MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #24 - RHSP - Peter Kussow

 

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.

24.    Peter Kussow

GROK –

Peter Kussow is a right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization. The Mets selected him in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin.

He was an 18-year-old (born December 8, 2006) high school standout who signed with the Mets for an overslot bonus of $897,500, skipping his commitment to the University of Louisville.

At 6'5" and around 205-215 lbs, Kussow has a projectable frame with significant upside, often described by analysts as having "legitimate ace potential" due to his athletic delivery, room for velocity gains, and strong pitch traits. He's considered one of the top prospects from the Mets' 2025 draft class—some call him the "crown jewel"—and MLB Pipeline named him their breakout Mets prospect for 2026.

Pitching Repertoire

Kussow's arsenal, based on scouting reports from his high school/pre-draft era (which remains the primary source as he's still early in pro development):

Fastball: Primary pitch, sitting 91-95 mph with a top-end of 96-97 mph. It features firm ride and armside run, plus above-average spin rates (2400-2600 RPM). Scouts note velocity gains over time and projection for more as he matures physically.

Slider: His best/standout pitch—high-spin (2500-2700 RPM), tight gyro shape in the mid-to-upper 80s (79-88 mph range), with late two-plane break and good command potential. Often called elite or plus-plus for a prep arm.

Curveball: Secondary breaking ball with 12-6 shape (downer action), thrown in the mid-80s or so in flashes.

Changeup: Developing third pitch in the high-80s, showing tumble and fade but still inconsistent and a work in progress.

Command has been noted as inconsistent due to his mechanics and limited innings (common for cold-weather high school pitchers from Wisconsin), but his delivery is clean and repeatable for his size. The Mets' pitching lab is expected to refine this mix, potentially adding velocity or sharpening secondary pitches.

He's a high-ceiling arm the Mets invested in heavily for a mid-round pick, with projections placing him as a potential future rotation piece (ETA around 2028-2029).

 

1-2-2026

MACK/MM

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