Tom Brennan - My Top 30 Prospects: # 16 Thru 20; Top 30 Prospect Rankings a Year Ago; Scottsdale is Really an NFL Team; Keith on Pete

 

So, here is the third of my post-season minors top 30 posts. 

Previously: 21-25. 

Today? The “16 Thru 20” Gents

I start off today’s rankings by admitting to a fact of life…

as it concerns prospect rankings:

FAR MORE PITCHERS WILL MAKE IT TO THE MAJORS THAN HITTERS.

Hitters are simply competing for far fewer MLB opportunities than pitchers. 

A stunning 46 dudes pitched for the Mets in 2025.  Meanwhile, just 19 dudes had official at bats, so 2.4 times as many dudes pitched vs. hit.

So, with that in mind, I start out today’s 16 thru 20 list with FOUR pitchers, and add Denzel Washington’s pick at #20.

16. RHP Dylan Ross

Ross  is a high power reliever. K Machine. In his first 3 pro years, in 2022-2024, the hulking fireballing righty threw one inning, total, and fanned the side. In 2025, he made up for lost time, finishing up in AAA.  54 innings, 80 Ks, 2.17 ERA.  7 of 9 in saves, 9 holds.  Clocked at over 100 MPH.

Control needs tightening, but it is hard to envision him not being a major bullpen piece in 2026.

17. RHP Ryan Lambert

Lambert, another fireballing reliever with toughness, will be a real factor in the Mets pen in 2026. In his first full season, he had 81 Ks in 50 innings, and a 1.62 ERA between High A and AA. 7 of 9 in saves, and 12 holds.  Typically sits in the high 90s.

Fearless. Hungry. 23 years old and 6’3” 225.  

He has to start out in AAA, and most likely will be added to the Mets pen during 2026.  It seems unlikely he will make the Mets opening day roster with no AAA innings to date.  But I’d like to be wrong.

18. LHP Zach Thornton 

He pitched great as a lefty in AA, until he badly strained his left oblique a la Manaea, and the LEFTY’S season abruptly ended in late June.  His numbers to that point were dazzling: 6-2, 1.98, 78 Ks in 72 IP, and an 0.81 WHIP.  WOW!  I would have him higher, but let’s see how he returns from his injury in 2026 first.  Yes, Gus, he is a quality lefty.  Great control, can hit 95, but more of a Viola type crafty lefty.  One to Watch In 2026.

19. RHP Saul Garcia 

Saul here was a hard throwing wild man pre-2025.  Would he harness it in 2025?  YES!  

Still on the wild side, but improving, righty Saul Garcia was 5-2 in AA and High A, with a 1.70 ERA and a .173 BAA.  He walked 28, but fanned 76 in 48 innings, and 6 of 7 in saves.

The 22 year old 6’0, 180 Garcia from Venezuela has fanned 325 in 236 career innings.  The Mets always need pen arms, and he should debut with the Mets some time in 2026, one would think.

20. OF Eli Serrano III

The 6’5” Eli (2024, Round: 4, Overall Pick: 111) could ultimately be very good, but 2025 has been a bit of a struggle. More pop than Nick Morabito, but Nick is faster and hits better, so far.  

Eli ended up at .222/.332/.358, and his last game was August 24.  He is a lefty bat in the Brooklyn hellhole for lefty hitters, and so it is no surprise that he hit .189 at home and .255 on the road.

To me, he is perhaps a bit too reminiscent of lefty hitting JT Schwartz, who struggled badly in 2025 and remarkably was also the 111th overall pick in his respective draft year.

Eli has a lot to prove in 2025, and I would start him out in hitter-friendlier Binghamton, sink or swim.  

Denzel starred in the the movie the Book of Eli, too. Notice that in this other Denzel flick, the letters ELI are in the title, too…No accident.   He loves Eli.

I may be too generous ranking Eli this high, but Denzel Washington opened the Book of Eli and said “this is where he belongs”. So #20 it is.

That is it for today, rankings-wise, people. # 11-15 coming up next.

But, I am far from done for today.

LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME…

The esteemed Joe DeMayo had Brandon Sproat as his 2nd best Mets prospect, McLean 7th and Jesus Baez 8th, plus Tong at #10. 

I had Sproat at #1, Tong at #3, and McLean at #5. Baez was my #18.

Joe had Benge at #5, Clifford at #4.  I had Benge at #3, Clifford at #11.

I’d say my rankings were better. What about you?

Here below are Joe’s and my respective Top 30 rankings from last year, my November 2024 article on the subject, FWIW.

Whaddya think?

JOE DEMAYO RANKING	TOM RANKING	WHY I RANKED A PLAYER HIGHER OR LOWER
1. INF/OF Jett Williams	1. Brandon Sproat	Flip a coin between him and Jett
2. RHP Brandon Sproat	2. Jett Williams	See above
3. OF Drew Gilbert	3. Jonah Tong	Tong Terrific, think his ceiling is higher.
4. 1B/OF Ryan Clifford	4. Carson Benge	Benge over Clifford due to latter's K rate
5. OF Carson Benge	5. Nolan McLean	I think McLean will be terrific
6. INF Ronny Mauricio	6. Drew Gilbert	Drew is talented, bad season, now 24.
7. RHP Nolan McLean	7. Ronny Mauricio	Rust, risk of re-injury, likely to stop SBs
8. INF Jesus Baez	8. Nick Morabito	Terrific year, I do think he adds power
9. RHP Blade Tidwell	9. Boston Baro	Very good first year, solid future
10. RHP Jonah Tong	10. Luisangel Acuna	Up to # 10 on basis of his great Sept.
11. IF/OF Luisangel Acuña	11. Ryan Clifford	Ryan K’d 160 X in 129 G. Hit .228.
12. RHP Christian Scott	12. Jer. Rodriguez	Scott left off my list; already a MLB.      J Rod great performance for an 18 y/o,
13. LHP Jonathan Santucci	13. Blade Tidwell	Concerned that Tidwell got hammered at AAA. Major leaguers hit a lot better.
14. IF Jeremy Rodriguez	14. Marco Vargas	Marco hurt a lot, but he gets on base.
15. INF Marco Vargas	15. Jon Santucci	DeMayo and I are close in ranking Jon S
16. OF Nick Morabito	16. Nate Dohm	DeMayo & I are close in ranking Dohm
17. INF Boston Baro	17. Trey Snyder	DeMayo and I are close in ranking Trey.
18. RHP Dom Hamel	18. Jesus Baez	I’d have had Baez higher, if it not for meniscus injury that cost him 2 mo.
19. SS Trey Snyder	19.Daiv. Gutierrez	Gutierrez had significant improvement in 2024, so I had him ranked higher.

20. RHP Nate Dohm	20. Yov. Rodriguez	I liked that his bat was coming around at season’s end; he has a gun for an arm.
21. RHP Mike Vasil	21. AJ Ewing	I liked potential enuf to have AJ at # 21.
22. 3B Jacob Reimer	22. Mike Vasil	DeMayo and I are close in ranking Vasil.
23. INF Colin Houck	23. Jacob Reimer	DeMayo and I are close in ranking Reimer. Great eye, missed most of 2024.
24. C Daiverson Gutierrez	24. Ron Hernandez	DeMayo and I are close in ranking Ron.
25. C Yovanny Rodriguez	25. Wyatt Young	I like Wyatt. 118 games in 2024, a fine .287/.387/.358, 17/ 25 SBs. Fine fielder.
26. C Ronald Hernandez	26. Dominic Hamel	Ranked Dom lower - awful AAA year.
27. C Kevin Parada	27. Edward Lantigua	Joe DeMayo and I are close on Edward
28. OF Edward Lantigua	28. Alex Ramirez	Alex not in Joe's 30. Barely in mine due to SBs. May he wake up in 2025.
29. RHP Jack Wenninger	29. Jordan Geber	Geber as good-performing underdog
30. OF Eli Serrano III	30. Nate Lavender	Nate returns in 2025 as a high K reliever

In actuality, Nate Lavender was traded to the Rays (where else?) and did not pitch a lick in 2025 in pro ball.

SAW THIS QUOTE ON FACEBOOK - Keith Hernandez on Pete Alonso:

“You're not going to replace his bat... To me, he's the second coming of Harmon Killebrew... Plus, the fact he's a right-handed bat...”

“You take Pete out of that lineup? Where are you going to find the replacement? Where are you going to find 125 RBI's?"

Well, Ronny Mauricio did drive in 10 last year…115 to go…

MEANWHILE, IN YESTERDAY’S NFL ACTION…

Our hometown Scottsdale Scorpions lost 21-14 on Tuesday night.

Wow, I wish I was at that one. 35 runs! 

Screw 1-0 games, where you have to go take a leak, you rush to the john to not miss anything, and find out after you rush back that you missed the game’s one run on a passed ball after a bunt single got played into a 3 base error. 

With 35 runs, you hit the head, rush back and realize you missed 5 runs, but still get to see the other 30 cross the plate. Sweet.

Our Mets beast, Nick Morabito, is hitting .345 with a .441 OBP.  

WOW?

Well, there are 4 guys above him in batting average…on his own team!  

Hitting .488, 429, .404, .357.  

.488??

And he is a distant 5th in team OBP, trailing .650, .556, .514, and .477.  

.650??

Right behind his .441 OBP, 2 other Scottie teammates have .439 OBPs. So, if Nick was 3 points lower at .438, he’d be 7th on his own team!

As a whole, Scottsdale is the Cactus Beast as it has scored 181 runs in 23 games, and is smoking it at .299/.426/.479. 

Like I said….Wow.  

Last year in the AFL, FWIW, Jett hit .225, and Reimer and Gilbert each hit .208.