TJStates - Top 100 (Mets) Prospects

 

Thomas Nestico –

Top 100 Prospects

#6 - Nolan McLean's development has been rather unprecedented. He was drafted as a two-way player out of Oklahoma State and did not start pitching full-time until mid-2024. Not even a year later he finds himself in MLB and excelling. His ability to spin the ball is otherworldly as he can eclipse 3000 RPM on his breaking balls and generate a ton of movement at higher velocities. McLean's signature pitches are his sweeper and curveball that can each reach up to 20" of glove-side movement. His curve is one of the few potential 80 grade offerings in MLB. McLean wields a pair of fastballs, a sinker and a four-seamer, that each sit in the mid 90s. His sinker is his primary offering against RHH where its immense arm-side movement and slight deviation from his arm slot plays well on the inner third. He swaps his sinker for a four-Seamer against LHH where its extremely flat approach fools batters high in the zone. McLean also tosses a gyro cutter/slider that lives in the high 80s. It's slight cutting action makes it effective damage mitigating offering against RHH. He rounds out his incredibly deep arsenal with a mid 80s changeup that generates above average depth with negative iVB. He is exhibiting improved command this season and doing a formidable job at getting ahead of batters early. McLean's development and combination of stuff, athleticism, command, and versatility, all in an abridged timeframe, makes him one of the most exciting pitching prospects in MLB. There were concerns that he was more suited for a bullpen role, but he quelled most of those worries with his performance thus far.

 

#12 - Carson Benge solidified himself as one of the most complete prospects in baseball with an excellent pro debut season where he posted a .857 OPS across 116 games. His profile is balanced with above average tools across the board while manning the outfield. A solid 20.1% Whiff rate paired with a strong 21.9% O-Swing rate helped him maintain a 17.7% strikeout rate while walking at an elite rate. His underlying power metrics indicate he has above-average to plus raw strength, however his flatter bat path and pray tendencies may limit his slugging potential. His above average speed, good route running, and cannon of an arm greatly helps his outlook as a CF. Benge is one of the safer bets to be a MLB regular and looks poised to join the Mets early in the 2026 season.

 

#37 - Jonah Tong struck out the world this season while doing a fantastic job at limiting damage on all his offerings. His cut-fastball leads the way here thanks to the incredible ride on the pitch. This season it is averaging ~19" iVB while sitting 94-96 MPH, which is +2 MPH harder than in 2024. His over-the-top delivery is a massive driver into its high riding nature. Thanks to his smaller stature and above-average extension, he is able to get down to a ~6 ft vertical release point. The combination of massive ride from an unorthodox release aides in its effectiveness. Tong's secondaries are a big point of discussion regarding his future as a starter. He has a wide array of them, including a changeup, curveball, slider, and a new cutter. The development of his changeup this season has been imperative to his success against LHH. It sits in the mid 80s, showcasing good velocity differential from his fastball. The biggest changes have come in its shape as it is showcasing a lot more depth as well as his feel of the pitch. He has been excellent with both its consistency and control, which has pushed it from a below average offering to plus. His curveball may be his most memorable pitch thanks to its massive vertical difference from his fastball. It sits at 76-78 MPH and can reach -20" iVB. That is over 3' of separation from his fastball! He commands the pitch well, but there are concerns that the massive drop on the pitch in the mid 70s may not fool Major League hitters. Tong's slider and cutter are his least used offerings and for good reason. He doesn't have the greatest feel for them, and each exhibit subpar movement traits. Control still seems to be the biggest hurdle for Tong as he is struggling to throw strikes and get ahead of batters early in the count. His stuff is untouchable and his gaudy whiff rates and excellent damage metrics back it up, however his inability to generate chases keeps his walk rate well below average. His fastball will make him a stud bullpen arm in a pinch, but he needs more time to refine its command before being a mainstay in the Mets rotation.

 

#42 - Jett Williams packs a mighty punch from his 5'7' frame. He smacked 17 HR this season and made his way to AAA thanks to one of the most patient approaches in MiLB. His 19.5% O-Swing rate led to an impressive 13.3% walk rate, and more importantly Williams rarely expands the zone with two strikes. His hit and power tools lean slightly below average which limits his offensive potential. To counteract this Williams keeps the ball in the air and utilizes his elite speed to leg out extra bases. He has the ability to man any position up the middle with his most likely home being second base.

 

#50 - Jacob Reimer broke out in a big way during the 2025 season, making his way to AA while posting a 157 wRC+. Every aspect of his offensive profiles paints him as an above average bat with his most impressive traits being his excellent approach and silky-smooth swing geared for loft. His 11.1% walk rate was supported by a strong 22% O-Swing rate. He rarely expanded the zone with two strikes, allowing him to battle back into counts frequently. While his contact metrics hovered around average, he struggled to consistently connect with breaking balls. His defensive future remains a question moving forward; however, he looked more comfortable manning the hot corner this season and projects to be third baseman. Reimer is a well-rounded hitter with no discernible flaws at the dish who should find his way up to MLB soon.

 

#76 – Brandon Sproat - After an electric 2024 which saw his storm through Hi-A and AA on the heels of fastball that hit triple digits, Sproat took a step back in 2025. After a trip to the development list cut last season short, it felt like a full winter to recover and build up would allow his elite velocity to return. This was rather the opposite, as Sproat failed to consistently hit the same velocity heights. He cannot overcome his fastball's poor shape in this lower velocity band, which leaves it as an average offering. Due to this inefficiency, Sproat will likely be more effective as a sinkerballer, but that would lead to a heavily depressed strikeout rate. From his low 3/4 slot, his sinker generates over 17" of arm-side run and helps jam RHH on the inner third. He doesn't generate many whiffs on the offering, but it has effectively limited damage this season. His changeup always flashed plus potential thanks to his low 90s velocity and depth, but he is not seeing the same shape this season. The pitch closely resembles his sinker and has been hit much harder. It was not all bad news for Sproat though as he righted the ship in the 2nd half and returned positive results thanks to his ability to induce weak contact. Sproat's trio of breaking balls prop his arsenal back up as it gave him plenty of options to mix and match his offerings. While he no longer looks like a frontline option, Sproat's blend of power and versatility paint him as a potential mid-rotation starter who should excel by limiting damage.

 

#95 - Ryan Clifford continued to do what he typically does and posted a 136 wRC+ while making his way to AAA. His already impressive power took a large step this season compared to 2024 as he saw his 90th% EV increase from 105.3 to 108.6 MPH. This improvement caused his HardHit rate to spike from 41.2% to an otherworldly 56.8%, making him one of the most feared hitters in MiLB. Most impressive was that his contact rates improved across the board with his Z-Contact rate jumping from a poor 76% to a more average 81%. Clifford was more aggressive against in-zone offerings without sacrificing his already beneficial patience. These gains dragged Clifford away from a three-true outcome fate and paint him as a dynamic all-around slugger. He will likely not provide much defensive versatility, but he looks the part of a MLB hitter that could help the Mets out in 2026.