Mack's Mets: February 2026

2/2/26

Reese Kaplan -- How Much is Really Too Much?

Every now and then conjecture crosses your path that is seemingly ludicrous yet at the same time it enervates places in your head and heart that you thought were long forgotten and protected. How many of you remember when the Mets decided that they were bigger than any player and in the same time period traded away all time pitching icon Tom Seaver and in the same week slugger Dave Kingman? You can’t figure out how to rationalize or absorb the cold, cruel reality of what the ownership did and everyone who had a pulse knew it was completely wrong.

What the Mets got in return from the Cincinnati Reds was a very solid pitcher who’d won Rookie of the Year in Pat Zachry, a great glove/no bat infielder in Doug Flynn and two minor league wildcards in outfielders Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. There is no way to suggest that the haul justified pushing out the greatest pitcher in team history, one who would be a first ballot Hall of Famer for frankly a whole lotta nuthin.

Many years later the Mets were on the opposite side of the trading block. Apparently the Minnesota Twins were concerned about the long term cost of Johan Santana, including his upcoming free agency. The Mets put together a package for the Twins that included Carlos Gomez, Deolis Guerra, Philip Humber and Kevin Mulvey. The Mets were taking on a one year wonder with no guarantee he’d be around for the long haul. They gave up a package of four decent prospects but at the same time it didn’t necessarily feel like equal value for a starting pitcher in Santana who a two time Cy Young award winner and then a three time All Star. He finished his abbreviated career with a 3.20 ERA at just age 33 due to injuries. For the Mets he appeared in four seasons often shortened by health problems and missed one entirely with arm problems requiring extensive recovery. He also authored the only no hitter in Mets history.

This trip down memory lane came to mind when the ridiculous rumor surfaced that the Mets have theoretically a gross overpay in mind to secure the best pitcher in baseball from the Detroit Tigers. Since becoming a regular starting pitcher in 2024 Tarik Skubal has made two All Star teams and won two consecutive Cy Young awards. At age 28 he has a 54-38 career record with a 3.08 ERA, but during this two years as the lead of the Tigers rotation he is 31-10 with a 2.30 ERA while whiffing 469 batters in 387.1 innings. He also exhibited awesome control with just a 1.6 walks per 9 IP. His WHIP for these past two years is just 0.906. There’s no denying his pedigree as the top lefty in the game.

So what is the theoretical asking price? Well, make sure you’re sitting down to absorb the whole enchilada. First to go would be reliever turned starter Clay Holmes. Now it’s understandable that if the Mets add a starter and the Tigers are losing one then they need a solid player to fill that void. However, that’s when it starts getting a bit more dicey. The rest of the package included top pitching prospect Jonah Tong and outfield prospect Carson Benge. Yikes!

Now don’t try to draw a parallel to the owner-spite behind the Tom Seaver trade and instead focus on the deal the club made for Santana. They gave up four solid prospects to obtain one of the best pitchers in the game and given the future metrics from the four sacrificed players the Mets most certainly won that deal by a wide margin.

Similarly Tarik Skubal is one year from free agency, much like Santana was. Consequently no matter what you give up to bring him to Citifield there’s no guarantee he would be there for more than the 2026 season. That’s where the huge question marks reside. Do you give up the present in Clay Holmes and the near future in Jonah Tong and Carson Benge for what could potentially end up being a great but very trade expensive one year rental?

If the Mets had a starting rotation that included Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean and some combination of David Peterson, Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea it would most certainly help balance out the uneven offensive roster. However, if Skubal deferred long term contract details with his new employer then you have to reconsider if what you gave up is an overpay for potentially just the 2026 season.

Personally, I could go either way. We saw Tong looking very unready for the majors in his rushed promotion last September. We applaud what Benge can bring to the table but he’s more of a high batting average hitter with moderate power than he is a true slugger. We saw Holmes deliver respectable work in his conversion to starter. There’s no guarantee what the Tigers would get long term with any of them, but you almost wish there could be some kind of window to negotiate with Skubal before the deal was made. Then you kind of swallow hard and if you know he’s a long term Met you accept the cost of the deal both in terms of his salary guarantee and the players required to make it happen.

2/1/26

2026 DRAFT PROSPECTS - Blake Morningstar, Jake Brown, Aiden Ruiz, Cole Carlon,

2nd Round

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2026/draft/brady-harris-826207

RHP Blake Morningstar - Wake Forest

6' 4" 230

Pennsylvania's best high school pitching prospect in 2023, Morningstar was set on attending Wake Forest. After taking his lumps as a freshman reliever, he earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as a starter last spring and pitched for the U.S. Collegiate National Team during the summer. He showed improved velocity and pitch shapes during fall practice, so he could make another jump as a junior.

Morningstar operates with six different pitches, including two- and four-seam fastballs that sit at 92-95 mph and reach 97. His most-used secondary offering is an upper-80s cutter, though he misses more bats with a mid-80s slider to which he has worked to add sweep. He lands his low-80s curveball for strikes and also mixes in a changeup that gets too firm in the upper 80s.

All of Morningstar's pitches have their moments, though none grade as truly plus. He has a durable 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame and gets strikes with his entire repertoire. He profiles as a potential No. 4 starter.

2^nd Round

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2026/draft/brady-harris-826207

Jake Brown OF, Louisiana State

6' 2" 205

DRAFTED - 2023, 16th (471) - TEX

Brown rated as Louisiana's top 2023 prep prospect ahead of fellow left-handed pitcher Kade Anderson, who was recovering from Tommy John surgery but would go on to become the No. 3 pick in the 2025 Draft after starring at Louisiana State. Though pro teams preferred Brown on the mound, he became a full-time outfielder at LSU after turning down the Rangers as a 16th-rounder. He batted a team-high .385 at the College World Series last June as the Tigers won their eighth national title.

Brown is similar to more famous LSU teammate Derek Curiel in that both are lefty-swinging hit-over-power outfielders with a chance to play center field. He uses a smooth stroke to repeatedly barrel balls, though he'll have to make adjustments against left-handers after hitting .179 against them in 2025. He has a bit more raw power than Curiel and drives balls to his pull side more consistently, making him a better bet to provide 20 homers per year.

Brown features solid to plus speed and can steal an occasional base. Though he has played mostly right field for the Tigers and will do so again this year with Curiel in center, some evaluators believe Brown has the quickness and instincts to patrol up the middle. He has a strong arm that delivered fastballs up to 94 mph and bat-missing low-80s sliders in high school.

https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2026/draft/aiden-ruiz-830855

Aiden Ruiz SS, The Stony Brook (NY)

5' 10" 168

COMMITTED - Vanderbilt

In 2024, The Stony Brook School from Long Island, New York, won the 2024 NYSAIS State Championship. In 2025, the school held its own by going 2-2 at USA Baseball's National High School Invitational. At the center of it all for the Bears was Ruiz, their shortstop, who then went on to perform at summer events like the East Coast Professional Showcase and Area Code Games. He also manned shortstop for Team USA, moving fellow Draft prospect Grady Emerson to third, and was named to the All-World team as the U.S. brought home gold in the WBSC U-18 World Cup.

An undersized switch-hitter who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 168 pounds, Ruiz is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the class. He's an elite defender with a plus arm and range, great hands and outstanding footwork. Unlike with many young players at the premium position, Ruiz not only makes the spectacular, acrobatic plays, throwing on the run, he also slows the game down and makes the routine plays as well. It's future Gold Glove-caliber defense.

An above-average runner whose instincts help him be a successful base-stealer, Ruiz's bat is behind his glove. He makes a ton of contact with an idea of what he's doing at the plate, excellent bat control and no fear, showing an ability to turn around premium velocity. But he's done it without too much damage or impact to date, and showing some ability to drive the ball could certainly help the Vanderbilt recruit's Draft stock.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/mlb-mock-draft-2026-chicago-white-sox-own-no-1-pick-who-will-they-take/ar-AA1TPvlh?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Cole Carlon, LHP, Arizona State Baseball

The sophomore Sun Devil has seen his fair share of the mound especially in the 2025 season. In the most recent season, Carlon carried a 3-1 record from the bump and a 3.33 ERA. Through 54 innings of work, the lefty struck out 86 with 25 walks.

https://www.bleachernation.com/mlb/2026/01/13/mlb-mock-draft-mid-jan/

Zion Rose OF Louisville

2025: One of two Cardinals to start all 66 games (53 in LF, 13 at DH) ... Finished with a .310 average, 16 doubles, three triples and 13 home runs ... Led the Cards with 67 RBIs and scored 64 runs ... Went 31-for-34 in stolen bases ... Ranked fourth in the ACC in stolen bases, fifth in RBIs, fifth in triples, seventh in runs, 11th in hits and 12th in total bases ... Started opening night in LF against Texas ... Tallied six hits in three games on the opening weekend ... Went 5-for-12 with six RBIs and four extra-base hits, including his first home run of the year against Western Michigan ... Homered and drove in three in the win over Butler on Feb. 26 ... Hit a two run homer in the win over North Carolina on March 14 ... Went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs against Northern Kentucky on March 18 ... Homered and drove in three against Cal on March 29 ... Hit a two-run homer in the win over WKU on April 15 ... Stole a career-high four bases in the win over FSU on April 26 ... Went back-to-back with Lucas Moore in the first inning against Florida State on April 27 ... Homered in the first inning of each of the first two games at Notre Dame ... Had three hits, including a homer, and a career high four RBIs at Georgia Tech on May 9 ... Homered and drove in two against Bellarmine on May 13 ... Went 2-for-4 with a homer against Vanderbilt in the NCAA Regional on May 31 ... Drove in three, including the go-ahead two-run single, against Arizona on June 15 ... Homered in the win over Oregon State on June 17 at the College World Series.

2026 DRAFT PROSPECTS - Five Possible 3rd Round Mets Picks

Five Possible 3^rd Round Picks - MLB

Jason DeCaro RHP North Carolina

6' 5" 230

As a New York high schooler, DeCaro reclassified from the 2024 Draft to '23 and got an early jump on his college career at North Carolina. He looked like a potential 2026 first-rounder when he cracked the Tar Heels rotation as a 17-year-old freshman, but scouts aren't sure what to make of him because his stuff leveled off last spring. His feel for pitching has allowed him to thrive in college and make the U.S. Collegiate National Team each of the last two summers.

While DeCaro gets outs, he doesn't miss a lot of bats or land his secondary pitches in the zone consistently. His fastball has ordinary velocity (91-94 mph, peak of 97) and shape but generates weak contact. His low-80s changeup has significant fade that fools hitters, while his tight low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball are merely average.

DeCaro keeps batters off balance by sequencing his pitches well and he throws consistent strikes from an upright delivery. Unless he improves the velocity and quality of his arsenal, he profiles more as a durable high-floor starter than someone who will pitch in the front half of a rotation. He's extremely young for a college junior (20 years, three months on Draft day) but doesn't have a lot of projection remaining in his strong 6-foot-5 frame.

Mason Edwards

LHP, Southern California

6' 2" 190

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Edwards is a Los Angeles area native who attended Palisades High School, earning back-to-back league pitcher of the year honors as well as consecutive first-team all-city nods in 2022 and 2023. After heading just a stone’s throw away to Southern Cal for college, the left-hander served as a swingman type for the Trojans, amassing just over 70 innings combined. A strong fall showing and the expectation of him potentially leading the weekend rotation in the spring has the scouting industry’s interest piqued.

In many ways, Edwards fits the prototype of a college lefty with a feel for pitching. He has a solid three-pitch mix and knows how to use it effectively. While his fastball typically sits in the 91-93 mph range, he can touch 95. There is some carry and “darkness” to his heater, leading to a 30-percent miss rate on the pitch in 2025, according to Synergy. He’ll throw his slurvy breaking ball around 80 mph, and the curve flashes as a plus pitch with excellent spin. He has good feel for an above-average changeup with good fade that also can miss bats.

Teams will like that Edwards will just be turning 21 immediately after the Draft. The fact that his strike-throwing has improved since he got to campus won’t hurt, either, as he showed excellent command during his work this fall. He has all the ingredients needed to be a solid starting pitcher. If he can show his stuff can hold up over a full spring in the rotation, he’ll float up Draft boards.

Andrew Williamson

OF, Central Florida

6' 0" 195

The nephew of long-time big leaguer Sean Rodriguez, Williamson has been a member of the starting outfield at Central Florida pretty much since the start of his freshman year in 2024. That first season was fairly nondescript, but an MVP turn in the wood bat Cal Ripken League that summer led to a big step forward as a sophomore with the Knights. He finished the 2025 season with an 1.110 OPS, 13 homers and 13 steals, putting him in position to join former UCF teammate Antonio Jimenez, a third-rounder of the Mets last year, as an early-round selection.

Williamson is a strong and compact left-handed hitter who gives off some Alek Thomas or Nate McLouth type vibes. He has the chance to hit, with some power, showing a solid overall approach that led to small strikeout and high walk rates in '25. There’s a little hitch in his swing at the start, with a drop in his hands and a barrel tilt that can affect his timing, leading some to worry a little bit about his hit tool. But he has a quick swing with plenty of bat speed, and he’s shown he can get to his solid raw pop in games, particularly to his pull side.

An above-average runner who didn’t get thrown out in 13 attempts to steal a year ago, Williamson played center as a freshman but moved to right field last year and is likely to stay in a corner in 2026. He has the arm to profile well there, but a team interested in taking him could very well give him the chance to play up the middle, which would raise his profile.

Rookie Shepard

SS, Faith Lutheran (NV)

6' 0" 185

COMMITTED - Miami

Over the last two years, the Southisene family had a stranglehold on the “best player from Nevada” mantle, with Tate going in the first round last year and Ty a fourth-round pick in 2024. In 2026, the baton is being taken up by another high schooler in Shepard, an athletic infielder who has jumped on the radar by showing off his skills at MLB events like the Breakthrough Series and the High School All-American Game, to go along with showcase stops like Perfect Game National and the Area Code Games.

Listed at 6-foot and 190 pounds, Shepard is a compact and toolsy left-handed-hitting middle infielder with some thump. He’s shown off strong bat-to-ball skills with an advanced approach at times, though some evaluators liked him better as a sophomore than during his junior year, and he did struggle with some swing-and-miss on secondary stuff over the summer.

Shepard runs well and can steal a base, and his plus athleticism has allowed him to play a number of positions capably as an amateur. His arm is probably a little shy to man shortstop long-term at the next level, but the Miami recruit has good enough hands and actions to stay on the dirt at second base, while also showing acumen to play center field.

Anthony Murphy

OF, Corona (CA)

6' 0" 190

COMMITTED - Louisiana State

In 2025, California prep power Corona High School saw three players get taken in the first 32 picks of the Draft. Murphy was arguably the best offensive performer on the team that saw right-hander Seth Hernandez and shortstop Billy Carlson go in the top 10 and Brady Ebel go No. 32 overall, with the outfielder hitting over .400 and slamming 11 homers as a junior. Murphy raised his profile at MLB Develops events like the Hank Aaron Invitational and Breakthrough Series, while shining at MLB’s High School All-American Game and winning a gold medal with Team USA at the WSBC U-18 World Cup in Japan.

A strong, physically mature right-handed-hitting outfielder, Murphy’s two standout tools are his raw power and his defense. He has at least plus raw pop and has shown he can get to it in games in high school, but there are questions about his hit tool moving forward. He likes to change his swing and fiddle with his setup a lot, and there’s been a good amount of swing-and-miss and chase as a result, though there’s some conviction that finding consistency in his mechanics should allow him to find the barrel enough.

A plus runner, Murphy is considered by some area scouts to be one of the best defensive outfielders they’ve seen in recent memory. He can play center field and if he slows down and moves to right, he has more than enough arm for the spot. All of the LSU recruit’s tools play up because of his full-throttle, hard-nosed play, giving more confidence he’ll maximize his ability as a pro.

MACK - Top 28 - Prospects - #26 - LHSP - Daviel Hurtado

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting. Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future. This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1. The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

26 - Daviel Hurtado

LHSP 6-1 170 Turns 21 on January 26^th

2025 – FCL Mets: 5-STARTS, 1-0, 0.47, 0.64. 19-IP, 25-K

St. Lucie: 13-G, 7-STARTS, 0-2, 2.70, 1.37, 46.2-IP, 50-K

GROK -

Daviel Hurtado is a promising young left-handed pitcher in the New York Mets' minor league system.

He's a Cuban-born prospect, signed by the Mets as an international free agent in January 2023 at age 19.

Hurtado started his pro career in the Dominican Summer League (DSL Mets) in 2023, then progressed through the Florida Complex League (FCL Mets) in 2024-2025, and got assigned to Single-A St. Lucie Mets (Florida State League) in 2025.

He's shown solid development, including being named Pitcher of the Month for August 2025 by the Mets and St. Lucie Booster Club.

In lower levels, he's posted strong strikeout rates (around 9-10 K/9 in samples) with decent control, and he's been highlighted in Mets minor league recaps for impressive outings (e.g., low-run allowed stretches in complex league ball).

As a prospect, he's considered a sleeper or honorable mention type in Mets farm system rankings (e.g., around 45 OFP grade in some scouting reports), with high risk but upside due to his youth, athleticism, and room to add strength/muscle.

Pitching Repertoire:

Fastball: Primary pitch, sitting 91-94 mph, with peaks up to 96 mph (some earlier reports noted up to 95-98 potential). It's his go-to offering with good life from his lefty arm angle.

Curveball: A big, sharp breaker (77-81 mph), often described as a plus or high-50s grade tool—his best secondary pitch for generating whiffs and missing bats.

Slider: Complementary breaker (84-88 mph), solid average offering to add variety against right-handers.

Changeup: Developing (84-87 mph), more of a fringe/40-grade pitch currently, but part of his mix as he works on it.

He throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a long arm action, which helps create deception and arm speed.

Command has been average to plus in early looks, and the repertoire gives him a classic lefty starter profile with swing-and-miss potential once he adds velocity and consistency.

MACK. - THE SUNDAY REPORT - Austin Barnes, Grae Kessinger, Ryan Clifford, Jonah Tong

Good Morning –

The Mets continue to sign baseball players that haven’t been successful at the major league level. Most have been relief pitchers. This time, it was a veteran catcher.

GROK –

Austin Barnes is a 36-year-old professional baseball catcher born on December 28, 1989, in Riverside, California.

He's known primarily for his long tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Career Highlights

Drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 9th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Arizona State University.

Traded to the Dodgers in 2014 (part of the Dee Gordon/Miguel Rojas deal).

Made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2015.

Served mostly as a backup catcher, valued for elite defense, pitch framing, game-calling, and veteran leadership behind the plate.

Key contributor to Dodgers' World Series wins in 2020 and 2024.

Career MLB stats (through 2025): .223 AVG, 35 HR, 162 RBI, .660 OPS over parts of 11 seasons (mostly limited playing time batting low in the order).

Nickname: "Sam"

Strong defensive reputation; offensively, his best year was 2017 (.289 AVG, strong power for a catcher role).

Recent Updates (as of January 2026)

He was released by the Dodgers in May 2025 after a brief stint (13 games, .214 AVG, low power output).

Signed briefly with the San Francisco Giants' minor league system but was released in August 2025.

Just days ago (late January 2026), the New York Mets signed him to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. The deal reportedly includes a $1.5 million base if he makes the roster, plus up to $500K in incentives.

This is a low-risk depth move for the Mets, likely aiming for his defensive skills and experience as backup/mentor potential.

MACK –

The job of any back-up catcher is to provide all-star defense. The offense comes from the starter.

The Mets are lined up with, what seems, like an endless amount of prospect catchres… Chris Suero, Ronald Hernandez, Daiverson Guitterrez, Yovanny Rodriguez, and Josmir Reyes.

Before the Barnes deal, Kevin Parada would have been the back-up catcher. Parada catches with a pitchfork. He basically throws underhand.

As of right now, his only future is as a DH.

The New York Mets have signed Grae Kessinger to a minor league contract.

GROK –

Grae Kessinger is a professional baseball infielder born on August 25, 1997, in Oxford, Mississippi.

He's 28 years old, stands 6'1", weighs around 204 lbs, bats and throws right-handed, and primarily plays shortstop (SS), third base (3B), and second base.Family

Background

He's part of a notable baseball family: Grandson of Don Kessinger, a longtime MLB shortstop (mainly with the Chicago Cubs) and All-Star. Nephew of Keith Kessinger, who had a brief MLB stint with the Cincinnati Reds in 1993.

Amateur and College Career

Kessinger was a standout at Oxford High School in Mississippi. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round of the 2016 MLB Draft but didn't sign and instead attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).

At Ole Miss, he excelled as a shortstop:

In his junior year (2019), he hit .330 with 18 doubles, 7 home runs, 50 RBIs, and was a key player.

He won the Brooks Wallace Award (nation's top shortstop).

Earned multiple All-American honors, First-Team All-SEC, and was a finalist for Mississippi's top college player award.

Helped the Rebels in postseason play, including strong showings in regionals and super regionals.

Professional Career

Selected by the Houston Astros in the 2nd round (68th overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft.

Progressed through the minors, ranking as a top Astros prospect in the early 2020s.

Made his MLB debut with the Astros on June 7, 2023.

Appeared in a total of 49 MLB games with Houston across 2023-2024, mostly in a utility role. His MLB batting stats have been limited and modest (e.g., low averages in small samples, with a few extra-base hits including his first career home run in 2023).

Spent time bouncing between the majors and Triple-A (Sugar Land Space Cowboys), with some injuries and options.

Designated for assignment by the Astros in late 2024.

Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in January 2025 for a minor-league pitcher.

Played briefly in the D-backs system (including time on the injured list) before being released in April 2025 after just 11 games.

As of late January 2026, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets, including an invitation to major league spring training. This adds infield depth for them, with reports of a $900K major-league salary if he makes the roster.

He's known for solid defensive skills (especially at shortstop, with smooth actions and strong arm from his scouting days) and some power potential shown in college/minors (over 100 extra-base hits in the minors), though his big-league offensive output has been limited so far.

Overall, Kessinger is a versatile infielder with strong pedigree and defensive chops, working his way toward potentially sticking in the majors again with his new Mets opportunity.

30 of the best prospects who missed the Top 100 list -- 1 for each team

https://www.mlb.com/news/each-mlb-team-s-best-non-top-100-prospect-2026?partnerID=web_article-share

Mets: Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF

Fellow corner infielder Jacob Reimer deserves a mention here too as both aren’t far off from Top 100 status. But Clifford's strikeout rate dipped a bit in his age-21 season across the top two levels of the Minors, helping quiet some of the concerns that he’ll be a three-true-outcome slugger. He still took a ton of walks and hit for good pop (29 homers) ahead of his return to Triple-A Syracuse. Clifford could be an MLB option at first base or the corner outfield spots by the first half, depending on club need.

MACK – Good to see that someone other than me thing Clifford can be a factor this season.

Keith Law – Top 100 Mets Prospects

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6985939/2026/01/26/top-mlb-prospects-2026-keith-law-konnor-griffin/

#72 Jonah Tong RHP

2025 Ranking: NR

Tong’s MLB debut didn’t go well, to put it mildly, but in his defense, it was an aggressive assignment for a player with just nine innings above A-ball coming into 2025, and his season beyond that was exemplary. Tong led all of minor-league baseball with 179 strikeouts thanks to his very high arm slot and plus extension, which gives his 94-96 mph fastball nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break and generated a 36 percent whiff rate on the pitch in the minors. He pairs it with a changeup that wouldn’t be plus on its own — it has a little arm-side fade without much tumble — but plays way up because hitters can’t distinguish between the two pitches out of his hand, and the fastball rides up much more than they expect while the changeup doesn’t. He’s very north-south, typical for over-the-top guys, using a downward-breaking curveball more in the minors, but the Mets are trying to develop a slider or sweeper he can use to get some more lateral movement and force hitters to think more in four directions rather than two. His command and control have improved dramatically, as he walked 22 percent of batters he faced in 2023 (when he was still throwing 90-92) and cut that to 10.6 percent last year even as his velocity kept increasing. I don’t usually rank guys with this kind of arm slot anywhere near this high, as the overwhelming majority of them end up relievers. Tong’s stuff is on another level, he can get hitters on both sides out, and he’s an elite athlete who has already shown he can make a ton of adjustments. He should be at least a mid-rotation starter and could be a No. 2 starter if he finds a suitable breaking ball to expand his movement profile.

2026 Top 100 Prospects

Thomas Nestico from TJStats tjstats@substack.com

39) Jonah Tong - P - NYM

Jonah Tong struck out the world in 2025 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 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 separation 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.

The Mets released RHP Estarlin Escalante and Luis Ortiz