sources. His ability to mix pitches effectively has contributed to his success, particularly in Double-A. 

Gordon’s first professional season showcased his potential. His 3.06 ERA in High-A and 3.00 ERA in Double-A reflect consistency and adaptability. His strikeout rate (10.1 K/9 in Double-A) and low walk totals demonstrate improving command. 

Gordon’s rapid rise from a 13th-round pick to the Mets’ No. 25 prospect underscores his potential. He’s part of a strong Mets pitching prospect group, including Jonah Tong, Nolan McLean, and Jonathan Santucci. 

Gordon’s journey from injury setbacks to a promising professional start highlights his resilience and talent. His ability to develop a new pitch like the kick change and his focus on unpredictability suggest a pitcher with room to grow. While not yet on the Mets’ 40-man roster, his 2025 performance positions him as a candidate for further promotions, potentially reaching Triple-A Syracuse or higher in 2026. His development will likely focus on refining his secondary pitches and increasing velocity to enhance his starter profile.

MACK – Gordon is seldomly written about; however, he truly is a dark horse for the 2027 Mets rotation. 

Dove                       @ernestdove

Notable Mets prospect stats in AFL

OF Nick Morabito 10 gm .317/.417 6 BB/9K   9 SB

UT Chris Suero   9 gm    4 HR 9 RBI 4 SB

UT D'Andre Smith   .353 OBP      6 BB / 4 K

RP Brett Banks        5 inn 11 K

P Austin Troesser      3.86 ERA

Cedric Mullins

LINK

Mullins enters free agency after struggling in a major way with the Mets after the club reeled him in to be their everyday center fielder. The Mets acquired Mullins at the trade deadline from the Baltimore Orioles for minor-league pitchers Anthony Nunez, Raimon Gómez and Chandler Marsh. With the Mets, Mullins hit just two home runs and slashed .182/.284/.281 in 143 plate appearances. His defense was mediocre. By the end of the season, he lost a starting job.

The drop in production came after Mullins hit 15 home runs and slashed .229/.305/.433 (355 plate appearances) with the Orioles, the only major-league team he had played for before the trade. An eight-year veteran entering his age-31 season, Mullins is hoping teams favor his speed, defense and track record despite his failed two-month stint with the Mets. For his career, Mullins owns a .736 OPS (105 OPS-plus).

Forgotten Ex-2025 Mets

https://risingapple.com/ny-mets-3-players-2025-roster-already-forgot/2

Zach Pop

One of several pitchers the Mets used for a single game this year, Zach Pop was one of the more forgettable featured on the mound. He pitched against the New York Yankees on July 6. His 3 earned runs in 1.1 innings in a bullpen game started by Chris Devenski is one of those games that shouldn’t be easily forgotten for a ball club that missed the playoffs by a single victory.

Pop was the losing pitcher in this game, allowing a leadoff home run to Austin Wells in the third inning. It proved costly as the Mets fell to the Yankees 6-4.

Pop managed to latch onto the Chicago Cubs following his release from the Mets. In a small sample in Triple-A, he predictably had an ERA over 5.00.

The 2025 Mets season was historic for how the team set a record for using the most pitchers of any MLB history. Pop was one no one was excited for who was gone before we could even grow to become frustrated with how overused he became. Somehow his 20.25 ERA wasn’t even the worst of any Mets pitcher this year. Two of them had a 27.00 ERA, including one more you might have forgotten about.

 

Who are the next young studs for the Mets?

LINK

3B Jacob Reimer (No. 6 prospect, Double-A BNG)

2025 MiLB Totals: 122 G, 522 PA, .282/.379/.491, 125 H, 17 HR, 32 2B, 5 3B, 88 R, 77 RBI, 15 SB, 21.5%-11.1% K-BB%, .209 ISO, .338 BABIP, .399 wOBA, 157 wRC+

Latest Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 / Power: 50 / Run: 40 / Arm: 50 / Field: 45 / Overall: 50

MLB Comp: Max Muncy (2015 Grades: 45 / 40 / 40 / 45 / 45 / Overall: 45)

Given his placement just outside the Top 5 on the Mets’ prospect list, I imagine everyone reading this is plenty familiar with Jacob Reimer’s name as well. That’s for good reason: Reimer had a scorching 2025 campaign.

After an initial struggle at High-A in 2023 and then an injury-shortened follow-up campaign in 2024, Reimer entered the 2025 season as the Mets’ 15th overall prospect. Though his skillset was apparent, there were some questions about whether they’d consistently translate to in-game results.

Safe to say those concerns have been largely put to rest.

But it’s not just the eye-popping slash line or the position-leading wRC+ that have my hype meter going crazy. This is what has me extra stoked about Reimer:

Among third basemen with at least 500 plate appearances, Reimer led all of Minor League Baseball in isolated power (ISO) and ranked third in Speed score (Spd). No other third base prospect offered a profile quite like that in 2025.

Though Reimer’s 15 stolen bases in 2025 were only good enough to tie for 20th among his MiLB peers, it reflected a 5x increase from his 2023 total of three (3) stolen bases. Couple that with a doubled homer output, and to say Reimer simply ‘bounced back’ from his hamstring injury would be putting it mildly.

Long story short, this kid’s fantastic, and he’s only going to get better. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a cup of coffee in 2026.

Mets fan survey results

LINK

How would you describe your level of disappointment at the end of the 2025 season?

51% - This wasn't as bad as 2007 … but it was close

19% - Disappointed? I was glad I didn't have to watch more games

17% - It's always this disappointing

13% - I've never been more disappointed as a Mets fan

While very few fans went so far as to call 2025 the most disappointing season in franchise history, the majority put it near the 2007 standard-bearer.

Hidden Gem Pitcher

LINK

Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai ninth overall, and fourth when it comes to pitchers. Of the seven teams he believes are a good fit for the right-hander, he had the Mets at the top of his list.

Tatsuya Imai stats: 10-5 record: 1.92 ERA, 0.892 WHIP, 178 SO, 45 BB, 163.2 IP

Tatsuya Imai projected to be middle of the rotation starter in MLB

·         Infielders Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto are the most talked-about Japanese players set to be posted this winter. However, Bowden has Imai ranked well ahead of his countrymen. He explained why the 27-year-old could land a deal worth $154 million.

“Imai is an undersized (listed at 5-foot-11, 154 pounds) right-handed starter for the Saitama Seibu Lions who is expected to be posted this offseason. He sits in the mid-90s with his fastball but can reach the high-90s when he needs it. His best secondary pitch is a wipeout slider, and he mixes in a changeup, splitter, curveball, and sinker. A two-time All-Star in Japan, Imai posted a 1.92 ERA in 163 2/3 innings this season. Despite his slight build, he’s been durable and profiles in MLB as a mid-rotation innings-eater who can keep hitters guessing.”

Dan Bartels                         @DanBartels2

Pete Alonso should be a New York Met for life

Pete Alonso, who led the New York Mets with 38 home runs and 125 RBIs in 2025, declined his player option and entered free agency, with agent Scott Boras seeking a seven-year contract exceeding $180 million. Hall of Famer Keith Hernandez, a Mets icon and broadcaster, urged owner Steve Cohen to secure Alonso long-term, comparing him to Harmon Killebrew and stressing his irreplaceable power. While fans support the call, some advocate for balanced roster building over a mega-deal for one star.

 

TJStat - 2026 Breakout Pitching Prospect Picks For Each Team

New York Mets

Channing Austin

Age: 23, RHP, 6' 3"/200 lbs

DOB: 2001-12-21, New York, USA

Channing Austin signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 draft and turned in a modest debut season, posting a 4.38 ERA across 74.0 innings in Low-A. There were, however, several encouraging signs. His velocity sits comfortably above the MLB average, led by a mid-90s fastball with significant movement. The pitch pairs effectively with his fading changeup, giving him a strong foundation. Austin also mixes in three breaking balls that sit in the mid-to-upper 80s, all flashing plus. There is little question about the stuff, but refining his command will be essential if he hopes to break out in 2026.