MACK - MY FRIDAY OBSERVATIONS - MACK'S #21 PROSPECT: RHRP Saul Garcia - Jonah Tong, Kazuma Okamoto Blake Harris, Brett Baty, Pete Alonso, Tyrone Taylor, Nolan Ryan, Kodai Senga, Max Muncy

 

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 #21:

RHRP Saul Garcia 

2025 -     A+ Brooklyn:                      30-apps, 4-2, 1.85, 1.26, 6-SV, 34-IP, 22-BB, 59-K

                   AA Binghamton:               8-apps, 1-0, 1.32, 1.02, 0-SV, 13.2-IP, 6-BB, 17-K              

 Saul García is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets minor league system.

 Born on June 11, 2003, in Naguanagua, Venezuela, he stands at 6’0” and weighs 180 lbs. He will play 2026 as a 23/year old

 García signed with the Mets as an international free agent around his 18th birthday and has since emerged as a promising prospect, ranking No. 29 on MLB Pipeline’s Mets Top 30 Prospects list in the 2024-2025 offseason 

García is considered a late bloomer who has shown significant growth since signing with the Mets. In 2024, he pitched at High-A Brooklyn, where he demonstrated potential as a multi-inning reliever, though the Mets have plans to potentially stretch him out as a starter. His development has focused heavily on improving his command, as strike-throwing is a key area for growth at the lower levels. Mets director of player development Andrew Christie has highlighted García’s work ethic and potential, noting his connection to the Flores family and their shared dedication to the game. 

In 2024, García’s performance included a 3.86 ERA over an unspecified number of innings, with a focus on refining his pitch arsenal and control. While his ultimate role may be in the bullpen due to his current skill set, the Mets are keeping him in a starter’s role for now to maximize his development.

Pitch Repertoire 

García’s pitching arsenal consists of three primary pitches, with his fastball and slider being his standout offerings: 

Fastball: Described as a “real interesting” pitch, García’s fastball sits in the mid-to-high 90s and is noted for its ability to “get above barrels very well,” indicating good life and deception. This pitch is considered Major League average or better when he’s at his best, making it a key weapon in his arsenal. 

Slider: His slider, thrown in the low-80s, features a sweeping break and is also rated as a Major League average pitch. It complements his fastball well, generating swings and misses when executed properly. The slider’s movement and velocity make it a strong secondary pitch. 

Changeup: García’s changeup is less developed compared to his fastball and slider. It’s described as a work in progress, but he’s been working to refine it, adding depth to his repertoire as he develops. 

Outlook                 García’s current profile suggests a future as a high-leverage reliever, though the Mets are still exploring his potential as a starter. His ability to throw strikes consistently will be critical to his progression, as command issues are a common challenge for young pitchers. His fastball-slider combination gives him a solid foundation. 

As of 2025, he’s likely to continue climbing the Mets’ minor league ladder, potentially reaching Triple-A Syracuse if he maintains his trajectory. 

MACK – I’m a big fan of the reliever no one writes about. I expect Saul to be done with his minor league career by the end of next season and be ready to join the Mets pen come opening day 2027.

                               RHP Jonah Tong

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Don’t judge Tong based on,  his five largely forgettable starts over the season’s final month. Before that, Tong did enough to earn the Mets’ organizational Pitcher of the Year award, producing a 1.43 ERA over 22 starts in the upper Minors. Barring an exceptional spring, there’s a decent chance Tong will start next season back at Triple-A. But he’s now just a short run of success away from potentially sticking in the Majors for good

Yomiuri Giants Post Star Infielder Kazuma Okamoto for MLB Pursuit

The Yomiuri Giants announced on October 22, 2025, that they will post 29-year-old infielder Kazuma Okamoto for Major League Baseball teams this offseason, marking the first time the franchise has done so for a position player. Okamoto, who has spent 11 seasons with the Giants and hit 28 home runs this year while serving as captain, shared his dream of playing in MLB during a Tokyo press conference with General Manager of Player Development Sadaaki Yoshimura. MLB clubs can start negotiations with him on November 7, with potential interest from teams including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs.

 

Blake Harris                       @BlakeHHarris

In the last couple of years, haven't the Blue Jays:

- Offered $700M to Juan Soto

- Offered $700M to Shohei Ohtani

- Offered Corbin Burnes way more than the $210M deal he signed in AZ

- Given out 3rd largest contract in MLB history

Or am I not remembering that right

 

Brett Baty

https://risingapple.com/ny-mets-brett-baty-2026-role-no-doubt?utm_source=bleacherreport&utm_medium=referral&_branch_match_id=1408222371212362866&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTyrSSywo0MvJzMvW964oCC70dfV3i0iyrytKTUstKsrMS49PKsovL04tsnXOKMrPTQUAnSznhDkAAAA%3D

For the first time in a while, third base feels settled in Queens. The New York Mets spent 2025 watching Brett Baty turn consistency into credibility, anchoring the lineup and calming the infield. His growth was evident in every strong throw across the diamond and every timely swing—the signs of a player who’s found his major league footing.

 

By season’s end, the question wasn’t whether Baty belonged—it was how soon the Mets would make it official. His improvement on both sides of the ball made third base look stable, even sustainable, for 2026. That reliability at the hot corner now gives the Mets freedom to focus their winter resources elsewhere, confident that one position no longer needs fixing.

 

Pete Alonso

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/red-sox-urged-sign-210-164156539.html

We’ve suggested the Red Sox pursue Alonso for months, and the perennial All-Star first baseman has already confirmed that he’ll opt out of his contract and hit free agency. That’s excellent news for a Boston team that dealt third baseman Rafael Devers in June and dealt with questions all season about addressing the middle of their lineup. Did the lack of Devers keep the Red Sox from advancing beyond the AL Wild Card Round? We won’t go that far. However, there’s no denying that Alonso, a durable first baseman who has averaged 39 home runs, 114 RBIs, and an .842 OPS over the last five seasons, is a perfect fit for Boston,” Elman wrote.

Alonso would indeed fit in well in Boston. He could take over at first, where the Triston Casas experiment has pretty much failed, and also do some work at DH.

 

Tyrone Taylor

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/how_new_york_mets_could_approach_center_field/s1_16838_42939047

With center field one of many positions the New York Mets need to address this offseason, this MLB insider reported what the team's "short-term" plans may be.

During Tuesday's episode of Baseball Night in New York on SNY, insider Andy Martino reported that the Mets don't plan on calling up top outfielder prospect Carson Benge next season and will instead find a short-term plan in center field until they think he's ready.

"I think it's going to be short-term, you've seen plus defense in center being a strong goal for David Stearns since he's been here, whether it's Harrison Bader, Tyrone Taylor, the idea with Cedric Mullins was going to be a plus out there, it didn't quite work out," Martino said. "They have Carson Benge, the prospect who they think is coming late next year or maybe the year after that. They want to keep room for Benge to emerge, so they're going to think short-term, I think."

 

Jim Koenigsberger                          @Jimfrombaseball

"In my opinion, the greatest game ever pitched was between the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Braves on July 2, 1963.

Forty-two-year-old Warren Spahn and 25-year-old Juan Marichal each went 16 innings and the game ended 1-0 on a home run by Willie Mays. Each pitcher threw over 200 pitches.

Spahn threw 201 and Marichal 227.

There were seven future Hall of Fame players in that game, including Spahn and Marichal. We will never see that again because the game won’t allow it.

But both guys were prepared to go as long as it took. And this game was not a fluke; both pitchers won 20 games that season.

For Spahn, it was his 13th 20-win season and for Marichal, it was his first of 6.

My highest pitch count was 232 in a game against the Red Sox in 1974. I pitched 12 innings, struck out 19, walked 10, and had a no decision.

My counter-part, Luis Tiant threw 180 pitches in 14 1/3 innings and took the loss 4-3.

We were on a 4-man rotation and pitched on 3 day’s rest.

I had 26 complete games in 1973 and 1974 and didn’t even lead the league. Gaylord Perry had 29 in 1973 and Ferguson Jenkins had 29 in 1974."

Nolan Ryan

 

Three questions facing the New York Mets this offseason

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2. Can the Mets count on Kodai Senga?

Senga has been dominant when healthy. He posted a 2.98 ERA and a 1.220 WHiP over his 166.1 innings in 2023, striking out 202 batters as he made the All-Star team and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year vote. After missing most of 2024 due to injury, he had a strong start to the season, posting a 1.47 ERA and a 1.113 WHiP over his first 73.2 innings before landing on the Injured List with a strained right hamstring.

He was not the same pitcher when he returned, posting a 5.90 ERA and a 1.689 WHiP over his final 39.2 innings before being sent to the minors. Senga plans on focusing on his mechanics during the offseason and should be healthy for spring training. However, until Senga proves he can stay healthy and contribute, the Mets may not be able to count on him taking the ball every fifth day.

 

4 MLB free agents about to raise their price tags in the World Series

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Max Muncy, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Unlike the others on this list, Muncy has a $10 million club option, so there’s a slight asterisk here. However, the Dodgers might be tempted to move on from the 35-year-old third baseman, especially considering that Shohei Ohtani’s presence means that the Dodgers can’t simply make Muncy a full-time designated hitter. It also helps that Muncy’s contract doesn’t include a buyout, making a potential divorce much easier financially.

Muncy nonetheless remains a steady offensive presence, even if his power isn’t what it once was; his .470 slugging percentage marked his lowest since 2021, and he only managed 19 homers in nearly 400 plate appearances. He’s an intriguing third base or DH option, and he saw a significant amount of action at first base before Freddie Freeman’s 2022 arrival. The World Series is a perfect opportunity for Muncy to prove that he still has plenty left in the tank, though that could keep him from hitting free agency.

Potential suitors: Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals