MACK - MY WEDNESDAY OBSERVATIONS - Mack's #28 Mets Prospect,, Ryan Stanek, Mark Vientos, Cody Ponce, Christy Mathewson, Eduardo Alfonzo, Steven Kwan, Alec Bregman

 

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.

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 #28:

1.                                                                     SP           David Hurtado

 Daviel Hurtado is a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher from Havana, Cuba, who signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent on January 15, 2023. 

Standing at 6'1" and weighing 165 pounds, he has a lean, lanky frame that provides room for physical development and projection as a starter. 

Originally a standout youth player in Cuba, representing the country on U-12 and U-15 national teams, Hurtado defected with his family in 2022 and relocated to the Dominican Republic before joining the Mets' system. 

He's viewed as a promising international signee in the lower minors, though not yet ranked among the Mets' top prospects due to his limited professional experience. 

Hurtado began his pro career in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) Mets Orange in 2023, where he made 10 appearances (8 starts), posting a 3-2 record with a 3.52 ERA over 41 innings. He struck out 39 batters (23.0% K-rate) while walking 17 (10.1% BB-rate), yielding a 1.32 WHIP and limiting opponents to a .247 batting average. His performance was solid for a teenager adjusting to pro ball, showing good strikeout ability but room for command improvement. 

In 2024, he returned to the DSL Mets Orange but was limited to just 4 starts (15.1 innings) due to injury, registering a 2.35 ERA with 13 strikeouts and 6 walks before being placed on the 60-day injured list. He was later activated and assigned to the Florida Complex League (FCL) Mets toward the end of the season. 

Hurtado's 2025 breakout has been impressive. He started the year in the FCL Mets, dominating with a 0.47 ERA over 19 innings in 5 appearances (3 starts), allowing just 1 earned run while striking out 18 and walking 5 (1.00 WHIP). 

Promoted to Single-A St. Lucie Mets in mid-June, he adapted quickly, going 4-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 9 starts (34.2 innings) through late August. 

Overall in 2025 (across FCL and St. Lucie), he's 5-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 53.2 innings, 52 strikeouts (24.2% K-rate), 16 walks (7.5% BB-rate), and a 1.04 WHIP.

He earned Mets Minor League Pitcher of the Week honors for Week 21 (August 11-17) after a standout outing: 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 8 strikeouts. In the Florida State League playoffs, he struggled in a relief appearance (2.2 IP, 5 ER), but his regular-season dominance has him on track for a potential High-A promotion in 2026. 

Hurtado's rapid rise from DSL to Low-A at age 20 highlights his athleticism and adaptability, but sustaining health and refining command will be key to climbing the Mets' prospect ladder. 

Repertoire:        Hurtado works primarily as a starter with a three-pitch mix, emphasizing deception and off-speed pitches to generate weak contact and chases. His arsenal is still developing, but data from his 2025 Single-A stint shows good usage balance and effectiveness against advanced hitters. 

Fastball: Thrown over 50% of the time, this four-seamer sits 92-94 mph with occasional arm-side run, benefiting from his high 3/4 arm slot and lanky extension for perceived velocity. It's a strike-throwing pitch (around 65% zone rate) but hittable when located (91.5% Z-Contact%), serving more as a setup for his breaking balls than a swing-and-miss weapon. Scouts project it as average with added strength. 

Curveball: Used about 30% of the time, this 78-82 mph offering is his most frequent secondary with 12-6 shape and significant depth (around 10-12 inches of induced vertical break). It's primarily a chase pitch thrown low-outside to righties, inducing groundballs and poor contact (low exit velocity and hard-hit rate). It grades as average-plus for its tunneling with the fastball and ability to steal strikes early in counts. 

Slider: Deployed roughly 15-20% of the time at 82-85 mph, this harder breaker has sharper horizontal tilt (8-10 inches) and is his primary strikeout pitch, generating whiffs on 35%+ of swings. Like the curve, it's often buried outside the zone to provoke chases (21.8% overall O-Swing%), but he mixes it in for called strikes. It plays as a fringe-plus offering, complementing the curve for left-on-left matchup advantages. 

Hurtado lacks a changeup in his current mix, which could limit him against opposite-handed hitters long-term, but his breaking balls' effectiveness (combined 28% K-rate) and low walk rate suggest strong feel for spin. His command has improved markedly in 2025 (under 8% BB-rate at St. Lucie), allowing him to sequence pitches effectively. Pitching coaches praise his quick arm and repeatability, projecting a mid-rotation ceiling if he adds velocity and a third pitch.

 As a young, athletic lefty with plus spin rates on his breakers (curve averages 2,800+ RPM), Hurtado fits the Mets' developmental mold for international arms. His 2025 promotion pace and sub-2.00 ERA across levels signal upside, but durability (post-injury) and fastball quality are watchpoints. He's not yet on top-30 lists but could crack them with a strong 2026

Mack - 

I'm pretty excited about this guy. Who doesn't live a lefty with a 1.75/1.04 stat line?

I would love to see him open up in Brooklyn, but my guess he will repeat St. Lucie for now.

These 9 Mets might as well pack their bags

https://fansided.com/mlb/these-9-mets-might-as-well-pack-their-bags-along-with-ryan-helsley-01k694jksg0g

RHP Ryne Stanek

Ryne Stanek had his ups and downs after the Mets acquired him in 2024, but he was one of their many postseason heroes, pitching well enough to convince David Stearns to bring him back. Unfortunately, the right-hander posted a 5.30 ERA in 65 games and particularly struggled in high-leverage situations.

Given how poorly this season went for Stanek, it's a no-brainer to let him walk as a free agent and sign elsewhere. He might bounce back - he has good stuff, and relievers can be extremely volatile. The Mets should not, and presumably will not, gamble on a better year from Stanek in orange and blue.

NY Mets players most fans wouldn’t mind trading away

https://risingapple.com/ny-mets-players-5-fans-wouldn-mind-trading-away-offseason?utm_source=bleacherreport&utm_medium=referral&_branch_match_id=1408222371212362866&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTyrSSywo0MvJzMvW9zUxzs4LzAs2C0%2ByrytKTUstKsrMS49PKsovL04tsnXOKMrPTQUAyPtJ%2BjkAAAA%3D

4) Mark Vientos

Mark Vientos’ time as a popular Mets player was short-lived. Promising through 2023, he rewrote his entire narrative in 2024 with a spectacular year. He completely changed the vibe of the lineup. The Mets bought into him fully, even going as far as to prepare themselves for him to be their Opening Day first baseman if Pete Alonso didn’t return.

So much for that.

Vientos struggled in 2025 to redo what made him so special the year prior. He batted .233/.289/.413 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI. No improvements were made defensively. He finished with the same -7 Outs Above Average from the year prior. The organization showed a complete lack of faith in him being able to handle third base in the final days. It seems like it’s DH duty or nothing for him in Queens.

Vientos will wield some trade value because of his monster 2024, age, and the power he continued to show this past year. The value has sunk, though. He could have been headlining a trade for a legitimate starting pitcher after the 2024 season he had. Now we’ll be happy getting a reliever back or a pitcher with the same kinds of questions.

Thomas Nestico                                @TJStats

Cody Ponce dominated KBO this season, posting a 30.3 K-BB% across 180.2 IP and winning the triple crown. Since his last MLB outing (PIT, 2021), he has seen a +2 MPH uptick on his fastball and transformed his changeup into an elite offering. He is a pending free agent this winter.

In MLB, Ponce's changeup struggled to miss bats. It graded out poorly due to its lack of separation from his fastball. Now it exhibits elite separation from his (~15" iVB diff) and returned an absurd 46% Whiff Rate in KBO

Here is its new movement:

 

Jim Koenigsberger                          @Jimfrombaseball

In 1918, Christy Mathewson resigns as the Reds manager to accept commission as a Captain in Chemical Warfare branch of the Army.

Major Branch Rickey, Captain Ty Cobb and Lieutenant George Sisler also served in Chemical  Corps.

After arriving in France, Mathewson and his fellow soldiers participated in training activities. During a training drill with live chemical gas, several soldiers missed hearing the signal to put on their gas masks.

Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson were among those who delayed deploying their protective masks before the gas was set off.

As the gas was going off, the men rushed to escape the training room, Cobb recalled that “trying to lead the men out was hopeless… it was each one for himself.”

This incident resulted in the death of eight soldiers and incapacitation of eight more for several days. Cobb escaped with little injury, but Mathewson’s lungs were severely damaged in the accident.

After this incident, Mathewson returned to the United States where he rejoined the New York Giants in 1920.

Yet, a persistent cough forced him to retire early after the season ended.

It eventually killed Matty.

Hundreds of current and future MLB players served in WWI, including HOF such as Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson and Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Due to shorthanded rosters, the 1918 season ended early, and it marked the only time the “October Classic” was played entirely in September.

"The Gentleman's Hurler" and "The Georgia Peach"

Joe Pantorno                     @JoePantorno

EXCLUSIVE: Edgardo Alfonzo tells me that he's monitored the #Mets' coaching-staff shakeup and would "love" to join Carlos Mendoza's new-look unit in any capacity

https://www.amny.com/sports/edgardo-alfonzo-wants-mets-coaching-10-5-25/

  

Steven Kwan

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/mets-linked-4-175-million-012630880.html

The New York Mets just suffered one of the most embarrassing collapses in recent years, and now have the entire offseason to try and redeem themselves. One thing that needs to be done is to find the final outfielder to join Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo.

Fansided’s Christopher Kline believes that the Mets can find their answer by making a deal with the Cleveland Guardians for All-Star Steven Kwan.

“The New York Mets need outfield depth, big time. Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto are everyday starters until further notice, but New York hasn't comfortably landed on that third reliable starter. Starling Marte is a liability on defense. The Cedric Mullins trade didn't pan out. Tyrone Taylor is not the answer. So why not dial up Cleveland, put Kwan in the lineup — whether he's leading the second wave after Lindor and Soto, or scrapping his way on base ahead of them in the leadoff spot — and try to make quick work of moving past this nightmare campaign?” Kline wrote.

This season, Kwan slashed .272/.330/.374/.705 with 11 homers, 56 RBI, and 21 stolen bases over 156 games. He also has an amazing glove, with three Gold Gloves in his trophy case.

 

Alec Bregman

https://fansided.com/mlb/ranking-alex-bregman-suitors-favorites-dark-horse-suitors

The New York Mets are another team with deep pockets who will presumably be involved, on some level, in every major negotiation. Within reason, of course. There remains a gaping hole in the lineup at third base, so Bregman would make a great deal of sense — especially for a front office operating with newfound urgency after flaming out in spectacular fashion last month. The Mets' willingness to really run up the price is probably muted after the Juan Soto megadeal, but Bregman is certainly within their means if David Stearns decides he wants to allocate Pete Alonso's money elsewhere.