Well, THAT was fun.
Thank you for your kind
words and prayers during my operation and recovery period. Also, thank you for
your patience regarding my sabbatical.
It did give me proper
time to think of how I would format my future here on Mack’s Mets. I’m turning
a fragile 79 next month and have another surgery scheduled in March. I’m not
the same person that was leadoff hitter for the Ozone Park P.S. 62 park team.
First, I will continue
to write on Friday 6am, Sunday 6am, and Wednesday 7:30am, but I have canned the Observation theme. There was very little original thought there and,
at best, they were lazy and self-serving. That stops in 2026.
The new one’s simply
will be called The Friday Report, The Sunday Report, and The Wednesday Report.
They will be fact base and will be my thoughts only.
There are some Position Analysis posts already written and will post up this month.
I will fill in Sunday with 2026 draft info.
For now, that’s all my
doctors and Mrs. Mack will allow me to do.
So… new year… new theme…
new body… let’s do it!
So, where does the 2026 Mets look like to me?
Still undetermined, but
the following is what my “board’ would look like at this point of the
off-season. Plenty of considerations, but very few locked bats.
And so…
1B – currently projected – Jorge
Polanco
Candidates – Mark
Vientos
Free Agent Options – Luis Arraez, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Bellinger, Nathaniel Lowe
2B – (locked) Marcus Semien
Back-up – Brett
Baty, LuisAngel Acuna, Ronny
Mauricio
SS – (locked) Francisco Lindor
Back-up – LuisAngel
Acuna, Ronny Mauricio
3B – currently projected – Brett
Baty
Candidates – Mark
Vientos, Ronny Mauricio
Free Agent Options – Alex
Bregman, Eugenio Suarez
Trade Candidate – Nolan
Arenado
UT-IF – currently projected
– LuisAngel Acuna
Candidates – Ronny
Mauricio, Brett Baty
C – (locked) Francisco Alvarez, Luis Torrens
Injury
back-up – Hayden Senger
LF – TBD
Candidates – Carson
Benge
Free Agent Options – Jarred
Kelenic, Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger
CF – currently projected – Tyrone
Taylor
Candidates, – Carson Benge, Christian Pache
Free Agent Options – Cody Bellinger, Harrison Bader, Trent Grisham, Luis Robert Jr.
RF – (locked) Juan Soto
UT-OF – currently projected
– Jared Young, Ji
Hwan Bae
Free Agent Options – Starlin
Marte
DH – currently projected –
TBD
Candidates – Ronny
Mauricio, Mark Vientos, Jorge
Polanco
Free Agent Options – Marcell Ozuna
Peter Kussow
I want to lead off the first
three reports with three pitchers the Mets drafted last year who have not pitched
a single professional inning so far.
Peter Kussow is a 19-yr old, 6-5,
200-pound RHP , drafted out of Arrowhead HS (WI) last year in the 4th
round.
Kussow was Wisconsin's top
high school pitching prospect, known for a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in his
senior year and velocity gains leading into the draft.
His repertoire is:
Fastball:
Sits 91-95 mph, touching up
to 97
mph. It features sink and run from his low three-quarters to high
three-quarters arm slot, with good command and deception, especially tough on
right-handed hitters.
Slider:
His best pitch — a
high-spin, wipeout offering in the upper 80s (often low-80s to upper-80s) with
late vertical slice, sharp break, and excellent command. Scouts call it
potentially above-average or elite for a prep arm
Changeup:
Developing third
pitch in the high-80s to low-90s (often 87-90 mph), showing fade, tumble, and
depth. It pairs well with his fastball but remains inconsistent as
he refines it.
Curveball:
Occasionally mentioned as a
downer with 12-6 shape in the mid-to-upper 80s (around 2,600+ RPM in some
reports); some sources blend it with or distinguish it from his primary slider.4
His arsenal profiles as a potential
starter, with the fastball-slider combo as the foundation and
room for growth in velocity and offspeed pitches as he adds strength.
For age reasons alone, I have him starting off 2026 as a member of the FCL Mets
Ofreidy Gomez
The Mets went RP dumpster
diving again, signing a 30+ wild one that has been pitching Indy ball for the
last two seasons.
Ofreidy Gomez is a 6-3, 240-lb RHRP
that will turn 31 in July. He was an IFA that was signed by the Royals and
pitched unsuccessfully for them for seven seasons.
Next, was a stop in Indy
ball until 2021 when the White Sox picked him up. Then the Phillies, followed
by the Orioles.
In 2023, Gomez could only
find work in Indy leagues which is where the Mets signed him out of. His
current gig was Licey/DOWL where he posted 0-0, 2.77, 1.31, 14-apps, 13-IP,
22-K, 6-BB
He ended last season 2.77-ERA, and a 15.2 K/9 ratio in the
DWL.
The interest here is the
fact that a 30-yr old was hitting 99 with his fastball. That gets past batters
in any league… however… an 8.18-ERA in 77 AAA innings, 8.8-BB/9 ratio at AAA
Repertoire –
Fastball - (four-seam
and/or two-seam/sinker), sitting mid-90s and up to 99 mph
recently. Earlier reports had it around 94-95 mph.
Curveball - A
breaking pitch in the low-80s, often cited as a key secondary.
Changeup: - In the low-80s, used as an off-speed
offering.
Next Year’s Number One
Prospect?
MLB.com
Now: Nolan McLean,
RHP
Next Year: A.J. Ewing,
OF/2B
New York’s current top five
could all graduate by December 2026, and trading top talent can’t be ruled out
either. The 134th overall pick in 2023, Ewing has put himself in potential No.
1 position down the line with his plus speed, improving contact and impressive
range in center.
Ernest Dove @ernestdove
I can see a world where a
few Mets top prospects graduate off the rankings list in 2026 in MLB and then
AJ Ewing is anointed the new #1 ranked player in their system depending on
outcomes for him and a couple others in 2026 is my opinion.
Not sure if an arm can
overtake him.
MACK –
I don’t think anyone in the
organization… even the owner and POBO, know where any of their top prospects
will wind up next season. There are all sorts of teams out there considering
either accepting a deal that the Mets are offering or are planning to make
their own offer to the Mets for future talent that would slot in well on their
boards. And remember… THERE ARE NO LEAKS so don’t believe a word you read
unless it comes from the Mets
Tobey Schulman @tschulmanreport
Mitch Voit might be the '25 draft
prospect I'm most excited to watch play a full season in 2026. A .346/.471/.668
slash line for Michigan.
in '25, the 21-y/o walked more than he struck
out, with 14 HR, 14 SB, and a 157 wRC+. Plus, arm & speed at second base.
Ernest Dove @ernestdove
I’m looking for Mitch Voit to
get to AA level in 2026 and focus on his defensive position. Assume majority 2B
SleeperMets @SleeperMets
Mitch Voit- 2B
Age: 21
Hit: 55 -Average
Power: 50 -Average
Run: 60 -Above average
Arm: 60 -Above average
Field: 50 -Average
Overall: 50 -Average,
everyday MLB player
MACK –
I have to tell you… the
drafting of Voit at 1.38 didn’t cause me to go dancing in the street. First, in
my opinion, the last thing the Mets needed was another flashy infield prospect.
There were far greater future needs at other positions. Secondly, players like
LHP Zach Root, OF Brandan
Summerhill, OF Cam Cannarella,
RHP Chase Shores, and OF Ethan
Petry were still on the board.
Then there is the fact that
he did not start strong at a professional level: St. Lucie – 99-PA, 1-HR, 8-RBI, 13-BB,
20-SB, .235/.343/.294/.638.
Voit will never hit as many
homeruns as Pete
Alonso. Hell, he won’t hit as many as Pete Falcone.
Probably a nice guy. Just
not MY choice here.
16 comments:
Morning
Lots of chatter this week about FRANCISCO ALVAREZ. Hacks have written that his is now 100% healthy and 2026 is going to be the year that he turns into a star.
I have never doubted Alvy's talent, just his durability.
I also have questioned his youthful decision making.
I welcome the Mets writers of the world to be right here. I hope they mean defensively too.
Regarding Bellinger. I do not have him on my board. As I asked a couple of days ago - Was Bellinger even a replacement level batter outside of Yankee Stadium last year. His line was .241/.301/.414. I was asked about about the home runs. Of the 29 he hit last year, only four went over center field. Mostly over the right fielder's left shoulder. Unless they listen to Tom, I would expect a considerable drop in offensive production. I believe that production can be better achieved elsewhere.
I believed that Ewing was the minor's position player of year last year. My question is will he still retain rookie status after 2026 to be the number one? On my futures board I have Ewing in center with Benge in a corner.
I may be a little too optimistic about Bellinger. Tom is convincing me that most of his pop came in the bandbox named Yankee Stadium
I agree that Ewing's future is as a centerfielder
I believe it was 18 of 29 homers in Yankee Stadium
Voit? I reserve judgment on, until we see him this full season. One stat that totally jumped out in his brief debut was his level of steals. Vientos will never catch up to Voit. Mark is 4 of 14 in steals as a pro. Alonso had the level of interest to go 18 of 22 in his big league career. Voit stole 20 of 21 in his first 22 pro games.
But losing ten slots year after year in the draft is a killer. The hidden part of the cost of signing Soto to Mega Bucks. Since Soto alone gets you 25% of the way to the tax threshold….man, do they need these 10 or so top prospects to cheaply succeed in 2026 and 2027.
The good news is that loss of quality players available 10 slots earlier than the Mets wind up picking every year is being offset by increased quality IFA signings
Mack, Welcome the new formats structure. You will still be busy producing content.
Don’t forget about Austin Hayes as a professional LF RH platoon role candidate.
I think Baty is a lock at 3B at this point. Goldschmidt could be a 1B bridge option as well.
These are not inspiring but that do raise the floor & leave space for the youngin’s.
How do you think about signing Bader vs trading for Roberts for CF bridge option?
On Bellinger, his Statcast page says that at Citifield he would have hit 25 HR’s.
It seems an option in LF is Austin Hays.
A good writeup overall detailing the options. As much as Cohen called writers idiots for speculating on his final payroll, he also promised transparency when he bought the team. It seems that the safest bets are a trade for Luis Robert (if it’s “reasonable”) and signing Chris Bassett to eat innings.
Hayes doesn't impress me. Best year was in the .260s... nice D but really limited pop. Pass.
OK
Let's go full transition year snd give Baty 600 at-bats
I always loved Bader as a UT OF
Nothing more
As I just said, don't like Hayes. Biggest positive is his D and his limited cost
Got a nice note from Steve after he heard of my health problems and December hiatus.
Don't block the high end prospects, let this be a show me what you can do year. Plan for a young, fast and exciting team in 2027 and beyond.
The Young, the Fast, and the Reckless.
Mack, nice on getting the note from Steve.
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