ANGRY MIKE: 2025 PROSPECT REPORT: “HIGH-OCTANE SYNDICATE”: D. ROSS | R. LAMBERT | B. BANKS

 ANGRY MIKE 

The Mets have three very exciting relievers quickly making their way to Queens, providing hope for a bullpen that will feature reliable homegrown talent. Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs in 2025, 9 of them featured bullpens comprised of multiple high-leverage relievers who had previous MLB experience as closers. The remaining 3 playoff teams traded for closers at the trade deadline, while another 3 playoff contenders who traded for closers at the deadline, failed to qualify for the postseason. 

The Mets were one of three playoff contenders who came up short.

The lesson to be learned, waiting until the last minute, paying inflated trade deadline prices for relievers, does not always guarantee you find the right players. I’ll admit I was very optimistic when the Mets acquired Ryan Helsley, Gregory Soto, and Tyler Rogers. 

I was wrong. 

Despite trading away a good number of high-upside prospects, the trio who was supposed to transform the Mets biggest weakness, were directly responsible for each blowing multiple late-inning leads, almost as if they drew straws to see whose turn it was. Helsley was a categorical disaster from beginning to end, Rogers’ numbers might have looked solid, but he also blew multiple leads after the 7th inning, and Soto made sure to follow suit by engineering multiple late-inning collapses when he had the chance.

Ironically enough, David Stearns former team, the Brewers represent the gold standard when it comes to what you want your bullpen to look like. The Brewers have three lefties who throw in the upper 90s, setting up for Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe who both throw triple digits. Any one of those five pitchers could serve as the closer on any given night, which is the current blueprint playoff contenders are trying to follow when building their bullpens. 

Relievers Dylan Ross, Ryan Lambert, and Brett Banks provide the type of hope Mets fans desperately need to help them turn the page and focus on a brighter future. All three of these young relievers have the pitching arsenal and mental makeup teams look for in a high-leverage reliever. Each pitcher has his own unique style and approach, but they all share one distinct trait in common, which is to go right after hitters. 

DYLAN ROSS ->  PHASE ONE

Ross is the closest to being MLB-ready and is one of the hardest throwers in the organization, with a 65-scouting grade, 4-seam Fastball that sits 96-99 MPH and tops out at 102 MPH. His best off-speed pitch is a 60-scouting grade Splitter, which he uses in conjunction with an above average slider (55-scouting grade). Ross’ command has been his Achilles’ heel, as he simply walks too many batters at times, which can get him into hot water rather quickly in the Majors. Ross worked extremely hard to resurrect his career from the injuries that plagued him early in his career, everyone knows the stuff is elite. Mets Brass’ are hoping he can maintain the consistency he exhibited during the 2025 season, outside of a rough June. 

If he is able to limit the walks, maximize pitch count efficiency, he has the talent to secure a spot in the Mets bullpen sooner rather than later during the 2026 season, he represents phase 1, of the three-headed monster the Mets hope to develop in their bullpen. 

RYAN LAMBERT ->  PHASE TWO 

Lambert is one of my favorite prospects in the Mets system, he’s an old-school power-pitcher, who excels at attacking hitters up in the zone, and then inducing chase with his wicked slider. Lambert’s best pitch is his 70-scouting grade fastball, that sits in the upper 90s, topping out at 102, with a ton of spin and carry, as well riding life. His slider sits in the mid 80s, and exhibits a power sweeping or gyro horizontal movement, which can be thrown for strikes or be used to induce chase. Lambert forced a quick promotion to Binghamton and dominated as their closer, posting 14.58 K/9, 1.71 ERA, and 0.190 BAA. Unlike Ross, Lambert was consistent every month, aside from a couple rough outings here and there, which are a result of his control being spotty at times resulting in more walks than we accustomed to seeing. Similar to Edwin Diaz, at times he’ll pitch himself into trouble, and then quickly pitch himself out of it. Lambert should be ticketed to start 2026 in Syracuse and I can’t imagine him being there that long if he exhibits the same premier stuff he flashed in 2025. 

Ross and Lambert are older prospects and they need to be given a chance to earn roles in a Mets bullpen that no longer has any triple digit throwers we’re normally accustomed to seeing. 

BRETT BANKS  ->  PHASE THREE 

Banks is the youngest of the Mets trio of flamethrowers and although he doesn’t throw quite as hard as Ross or Lambert, he is just as talented and arguably more versatile after recently developing a new cutter which he deployed during his recent stint in the Arizona Fall League. Banks’ fastball has been graded by some as a legit 70-scouting grade offering, that generates upper 90s velocity, with above average induced vertical break and above average amount of spin generated a truly makes it special pitch. His slider isn’t quite at the same level as Lambert’s but it’s still an effective at inducing chase, but the cutter he developed recently shows considerable promise. 

Banks should take over as the closer for Binghamton for the start of the 2026 season, and if he performs at the same level dominance he flashed to finish the 2025 season, he should find his way to Syracuse sooner than later.