MACK - The Latest Top Five Lowest ERAs – Abner Mesa, Olmedo Barria, Dakota Hawkins

MACK - The Latest Top Five Lowest ERAs – Abner Mesa, Olmedo Barria, Dakota Hawkins

 

Period:     6-14 – 6-27

 

Abner Mesa      0.80-WHIP, 10-IP, 8-K, 0.90-ERA

Abner Meza is a young right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization.

Name: Abner Alejandro Meza

Born: May 6, 2007 (age 19) in Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico

Height/Weight: 6'0" / 175 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Position: Pitcher (primarily starter in the low minors)

Current Level: Dominican Summer League (DSL Mets Orange / Blue)

Meza signed with the Mets as an international free agent (undrafted free agent/UDFA) on January 18, 2025, for a small bonus of around $10,000. He was assigned to the DSL shortly after.

He is a low-level developmental arm who has shown promise in the DSL (Rookie-level league), with solid strikeout rates and generally good control for his age.

2025 Season (his pro debut year):   Stronger stint: 2-1, 1.67 ERA in 8 games (27 IP)

Career Minors (through 2026): 5-4 record, 2.88 ERA in 15 games (50 IP), 43 strikeouts, 1.08 WHIP. He has made mostly starts (11 GS).

Key strengths so far: High strikeout upside (K/9 often in the 7-11 range), low walk rates in better outings, and the ability to miss bats.

As a 18-19 year old in the DSL, he's still very raw and has a long way to climb through the Mets' system (FCL → Single-A and beyond).He is not a top-ranked prospect yet — more of a depth/sleeper international signee from the Mets' 2025 class — but he has performed well enough in limited innings to warrant monitoring.

 

Olmedo Barria    0.50-WHIP, 8-IP, 8-K, 0.00-ERA

Olmedo Elias Barria is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization.

Born: December 7, 2006, in Chepo, Panama

Height/Weight: 6'4" / 190 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Position: Pitcher (RHP)

Current Level: Dominican Summer League (DSL) Mets Orange (as of 2026)

The Mets signed Barria as an international free agent on January 15, 2025. He is a relatively new professional who missed time with injury in 2025 (placed on the 60-day IL in May, activated in November) but has been active in the DSL in 2026.

Prospect Profile & Buzz

Barria stands out for his projectable frame (6'4") and exciting stuff. Mets prospect watchers have highlighted him as a "fun" pitcher to follow, with videos showing good velocity, movement, and strikeout ability in the DSL.

Recent updates from fans/prospect accounts note strong outings, such as multi-inning performances with solid strikeout-to-walk ratios (e.g., double-digit Ks in small samples early in 2026). He’s still very young and in the earliest stages of development, so he’s a high-upside arm to monitor as he progresses through the Mets’ system.

 

Dakota Hawkins    0.65-WHIP, 7.2-IP, 7-K, 0.00-ERA

Dakota Hawkins is a right-handed pitcher (R/R, 6'0", 208 lbs, born March 20, 2000, in Centralia, WA) in the New York Mets organization. He is a college undrafted free agent signee (Washington State) who signed in July 2023.

College: Played at Lower Columbia College (JC) before transferring to Washington State. In his senior year (2023), he went 5-3 with a 4.32 ERA, 92 strikeouts in 73 IP (All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention).

Pro Career: Began in the Mets system in 2023 (FCL and Single-A, scoreless in limited innings). He has mostly pitched at High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, with brief appearances at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. He has also seen some starting and relief work.

He has shown promise as a strike-thrower who has performed better in shorter/relief outings, and he has been part of notable feats like contributing to a combined no-hitter for Brooklyn.

Repertoire (Pitch Mix)

Hawkins works with a five-pitch mix, which he tunnels well off his fastball for deception. He pounds the strike zone, mixes effectively, and has good confidence in his breaking stuff.

4-Seam Fastball — Primary pitch, typically in the low-90s (e.g., ~92.5 mph in samples). Good spin and extension; he attacks the zone with it.

Changeup (circle-change grip) — His most-used offspeed pitch. Strong whiff rates; used for strikes and to get back into counts. His dad emphasized it from early on.

Splitter — Similar to the changeup but used more as a chase pitch (different movement/situation). Unusual to throw both, but he differentiates them effectively.

Slider — High confidence pitch; good whiff potential and horizontal movement. Often a go-to breaking ball.

Curveball — Used situationally (depending on scouting report and hitter tendencies); loopy breaking action.

Strengths: Excellent pitchability and mixing, tunnels pitches off the fastball, high strike-throwing rate, and adaptability between starter/reliever roles. Offspeed pitches (especially changeup and splitter) generate swings-and-misses.