Period: 6-14 – 6-27
Abner Mesa/DSL Orange - 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/DSL Orange - 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.

It's a real treat getting these reports from you. It is encouraging that these young pitchers have distinguished themselves by, of all things, throwing strikes and not walking the park!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jules
DeleteMack, it always blows my mind that when I look at a post like this with three young players, and I add their ages together, and they’re still a lot younger than we are lol. I hope they do well. Dakota is great in the summer. Maybe he will pitch great and get a call up this summer.
ReplyDeleteHawkins may be something
DeleteThe stats for the DSL players are thin in these posts but the main purpose of them is to simply introduce you to someone that might turn into something someday
ReplyDeleteThe alternative would be someone hitting. 187 in Brooklyn
C'mon Tom, (and in keeping the metaphor alive, barely), you're younger than springtime
ReplyDeleteIt is great to get these names out there. They all have great potential. I would caution that the numbers don't mean anything yet because the sample size is very small. Focus on the pitches and the movement they are working on.
ReplyDelete