2025 Draft Prospect - Carson Brumbaugh, MIF/RHP, Uncommitted

 

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Carson Brumbaugh, MIF/RHP, Uncommitted

Brumbaugh played in minimal events this summer due to an injury, but he took full advantage of his time on the diamond. He has a strong 6’2” 190lb frame with noticeable strength already present in the lower half. There’s a lot going on with the swing with a medium leg kick and active hands, but this doesn’t stop him from consistently getting the barrel to the ball. 

He shows an excellent feel at the plate with impressive barrel dexterity that allows him to cover all parts of the zone and impact the baseball with authority to all parts of the field. He comfortably possesses an above-average hit tool with present average raw power that could blossom into an above-average tool. 

In the field, he showed rhythmic feet and soft hands, indicating that he could handle the six spot at the highest level. In the one event that he did play, he was recovering from an arm injury and only played second base, but there is very real arm strength present here as well, as he was running it up into the mid-90s on the mound prior to this injury. 

Brumbaugh is an absolute toolshed with present, innate feel for the barrel who should continue to rise up boards as the 2025 draft creeps closer.

 

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We're highlighting incoming junior two-way athlete Carson Brumbaugh, an uncommitted Oklahoma native who's been one of the premium performers of the summer. He starred at the PBR Future Games, at Area Codes, and now he's headed to Milwaukee to take part in the inaugural PBR All-American Game.

 

PBR's VP of Scouting Shooter Hunt had this to say regarding Brumbaugh's electrifying performance at Lake Point as a member of Team Oklahoma inside the Future Games at the end of July: "Brumbaugh stole the show during workouts as his mic-dropping moment included an array of home runs belted with an average exit velocity of 97.9 mph and a max of 104 mph. 

The right-handed hitter nearly broke the Blast Motion metrics, and had the company buzzing about the advanced analytics of his bat and hand speed combined with elite rotational acceleration... At 6-foot-1, 189 pounds his frame is wiry-athletic with some lean strength present, and more likely on the way. 

A versatile defender who can play anywhere on the diamond, he only amplified his value by hopping on the bump and running his fastball up above 93 mph with a quick arm and significant effort out front. His wipeout slider is a real weapon, and while he warrants an initial look as a position player, the fall back option as a power-armed right-hander is reassuring."

2025 Draft Prospect - LHP - Cameron Appenzella - South Carolina commit

 

Joe Doyle                 @JoeDoyleMiLB

Glenwood LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Springfiled Il.) is one of the best HS pitchers in the country. In fact, he currently ranks as my No. 1 HS arm in the country for 2025. The projection is infinite. But he's also an unbelievably talented golfer. And he boasts highlight reel dunks

 

https://www.perfectgame.org/Players/Playerprofile.aspx?ID=543438 –

2024 National Showcase 

Cameron Appenzeller is a 2025 LHP/1B/OF with a 6-5 180 lb. frame from Springfield, IL who attends Glenwood HS. Extra large frame and build with long limbs, broad shoulders, and lots of physical projection remaining. Primary left-handed pitcher who only pitched during the event. Free and easy delivery with a very low effort release. 

Athletic delivery and repeats pretty well. Low arm slot and throws two different fastballs while topping out at 93 mph. Held the low-90s throughout the outing, getting up to 19" of horizontal break on the two seam with up to 17" of IVB on the four seam. 

Tunnels slider really well and acts as a flat sweeper. Very good pitch against left-handed hitters and has the comfort to land the pitch for strikes. Showed the changeup in his second inning of work, landing the pitch for strikes and getting up to 16" of horizontal break. Very advanced three pitch mix with command and substantial projection remaining. Tremendous student. Verbal commitment to South Carolina. Selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.

 

https://garnetandcocky.com/2023/10/16/south-carolina-baseball-appenzeller-commits/ -

The 6’5″ Appenzeller is very thin, but he is very projectable as a prospect. With a lot of strength still to be added to his frame, Appenzeller already throws in the mid-high 80s as a new high school junior. It is very realistic that the Illinois native will add several miles per hour to his fastball. He also throws a heavy curveball that features a lot of downward break.

Appenzeller is not quite as highly ranked as some of the other South Carolina baseball commitments, but a strong showing this summer and fall in travel baseball could see him receive a bump in the rankings. He also spends some time playing first base and corner outfield and has a swing that could develop some power as he gets stronger.

Tom Brennan: Reality Is...

...things aren't always peaches and cream for other teams.

Our Catcher Hit Better Than Their Catcher

Sure, some Mets players struggled in the playoffs...

But they did great overall this year.

We can quibble about their "shortcomings"...

As if no other team experiences such things.

But look at the Yankees in the playoffs through game 1 Friday night:

Aaron Judge?  The slugger is just 6 for 36, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 16 Ks. 

 - He will be starring in a new film, "The Return of Mr. May". 

 - Alonso meanwhile was .273/.431/.568.

Jazz Chisolm?  The 3B is 7 for 39, 1 RBI, 12 Ks, 2 walks.

 - No razzamatazz for Jazz.

 - Mets 3B Mark Vientos was .327 with 5 HRs and 14 RBIs.

Austin Wells? Theur catcher is just 4 for 38, with 17 Ks.

 - He is currently watching Tomas Nido hitting instruction videos.

 - Francisco Alvarez hit .256.

Take away that Soto guy with his .457 OBP and they'd be nowhere, man.

So...

For a Mets player to not excel in post season play is not unusual.

According to Tom Jones.

Reese Kaplan -- So, Suppose You Want to Buy Some Bats...

It’s no secret that the Mets are going to have a relatively big pile of money available to them to shop aggressively in the free agent marketplace.  Besides long-delayed payments to ex Mets James McCann, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander finally ending, the team stands to lose up to 13 of its existing players to free agency.  

The money is indeed a very good thing as it opens up some great possibilities, but at the same time there is so much roster construction work that needs to be done it suggests that there need to be some hidden gems found to accompany the highest priced baubles available to the bidder with the deepest pockets. 

Let’s take an offensive look today at the best of the best from the position player options and see who might catch the team’s interest.

For purposes of this exercise we’re skip over the first base options as it’s more likely the Mets will either resign Pete Alonso or shift Mark Vientos across the diamond to replace him.  The same holds true at catcher with in-house options Francisco Alvarez and backup Luis Torrens.  However, from there it’s mostly an open bid for other positions.

Infielders

Willy Adames — Sometimes players stub their performance toe in a walk year and cost themselves dearly as they enter free agency.  Mr. Adames did the polar opposite and coming off a season in which he hit 32 HRs, drove in 112 and stole 21 bases, well, the line for his services is going to be quite long.  The right handed slugger is also under age 30, but on the Mets he would be forced to move to 3B due to the presence of Francisco Lindor.  That might count against his interest in this team.  His ending salary with the Brewers is $12.25 million.

Alex Bregman — A natural third baseman, Bregman has done wnders for the Houston Astros before reaching his first true crack at free agency.  Year in and year out he’ll post very solid offensive numbers while also playing the field quite well, yet despite his long career the now 30 year old has only twice eclipsed the 100 RBI mark and is coming off an ending salary just over $30 million.  He would be a nice fit but last season Mark Vientos provided more offense than did Bregman.  To me he’s a bit of a tough spend given other options.

Ha-seong Kim — The San Diego Padres stand to lose their incumbent shortstop who is a nice player but not outstanding in any particular way.  With Lindor here the thought on Kim would be at perhaps second base, but between Jeff McNeil, a return of Jose Iglesias, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuna in house already he doesn’t seem like a great fit either.  He is an adept fielder with one Gold Glove to his credit in 2023 when he also hit 17 HRs and drove in 60 while swiping 38 bases.  However, that output was the exception of his American career.

Eugenio Suarez — This left side infielder has hit as many as 49 HRs in a season and three times crossed the 100 RBI mark including his walk year in Arizona.  They hold an option on his for his age 33 season in the $15.25 million range which is reasonable for what he provided them.  He’s not speedy and won’t hit for a high average but he will indeed produce runs.  The other red flag on him is strikeouts as he’s three times led the league in the category.  Dollar wise he’s a good fallback type of position if others are deemed too expensive.

Gleyber Torres — Here’s a guy that manager Carlos Mendoza knows very well from their joint tenure at Yankee Stadium.  Ending his Bronx tenure with a $14 million salary, imagine his contribution at second base given his offensive line of 25 HRs, 80 RBIs and a .265 batting average year in and year out to go along with about 10 stolen bases per year. Oh yeah, did I mention his career began at age 21, so now as a free agent he’s just 27. 

Outfielders

Cody Bellinger — It always seemed the Bellinger was an on again/off again type of hitter who could be quite dangerous or quite disappointing.  This coming year there’s an opt-out possible and he could make for an interested center field option.  He won a Gold Glove while playing for the Dodgers but his offensive swings are the ultimate wildcard for any team interested in his services.  

He’s hit as many as 47 HRs in a single season so there’s no question about his power potential, yet he’s entering this market having hit 18 and driving in just 70.  He can also play 1B if the Mets feel he is better served there as he approaches his 30s, but remember there’s not a lot of consistency for a guy finishing his Cubs career with a $27.5 million salary.  You’d frankly get more out of Pete Alonso for similar money.

Michael Conforto — Some folks live and die for player reunions and an old name is again available for whomever is willing to pay him.  Conforto has good power and can play a credible outfield, but his two ending seasons in San Francisco paid him $18 million per year for respectively 15 and 20 HRs.  His batting average is .251 and frankly he’s not hit 30 HRs since he last did it for the Mets in 2019.  At around $15 million or so per year for a guy turning 33, he is an adequate choice but also a regular injury risk.  I’d pass.

Teoscar Hernandez — One name quite familiar to Mets fans is Los Angeles Dodger Teoscar Hernandez who is now playing in the World Series.  The man owns a pair of Silver Sluggers from his days in Toronto and was an All Star this past season.  For a guy selling himself to the highest bidder, ending the 2024 season with 33 HRs and 99 RBIs while hitting .272 with a dozen steals is a great way to set himself up for a big payday.  

His salary with the Dodgers is $23.5 million for his single season contract in Los Angeles.  Rumor has it he’s interested in a return to Toronto, but the numbers he produces exceed many of the other options on the market right now.

Tyler O’Neill — Here’s a name nowhere near the top of most folks’ lists of must-haves but look a little closer and you might find a hidden gem.  He’s twice eclipsed the 30 HR mark and has won a pair of Gold Gloves.  The batting average is only a career mark of .246 but his last annual salary is just under $6 million.  Might he be the next Harrison Bader?

Jurickson Profar — Another bargain hunting opportunity is the former infielder turned outfielder, Jurickson Profar.  He played for $1 million last season and produced 24 HRs with 85 RBIs with a .280 batting average.  It was a standout season for him based upon his resume, but maybe something finally clicked during his age 31 season with the Padres.  It wouldn’t take a fortune to hire him but he’s in that very good but not quite great level of performance.

Anthony Santander — Here’s a guy you’ve started hearing quite a bit about as an alternative to Juan Soto (and/or Pete Alonso).  Like many other sluggers, as a career .246 hitter the batting average isn’t going to overwhelm you, but he’s coming off an All Star season in which he hit 44 long balls and drove in 102.  His ending salary with Baltimore is $11.7 million and he’s just turning 30.  Ummm...the folks clamoring for him might be onto something.

Juan Soto — I’m getting this one out of the way quickly.  Soto posted WAR of 14.6 this past season and that’s while being a mediocre outfielder.  He’s going to approach just below what Shohei Ohtani got with the Dodgers, so figure on about a $45 million per year contract for a bare minimum of 10 years.  

Great hitter, but maybe it’s my retro aversion to spending from having been a lifelong Mets fans.  I just can’t see it happening.  Let the Yankees, Dodgers and others overbid one another and spend more wisely to address multiple needs.

Designated Hitters

Marcell Ozuna — Yes, he has some baggage in his personal life but the man can flat out hit.  As a DH he doesn’t have to do anything else on the playing field and making him leave the Braves would feel especially nice.  Still, the option belongs to the Braves for him returning for a paltry $16 million so I can’t see him hitting the market. 

Joc Pederson — Like former teammate Cody Bellinger, Pederson has kind of been all over the place with his offensive output.  Right now he is waiting to hear from the Diamondbacks what they want to do with him in 2025.  This past year he hit 23 HRs and drove in 64 while hitting .272.  That last number is odd as he’s just a .241 career hitter.  I’d likely pass on him as he’s going to be looking for a longer deal for between $12 and $16 million per year. 

Tom Brennan: Don’t Overlook Importance of Low Team Errors

IT WOULD BE AN ERROR TO NOT CONSIDER ERRORS

In 2024, the Mets made 93 errors.

That seems good at first blush, but relatively speaking, that was bad. 

The Mets, you see, ranked 21st.

The 1-2-3 ranked teams were Arizona (62), Atlanta (68), and the Twins (70). 

The game has gotten more and more athletic, and that in part is the cause of reduced errors.  Fielding simply is drastically better.

Also, greatly heightened strikeouts in 2024 vs., say, 1969 mean less balls put in play for fielders to make miscues on.

The 93 errors the Mets made in 2024 made would have easily had them ranked first overall in 1969, the Mets' first championship year.

The second best team in 1969 made 115 errors.  That total would have had them in 2024 ranked far lower, at 29th overall.

The 1969 Champ Mets?   

They made 122 errors in 1969, 29 more (and 30% more) than the 2024 Mets.

If they made 122 errors in 2024? It would have had them dead last.

So...do not ignore a Mets minor league player's high error totals when assessing where they might fit in with the Mets.

That would be a big error on your part.

I can assure you David Stearns is not making that error.  

He'd like to finish better than 21st in errors in 2025.

Reese Kaplan -- Who's Left After All the Mets Free Agents Depart?

Earlier in the week we examined the free agents to be for the New York Mets and it’s a whopping magnitude.  The active roster is actually half of what you might think it is with 11 members set for their sell to the highest bidder freedom and two more with opt-out clauses.  That means you are literally just guaranteed to have 13 folks from the 26 man roster returning.  Considering the club made it all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS, there’s an awful lot of turnover on the immediate horizon.

Today we will examine the folks from 2024 who are eligible to return and see if perhaps some turnover is necessary in this group as well.  In some cases it is a matter of looking to improve the overall strength of the collective team roster and in other cases it may be a function of reallocating payroll dollars in a different way.

Now do remember that when David Stearns arrive in New York he inherited the team with all of its 100-loss flaws from the dugout and front office people who did not get the job done.  One by one changes were made but the 2024 season did not unfold exactly as expected.  It was an excruciating April and May leaving folks wondering about the manager, the general manager, the players and whether or not the unsteady footing was going to become permanent.

Well, I don’t need to rehash the mighty changes that took place in the rostre construction, deployment and motivation that led instead to an 89 win regular season and very exclusive entry into October baseball.  In some cases it was David Stearns who swallowed hard and made changes when players he selected were simply not the right fit.  In other cases it was slumps and injuries that forced new faces onto the playing lineup.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at the great remainder of the Mets roster eligible to become part of the 2025 team.  I’ve included some injury recoveries which fluffs up the numbers a bit, too:

Hitters

Luisangel Acuna — This little sparkplug did better than many had expected given his uneven Syracuse season.  He showed defensive range, great speed and some power.  Though he finished the year on the big club he may start the next one proving he can master the next lower level of competition.

Francisco Alvarez —- No one is quite sure what to make of the catcher of the present (and the future).  He is improving defensively but his bat went into lost and found for a great part of the season.  He did finish the NLCS with a pair of multi-hit games, so that probably restored a little bit of faith.  Bear in mind he’s still just 22 years old.

Francisco Lindor — There’s nothing much to say here.  He costs a fortune and plays like he deserves every penny of Steve Cohen’s money that he’s being paid.

Starling Marte — The former All Star is approaching his fourth and final year of the deal that brought him here courtesy of deposed GM Billy Eppler.  Injuries have seriously hampered what was expected of the man after year one.  The salary kept going up but the productivity didn’t.  He can still run and hit around the diamond, but the defense has waned and he’s not delivering over $20 million of value.

Jeff McNeil — On a somewhat smaller dollar scale you have infielder Jeff McNeil who has once won an NL batting title but then went two straight years performing like a shell of his former self.  The outfield assignments were relatively new for him who came up as a second baseman, but with limited power and a poor batting average you wonder how much advantage the team has when he is in the lineup.

Brandon Nimmo — What a long strange year it was for Nimmo. He hit with more power and drove in more runs than in the past, yet at the same time the solid and cautious hitter with a great eye dropped down in the eyebrow raising level for his poor batting average.  He was fighting off plantar fasciitis which could impact comfort by not being able to plant your foot properly.  Still, he’s a keeper.

Tyrone Taylor — A remnant of David Stearns’ Milwaukee days, Taylor showed defense, speed and an occasionally productive bat.  He played more innings than would have been ideal, but with injuries and slumps to others there wasn’t much choice for manager Carlos Mendoza.  He’s fine as a 4th outfielder but a bit weak to be penciled in as a starter.

Luis Torrens — He’s another player who seemed to be writing the word “steal” on Stearns’ resume.  He started off with great hitting and solid defense.  He became very important during Alvarez’ time off due to injury.  Then he went into a long tailspin with the bat but he’s still markedly better than previous substitute catchers.

Mark Vientos — It’s almost like writing the Lindor comments all over again.  Yes, his defense isn’t stellar but it’s improving.  The offense was way better than even the most ardent optimist could have predicted.  Given his paltry salary there’s no question that he will play.  There’s less certainty, however, about where.

Pitchers

Paul Blackburn — News filtered out this week about a surgical procedure for Blackburn that will keep him off the mound for 5 months.  Given that it’s late October, that would mean he’d be starting his Spring Training in April when the rest of the team departs for New York.  His track record is modest and again I question whether keeping him makes any sense. 

Jose Butto — His fantasy value may have been fantastic, but over the final month and in the post season he started showing some cracks in his armor.  Still, he was way more good than bad and after transitioning to the bullpen out of necessity he flourished. 

Edwin Diaz — Unfortunately he had an up and down year where people’s confidence in his ability took a major hit.  Remember how he looked in his first year in Queens?  While it wasn’t quite that extreme it was still a series of unfortunate flashbacks.  Still, when he’s on his game he is unhittable.

Reed Garrett — The club needs to do what it can to bring the man back.  He was unflappable when needed and at times showed the kind of fastball that opposing hitters find difficult to hit well.  Sometimes players are late bloomers and in his case it may be what happened here.

Tylor Megill — The options are gone so Megill is a Met or he is trade bait.  He showed sometimes he had great ability and other times he looked like vintage Tylor Megill (which was not a good thing for anyone).  His chances of making the team are contractually in his favor.  How much he would help and whether it’s in the rotation or pen is one of many great unknowns.

Dedniel Nunez — If he can recover well from his health problems then he’s definitely earned a place in the bullpen.  He was never regarded as a top prospect but his tenure in the new pitching lab helped push him over the edge into quality. 

David Peterson — Unlike his teammate Megill, Peterson put together a season for all Mets fans and stat nerds to enjoy.  With free agents and injury recoveries leaving many question marks for the 2025 rotation, Peterson is in one of the top two spots for now until trades and/or free agency brings in more solid arms.

Kodai Senga — Let’s try to remember what he did in 2023 and forget the forced experiments of 2024.  His arm (and later his leg) did not have the number of innings of solid strengthening to justify the attempt to force him into games prematurely (and it showed).  With a full winter’s recovery time he should be ace quality once again.

Danny Young — While not exactly rock solid on his resume in the past, this Young pitched acceptably well for the Mets after making the team mid season.  He finished with 42 games for the big club at age 30.  The 4-1 record and 11.3 Ks per 9 IP looked great.  The walk numbers of 4.3 per game did not.  He’s a left handed option who has a good shot at returning but to be used in less high leverage situations if he does. 

Right now it would appear that David Stearns has at best a skeleton crew of a competitive roster and he’s going to be earning his keep given how many holes need to be filled.

MACK - Thursday Morning Observations - 2024

 

The Mets did good this season. We all had high hopes that they would make the playoffs, but very few though they would go this far in.

Many players stood out to me.

Cather Francisco Alvarez played 2024 as a 22-year old. We have to remember this regardless of what we say about him here. Yes, he has only one swing… all the time. Yes, his intention is to always turn every baseball thrown his way into dust. But his three hits in Game 5 this past Friday was the second youngest Met (1988: Gregg Jefferies) to have three hits in one postseason game.

Someone, or some combination of people, talked to him and proved just how important it is to come to the plate with the correct confidence and attitude.

No one questions his ability. His biggest enemy right now is his age, or lack of it.

I still believe he will be a future all-star in this game and the starter for Mets behind the plate for, at least, through the 2028 season.

 

Second baseman Jose Iglesias has been the emotional sparkplug this team has needed for years. His “OMG” song has replaced “Meet The Mets” as the anthem of this team. He also turned in the highest batting average in baseball this season. Who doesn’t want this guy back next season? 

I expect other teams to make a run for him, but don’t discount his desire to remain a part of this. It could earn him a multi-year contract, as a utility backup, to the next guy I am writing about here.

 

Once in a while, an injury to one of your starters causes you to look to your AAA affiliate for a quick replacement, regardless of how well they did at that level. Second baseman Luisangel Acuna was holding his own in Syracuse, but a call-up due to Francisco Lindor’s injury proved many of us supporters were right when we said this would be a future major leaguer. Yes, it’s a small sample, but it came at a critical time: 39-AB, 0.5-WAR, .308… this was his first 39 major league at-bats!

Normally, I wouldn’t demote a league leader to a utility role behind a rookie, but Iglesias will play 2025 as a 35-year old and he’s getting closer to a major injury with every bat. Acuna is ready to step up long time.

 

I’m not going to spend much time here. Shortstop Francisco Lindor is the best player in the Mets dugout and thank God he is under a long- term contract. If he needs a game off or gets injured, you move Acuna over and put Iglesias back on second. Done here.

 

Third baseman Mark Vientos began his path this season into becoming a superstar in this game. Simply put. I’m so proud of him putting his demotion in his rearview mirror and, not only becoming one of the go-to hitters in the regular season, but also producing record Mets numbers in the playoffs.

I’m not sure where the Mets should play him in 2025, but wherever it will be doesn’t matter. He’s my clean-up hitter going forward.

 

I have always loved closer Edwin Diaz. Even through his dancing days. No, he is no longer the “impossible to hit” guy the Mets signed. Close, but a little slower and much wilder. What’s good is he seems to respect Alvarez who is able to reel him back in when he’s losing it.

Diaz is not a problem in this pen. And he will always be my closer. It’s the rest of the pen that needs Cohen/Stearns' attention, but that’s another post.

 

As you know, I was a big fan of starter David Peterson when the Mets drafted him. I started to consider him a failure and I started to tout him as a future reliever. But I was wrong.

In my opinion, he was the steadiest starter on this team in 2024 and did whatever the team wanted him to do. I no longer have him as an SP5. My team has him at SP3 or SP4.

 

Lastly, starter Jose Quintana put smiles on my face this season, but his age makes me nervous to offer him more than a qualified offer for 2025.

 

There are others that you might think should have made this list, but these are my premier core players that I build around for both 2025 and the future.

Paul Articulates – Will Mauricio factor into the Mets’ 2025 plans?

Ronny Mauricio was one of the prospects that Mets fans were looking forward to seeing in 2024, but he unfortunately tore an ACL during winter ball in the Dominican Republic and missed the entire 2024 season.  He continues to remain on the sidelines due to an additional procedure on his knee to remove scar tissue back in August.

Mauricio was the favorite to man third base when Brett Baty faltered in his bid, but with Mauricio out, Mark Vientos stepped in and made his claim to be a Met for a very long time with his powerful bat.  With Vientos solidly in the lineup as a hitter, but not a certainty as a defensive third baseman, there are many possibilities in the Mets’ lineup.  

If Vientos becomes the primary DH next season or possibly gets re-positioned at first base if another team lures Pete Alonso to move, then the hot corner becomes a hotly contested spot.  Here are some options if Vientos moves to 1B or DH:

1. Ronny Mauricio comes in to play third

2. The Mets retain Jose Iglesias and he plays 3rd with LuisAngel Acuna at 2nd

3. The Mets trade a prospect for a 3rd baseman (not much on 2025 FA market)

4. Brett Baty gets another shot at third

Of these options I like the first two.  Mauricio was impressive when he came up in 2023, recording a .248 batting average in his first 101 at-bats.  He was hitting .292 with a .843 OPS in Syracuse prior to his call-up.  

His speed would be a plus for a Mets team that has not taken advantage of other teams on the base paths as much as they should.  Although option 2 also infuses some speed into the lineup, it eliminates Iglesias as a utility player so some flexibility is lost.

Only time will tell how well Mauricio recovers from his knee injury.  He is expected to play in the Dominican Winter League again but has not been rostered yet because he is still in recovery from the August surgery.  

We will keep a close eye on his progress on the way towards the spring.

Tom Brennan - My Top 30 Mets Prospects

 

HERE ARE MY TOP THIRTY UNDER AGE 30

It’s that time again. Prospects. 

I start early.  Never too early to look ahead.

When developing my rankings, I do not weight “politically”, meaning if a guy is a high draft pick, but is playing poorly for an extended period, I do not rank him higher than the player deserves, whereas the Mets’ prospect site may over-rank those players, because otherwise the club perhaps would look like it made lousy draft picks. 

I also like guys who stay healthy.  Some injuries are avoidable, some are unavoidable. So, in the case of the very heavily used Mauricio, who got to the plate a ton of times in 2022 and 2023, in the minors, fall league and winter leagues, was his knee injury a freak thing, or was he feeling worn down, would not sit and rest, and then the knee ligament tore? I have no idea, and will assume it was 100% a freak thing. 

Other player injuries may be in some cases the result of overzealousness. Without naming current players, think Juan Lagares. He was more daring than Evel Knievel, and got hurt more, too.

The highly ranked Ronny Mauricio, Jett Williams, Jesus Baez, Marco Vargas, Drew Gilbert, and Jacob Reimer combined played not much more than one full minor league season for one player starting every game. Not good. 

Also not good was that the combined hitting performance of those 6 players was weak in 2024 in the games they actually played in. No injuries, and perhaps their slash lines look a lot better, but there you go. Next time, don’t get hurt.

Thankfully, Jett and Drew will be eliminating a good chunk of that "plate appearance deficit in Arizona Fall Ball action, which just commenced.  May they be the AFL's co-MVPs when all is said and done. 

I also lean towards PERFORMANCE.  Put up Nick-Morabito-like numbers, for example, and I put you, Sir Nick, far above the #19 slot the Mets site lists you at.

And I also look at anomalies. 

For instance, Jonah Tong’s control has been solid this year (under 4 walks per 9), while Blake Tidwell’s and Dom Hamel’s walk rates were closer to 5 and 6 walks per 9, respectively, but all 3 are ranked on the Mets’ prospect site with “45” control. To me, it looks more like Tong 50, Tidwell 40-45, and Hamel 35-40. 

Nolan McLean’s control was rapidly improving late in his first full season, in AA, yet he, too, was listed at 45 control. I give him a 50.

I also leave Christian Scott out of the prospects list. If healthy, he has already proven to me that he is a major league pitcher.

So given all of that, here is my ranking - I am doing them all at once here, as I feel it is hard for readers to try to keep track of various prospects in piecemeal articles and evaluate where they might fit in their own rankings:

1. 

Brandon Sproat - the 100 MPH man was brilliant in his first season until AAA, where he encountered turbulence. Me? I am confident he sails out of the turbulence and has real major league impact during 2025.  I am hoping he is a future SP 1.

2. 

Jett Williams - he was injured and needed surgery, and his season was shortened substantially and miserable until his final week.  Let's hope for a spurt that has him ready by September 2025, if not sooner. 

3. 

Jonah Tong - he had a heck of a season in low A and High A, then in his first of two AA starts late in the season, with 6 no hit innings, no walks, and 9 Ks. AAA can be a doozy, but I am going out on a limb for this 21 year old righty who turns 22 in late June 2025, and who fanned 160 in 113 innings.  He has quite a repertoire and seems like a real student of pitching. My ranking is likely higher than most would rank Tong.  I am hoping he is a future SP 2.  Possible Mets 2026 rotation piece.

4. 

Carson Benge - I see this 2024 first rounder as being a larger version of Drew Gilbert.  4 inches taller, he hit well in his brief St Lucie debut.  He and Gilbert both have cannons for arms, but Carson throws harder.  I foresee Carson blowing through High A, AA, and getting decent time in AAA, and being a mid-2026 arrival to the Mets.

5. 

Nolan McLean - his win loss record did not show it, but his first year pitching, with an extensive stretch in AA, was impressive.  Throws almost as hard as Sproat and has a nasty slider.  He has too many holes in his bat to become a big league hitter, despite massive power, so he wisely shelved his hitting career to focus on pitching.  I see him as a future SP 3, who will he ready by late 2025.

6. 

Drew Gilbert - I was disappointed by his extended injury, and he hit with good power, but otherwise unimpressively, when he did play in 2024.  VERY slow start in Arizona Fall Ball, too. I think his being 5'9" will be a disadvantage in the majors - I hope I am wrong.  If Marte is traded at the MLB deadline in July 2025, I could see Drew stepping in.

7. 

Ronny Mauricio - everyone seems very high on him for his power and base stealing ability.  I am unsure as to whether he will be as willing to steal going forward after his MCL injury and having seen speedy Ronald Acuna get two such injuries.  That injury is obviously very costly time-wise, as Mauricio, after a huge number of plate appearances in 2022 and 2023, missed all of 2024.  My other concern is he has had 110 errors in 445 minors and international games (93 in 393 games at SS - Rey Ordonez he is not).  That has to drastically improve, or he will be largely limited to DH.

8. 

Nick Morabito - 2025 will be a big year for Speedy Nick.  The athletic 5'10" righty has to show he has more power.  He has had just 41 XBHs in 807 career plate appearances. 

That said, in A and High A in 2024, at age 21, he hit .312 with 59 steals, and in 2023 and 2024, he had 664 at bats, hit .310 and stole 80 bases, with 94 walks and 19 HBP, giving him a two year OBP of .410.

I see him being ready for the Mets by early 2026, perhaps as a starter.

His arm is deemed to be not strong.  He needs to add power.

9. 

Boston Baro turned 20 late in 2024 and had a fine rookie season. .278/.358/.390.  "Just" 17 errors at short, second and third, which actually is a decent rate for his age and which will no doubt improve.  Baro stole 9 of 10 in 95 games, which tells me he is an opportunistic stealer.  He will be ready most likely, in early 2027.  My guess is he will have average power by the time he shows up in Queens.

10. 

Luisangel Acuna - the little man had a towering impact on the Mets pennant drive when he filled in for the injured Lindor down the stretch.  He played loose, hit great, and is quick.  His AAA season was solid and perhaps he will surprise me in 2025 and be an impact player from day 1 with the Mets.  I can foresee him hitting .235-.250 with the Mets next season as a rookie with some power, a mediocre OBP, base stealing acumen, and pro level fielding. Hopefully, I have him way too low.

11. 

Ryan Clifford - he walks a lot, fans a lot, and has real power.  I remain unconvinced that he will remedy his low batting average and high K issues, but he is still young, and potentially could rip AAA apart next year.  He is not a speedster but he has an arm in the outfiled and can also man first base. His 2024 stats in High A and AA are as follows:

.228/.378/.421, 160 strikeouts in 129 games.  But he started out in Brooklyn in 2024, which is a lefty hitter's hell.  He had 1 HR for Brooklyn in 136 plate appearances, but in AA, he hit .231 and had a more representative 18 HRs in 405 ABs.  I need to remember that power-hitting Ike Davis never hit a HR in Brooklyn in 215 ABs there in his first year.  

DO SOMETHING, BROOKLYN! 

Move the right field fences in 15 feet if you have to.

He turns 22 after the All Star Break in 2025, so he could prove me dead wrong and soar up this list as a lefty hitting version of Mark Vientos.

12. 

Jeremy Rodriguez - this danged 6'0" lefty-smacking kid does not turn 19 until Independence Day 2025, yet he has already had 419 plate appearances in his minors career and has an excellent slash line of .287/.382/.431 with 36 of 50 in career steals.  That success rate, though, is below average for the levels he has been playing at.  I believe this time next year, he will be ranked much, much higher. 

Made 17 errors in 50 games in 2024.  His goals in 2025 should include at least doubling the games he actually plays in 2025 (100 or more), with no increase in errors.

13. 

Blade Tidwell - he had a great last game of the season, but went through brutal outings in 2024 in AAA.  Payback in 2025 in AAA, and possibly a late season call up to the Mets in relief.  Throws hard, but must allow a lot fewer hitters to get on base.  A future Tylor Megill?

14. 

Marco Vargas - disappointingly, the 19 year old lefty hitting SS had just 130 at bats in 2024.  He hit just .208 in St Lucie, but with a .369 OBP.  He has walked 122 times in 144 pro games.  Low errors and stole 13 of 15 in 37 games.  PLEASE stay healthy in 2025, Marco, and show us what you can really do.

15. 

Jonathan Santucci - lefty fireballer in the draft. No pro innings.  He has a 60 rated fastball and slider and will move up quickly, as his control lets him.  He could be top 5 this time next year.

16. 

Nate Dohm - also yet to record official pro innings, the righty is ranked as having a 55 fastball, curve, and slider.  Let's hope he dazzles in his first pro season.

17. 

Trey Snyder - the 19 year old infielder went well over slot in the draft (5th round, 144th overall), so they LIKE this guy.  He got several games in for St Lucie.  Righty bat.  Let's see him tear the cover off the ball in A ball in 2025.  He ranks well, but no 60's in his rankings.

18. 

Jesus Baez - the 19 year old was having a strong year, then he caught POVID, an illness that afflicts only Mets' infield and outfield ranked prospects. He was done after early July with a meniscus injury that required snipping and stitching.  The 5'10" infielder had a fine slash of .262/.335/.447.  I'd have had him several slots higher if it weren't for the injury.  A possible 2027 Met.  Maybe he switches to the outfield and turns into a Toy Cannon.

19. 

Daiverson Gutierrez - Gutierrez was the Mets' bug international bonus baby in 2023. In 2023, he stunk. But he was SO YOUNG.  In 2024, much improved (.259/.396/.435) and got some games in with St Lucie after a short season in the FCL. St Lucie's catcher in 2025. Unclear as yet if he will eventually be more than a back up catcher in the majors starting in 2028 or 2029.

20. 

Yovanny Rodriguez - 2024's big bonus baby struggled in 2024, too, but he heated up at the end. He might be ready in 2030; he plays all next year at age 18.

21. 

AJ Ewing - another Boston Baro type, but had a lesser year. .233/.361/.390.  Stuck out 109 times in 90 games.  Let's see what he can do in full pro season # 2 in 2025.

22. 

Mike Vasil - sub-mediocre starter in AAA.  He is 12-14, 5.78 in 207 AAA innings in 2023 and 2024.  I foresee a conversion to relief for him, but the Mets may need him to start in AAA.

23. 

Jacob Reimer - this guy was hurt for almost all of 2024.  I had him higher last year.  Let's see how he does in 2025 (and in Arizona ball this fall).

24. 

Ronald Hernandez - he could well be a back-up catcher in 2026.  .261/.244/.346 in 2024.  Slow catcher, with 30 rated speed.  Good fielder, good eye at the plate. 

25. 

Wyatt Young - if only he wasn't 5'6".  in 118 games in 2024, a fine .287/.387/.358, with 17 of 25 steals. He started slow in 2024 but had a very good year in AA/AAA, and fields very well, as his mere 5 errors in 2024 clearly attests.  He is up against a crowded field.  Maybe he will get his break in 2025.

26. 

Dominic Hamel - occasionally tossed a good game, but hammered almost all year.  Spotty control.  Try to become Trevor May, seems to be the best career advice that no one is asking me for.

27. 

Edward Lantigua - well thought of, let's see what he can do stateside in 2025.  He had a .397 OBP in the DSL at the age of 17.

28. 

Alex Ramirez - so much speed, but back to back truly disappointing years.  Strikes out too much, and hit .215 over the past 2 seasons with very little power.  I dunno, do you?  Man, he would have been a great guy to trade at the end of 2022, when he was in baseball's top 100.

29. 

Jordan Geber - this slot came down to Geber or Jack Wenninger.  The undrafted Geber wins for now, but Wenninger can rise quickly in a starter-starved Mets minors system in 2025.

30. 

Nate Lavender - no way I am leaving Nate out.  He was SOCLOSE to getting a major league bullpen call up in early 2024, before the Tommy John Grim Reaper showed up. Nate has had some control issues, but he has fanned a ton of batters.  Let's hope the lefty is back pitching in games by mid-2025 and cracks the majors in 2025.

Missing from my Top 30 are Kevin Parada and Colin Houck, two first round-selected strikeout machines.  Besides the Ks and the suppressed averages, Houck made a ton of errors, and Parada may be the worst defensive catcher in the system.  

Houck, 19 during 2024, could mature this off season and return in 2025 with guns a’blazing, and push his way up into the top 30. 

He really (IMO) should have been demoted to the Complex League to lower the level of pitching competition against him. I am hopeful for him in 2025. 

Parada?  Increasingly troubling pick.  Maybe something clicks in 2025.

Left out is Calvin Ziegler, whose total innings in 2023 and 2024 totaled less than one complete game. Amazing…7 innings, no hits, 15 Ks. And Saul Garcia, who is pitching better in Arizona than he did during the regular season.

Ziegler will have to get healthy after TJS and earn his way back into the Top 30 list.  He, I would guess, will return in or around August 2025.

Guys who would have been in the top 30 had they not been traded away in July were Rhylan Thomas, Kade Morris, Paul Gervase, and Tyler Stuart. You’ve got to give to get. 

For instance, Stuart brought us Jesse Winker, who I've totally enjoyed.  Hopefully, Winker returns to the Mets in 2025 with a healthy back.  Stuart, meanwhile, got promoted to AAA post-trade, and had a 7.56 ERA in 16 innings, but he most likely will be a major league pitcher for the Nationals down the road.

I did hate that Gervase trade, though. 17.2 IP post trade, with 31 Ks vs. just 3 walks. I really hate that particular trade. 

Rhylan Thomas hit well post-trade (.322 in 196 PAs), but with just 6 doubles and one HR, continuing his ultra-low-powered plate results.