Reese Kaplan -- For the 2027 Season Mets Ask, "What's on Second?"

During the club’s history the Mets have had a great many people man second base who contributed with the bat, the glove, their legs or a combination of all three. 

Then came Marcus Semien...

In a trade as much about payroll obligation as it was about personnel, David Stearns sent Brandon Nimmo and his remaining salary obligation of nearly $118 million to the Texas Rangers to obtain a reduced payroll hit of $72 million for what is likely the final three years of Marcus Semien’s career. 

While the financial narrative makes some sense, the performance data does not.  Oddly, as bad as Semien has played for the Mets, he’s actually leading Nimmo this year in HRs, though he trails in RBIs, OPS and by a huge margin of 61 points in batting average.  Is Nimmo worth over $20 million?  Probably not.  Is Marcus Semien worth over $26 million?  Definitely not. 

Fast forward to the 2027 season and the Mets have an interesting decision to make.  Do they eat the remaining $46 million due to Semien for the next two years, do they trot him out again as the starting second baseman or do they relegate him into the role of the most expensive bench player in baseball?

On the first front, it’s not likely to happen though it suggests there is a possibility of swapping him for an equally bad (or worse) contract from another team to fulfill another Mets need.  The second option — retaining him as the starting second baseman — feels somewhat more likely to happen.  His second half numbers have been far better than what he’s done in the first half but it’s really hard to justify a defensively declining .210 hitter being paid $26 million in salary simply because the role is rationalized as justified due to the accounting obligation.

Now as a bench player his salary would be a mighty painful pill to swallow unless you are using him as a coach to mentor a younger replacement taking the starting role.  We’re not talking about Brett Baty who has failed since 2022 with about 1300 ABs of a career .227 average.  That’s not much of an improvement over what Semien can provide at this late stage of his career.

Instead, you could think about short term solutions on a one year basis using thus untested Ronny Mauricio who has heated up in Syracuse where he’s hitting .272 with 14 HRs and 42 RBIs in just over 1/3 of a season’s worth of ABs.  Throw in the 10 SBs as well and you have a guy with power and speed who has never been given the major league starting role for more than a game or two at a time.  Injuries and fellow Mets players have interfered with his career trajectory, but it is possible he could take on the second base role in Queens.

The other contender for this role would be A.J. Ewing who is not a terrific fielder, but has shown himself even through a slump to be a strong contact hitter with moderate power and great speed.  His outfield defense has been pretty impressive and moving him out of center field to make room for the contractual obligation of Luis Robert is another way they could choose to go with Semien hopefully shepherding Ewing into becoming a stronger middle infielder.

Of course, both of these options are considered at best temporary with stellar 21 year old  minor leaguer Mitch Voit being the expected second baseman of the future.  While currently torturing AA pitchers to the tune of a .444 batting average over his first 63 Binghamton ABs, you can’t argue with his legs.  In less than a full season during 2025 and 2026 he has swiped 62 bases while also contributing 13 HRs and 59 RBIs.  It may be too soon to project him in Queens on opening day 2027 but he’s the next one everyone expects to see deliver a high level of production.

Finally, another route the Mets could take would be to sign a short term free agent to man second base for next season.  At the high end you have Jazz Chisholm and Gleyber Torres but both would require multiyear deals and in effect block Voit in 2028.  Slightly below them would be Brandon Lowe who at age 32 might be open to a multiyear deal with mutual opt outs.  

Tom Brennan - Another Gut Punch; Walksville

OUCH, THAT GUT PUNCH HURT!

This past month at the trade deadline?

It brought in a bunch of good players for the Mets minor league system.

I wondered immediately about how high up in the ranking of the 30 teams, prospects-wise, that would now place the Mets.

Gut Punch: 

I felt almost certain the farm system would now rank in the top 10. 

But MLB just re-ranked the farm systems. 

The Mets? Number friggin’ 18.

The Dodgers? Number one, of course.

See for yourself: 

MLB RE-RANKING OF TEAMS RE: PROSPECTS

It seems pretty hopeless, even though they say hope does spring eternal.

(Who are “they”, anyway?)

If the Mets hadn’t acquired all those prospects at the deadline, I suspect they would have been team-ranked at # 33, even though it is only a 30 team sport. 

They were that bad, before the massive blood infusion in late July-ish.

METS WERE UNWATCHABLE, NOW UNSTOPPABLE 

2-1 win. Ten wins in 13 games??  HOT!

Gut the pen, and Terminator 2 shows up.

Who woulda thunk that Jefry Yan and Nate Lavender would have stepped into the Raley/Minter lefty pen shoes by combining to throw 10.1 innings of 5 hit, one run ball with 12 Ks? NOT unwatchable, those two.

And Kodai the Pen Guy. Five relief innings of DOMINANCE. 

3 for 3 in saves, no runs, 7 Ks.

Daniel Duarte? Simply sensational out of the Mets pen.

20.1 IP, 0.89, 2 saves this year? WOW.

He had a 4.75 ERA this year in AAA. Wearing Cinderella slippers in Queens.

And two outfield laser assists by Benge in inning one, and another one by Ewing in inning two yesterday. WHAT??

They’ve gone from Unwatchable to Unbearable to Unbelievable, just like that.

ANOTHER DSL DAY IN WALKSVILLE

The DSL Blue pitchers on Monday walked 13 opposing batters in the first 6 innings of a 7 inning game.  Making it 393 walks given up in 416 innings.

Which sounds terrible. 

But 4 other DSL teams’ pitchers have actually walked more than a hombre per inning. And the DSL season is about to end. 

Roughly 15 teams have walked more than 8 per 9 innings.

So, never look at a DSL Mets hitter with a healthy OBP and immediately be impressed. It could be a walk-induced mirage. 

28 of the league’s 51 teams have OBPs of .400 or better, and the worst team (Mets Orange) has a .360 OBP. Mets Blue? .396.

Yankees’ two teams? .435 and .416 OBPs. Always somehow superior.

Lastly, the Yanks’ two DSL teams have 99 HRs, while the Mets teams have 47.

Unreal. What to do? Easy…

Move the DSL Mets fences in. And get Mets hitters eyeglasses and weights.

Steve Sica - Checking in on the Mets' 2026 Draft Picks

It's been a little over a month since the 2026 MLB draft, and there are already some Met selections making an impact down in Low-A St. Lucie.

Most of these players are position players, as top draft pick pitcher Carson Wiggins hasn't made his professional debut yet. Shane Sdao, the Mets' fourth-round selection and newly ranked #20 prospect per Pipeline, will also likely wait until 2027 to make his organizational debut.

There are four players from this year's draft who have already seen playing time in Low-A St. Lucie. Let's take a closer look.

OF Aiden Robbins (3rd Round Selection, 92nd overall)

Robbins seemed to be a steal this late in the draft, with many models and experts expecting him to go in the first round or early in the second. The Mets pounced on the opportunity to draft him near the end of the third round.

So far so good. In his first 11 games with St. Lucie, Robbins is 13-for-40, with an OPS of .838, along with seven RBIs and five walks. On August 15th, Robbins hit his first professional home run, which was part of a season-best 3-for-4 day.

Ranked by Pipeline as the Mets' 11th-best prospect, he's the highest prospect from this year's draft class on that list, even topping first-round pick Carson Wiggins, who is ranked at 13. Robbins was a hitting machine during his time at Texas, finishing 2026 with 24 home runs and an OPS of 1.122. Expect him to turn into one of the most complete hitters in the Met system next year.

C Ryan Tayman (9th Round Selection, 270th overall)

Coming out of Cal Poly in the Big West, Tayman put on a show in the 2026 NCAA season. He batted .357 with an OPS of 1.120 while mashing 18 home runs, driving in 57 runs, and collecting 19 doubles. The Mets used their 9th-round pick on the 20-year-old catcher.

Based on the early returns alone, Tayman has been the best performer of the 2026 draft class. In his first ten Low-A games, he's batting .324, with seven RBIs, four walks to five strikeouts, and he's putting up an OPS of .869.

He started his career with a bang, going 4-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored in his first Low-A game on July 28th

OF Kuhio Aloy (11th Round Selection, 330th overall)

Born and raised in Hawaii, Aloy spent his collegiate years in the SEC with the University of Arkansas. He put up an .838 OPS in his last season with Arkansas before the Mets picked him in the 11th round of this year's draft.

Aloy has gone 8-for-37 in his first ten Low-A games, but with three of those hits being home runs, that's enabled him to put up an impressive .823 OPS. He's got a bit of power in his game as well. During his full collegiate career of 162 games, he smashed 30 home runs.

OF John Smith (19th Round Selection, 570th overall)

With the success of last year's 20th-round pick, Garrett Stratton, who is putting up a 1.88 ERA in Double-A Binghamton, you can't take late-round draft picks too lightly.

The Mets hope to see similar success from John Smith. He spent his Senior year in college with the University of Central Florida, where he put up a .958 OPS with a batting average of .322. 

He didn't have to go far to make his Met debut, staying in the Sunshine State with St. Lucie. So far, Smith has gone 10-for-41 with two home runs, eight RBIs, and three doubles.

Cautious Optimist -- Next Year is the Most Important Year in the Cohen Era

 

The Mets are  23-22 since Andy Green took over as interim manager; 17-12 since the All Star Break; and 11-3 since the Trade Deadline.  It looks like they have only improved since losing their manager, the bulk of their best unit (the bullpen), not to mention their very best player.

What in the world are we to make of that?

Here are a few thoughts, reasonably well supported by the evidence. 

*    Their previous manager was not yet up to the job.   Would they have made the playoffs last year and been more competitive without his returning this year?  Probably.  He didn't pull the right levers; wasn't able to stop the bleeding, oversaw a lot of listless play and watched stoically from the dugout steps while his team looked disposed to accept losing.  

To be perfectly honest, Mendoza was not additive and the team performed as considerably less than the sum of its parts under his leadership.  

I don't believe that the job was too big for him.  

He's certainly capable.  

He just wasn't ready for it.

Still, his departure, which was warranted long before it occurred does not explain their sudden success.    To think otherwise is simply to commit the fallacy of 'post hoc, ergo propter hoc' which roughly translates as 'after this (temporally), then because of this.' 

Mendoza was manager, the Mets lost miserably;  Mendoza gets relieved of his duty, they no longer suck.  In fact they win and are fun to watch.  So he's the problem.

Nah.  He didn't help and probably hurt, but his absence is not the cause of the Mets' recent success.

*    Maybe trading the entire bullpen somehow brought the team together to play genuinely inspired and inspiring baseball  

That would be one hell of a case of addition by subtraction:  Lose the best in order to be the best.  

That's even less plausible than explaining their sudden success by the loss of Soto, which is just about as plausible as attributing it to the return of Polanco.

*    Was it Andy Green's taking over the job as interim manager?  Not entirely, but it would be foolish to underestimate his contribution.  He's proven to be a quiet but firm leader, who is very supportive of his players in an entirely authentic way.  

He doesn't call attention to himself so it is easy to lose track of the number of small but meaningful steps he's taken as a manger that have increased stability and redefined roles.   

*    He puts out a relatively consistent and predictable lineup every night and where he has been most amazing is his ability to handle the bullpen that has been given to him; indeed, he has handled the entire pitching staff masterfully. 

No move bigger than moving Senga to a high leverage reliever role and then showing faith in him.  

*    He has rewarded Young and made him the regular 1B and Young has rewarded Green for his decision.

The best part is that both of them have done this without calling attention to it.  

Green has taken the Mets from a soap opera to a team without drama.

*    He has stuck with Ewing during an extended slump.  

*    He has featured Torrens as much as Alvarez if not more, and for the reason that the pitching staff performs better with Torrens behind the plate than with Alvarez.  

In that way he has let Torrens' performance be Alvarez's teacher.  

He's got a pretty big tool set, and he fits the tool to the need awfully well.

And

Under Green the Mets are winning in ways that they are designed to win in.  They are getting excellent pitching overall, and while they don't play flawless defense, they have had their share of brilliant defensive play -- especially from Batman Benge and Robin Ewing.

And they are getting timely hitting from Bichette and Lindor as well as solid all around play from Young and Torrens.  And they are feeling the spark of youth and the calm of veterans.  When they take the field they look like they are looking forward to playing the game.   

They are playing with joy and as a team. 

I don't see how this would have happened this year, under these conditions, without Andy Green.

But

While the Amazins are great fun to experience as a fan, it is highly unlikely that they will be playing meaningful ball come September, let alone October.  

This year is all about next year, the next step. If there is baseball at all,  this upcoming year means everyhting to the Mets -- and their fans

It is important that this year ends on a high note, but if it does, it raises the stakes for next year, as the only success that matters at this point is success that builds more success.  

The 2024 success was followed by a regression that was not only unexpected and disheartening, but also one that revealed a FO that did not understand its significance or how to respond to it; and it turned a fanbase desperate to Believe, into an ever more hardened group conditioned to expect disappointment.   

Next year is not just a bridge year to the next wave of players heading to Queens shortly thereafter.  

It is the year that must set the stage and the standard for all those players who will be bringing their games, dreams and aspirations to Citi Field from 2028 on.  

The goal of next year is to make ascension to the tier of the very best teams in baseball both inevitable and imminent.

So what do the Mets need to do between now and OD next year to prepare for the most important year of Cohen era? 

Build confidence in their ability to build on this latest period of success.  

First and foremost that means following up this success with more of the same until the season ends.

It also means challenging the players at the limits of what they feel they are capable of.  

No one eases into excellence.  

And no one who achieves excellence does so without learning how to overcome failures: slumps, errors, poor decisions on the bases, throwing the wrong pitch at the wrong time and so on.  Achieving excellence requires extending oneself and forgiving oneself when one falls short.  

The manager's job is to create the environment in which this happens safely and is appropriately addressed and in which everyone moves on:

An environment in which failures are opportunities to learn

And one in which they are.

Green has brought a leadership skill to the dugout that we have to take advantage of at least through the end of the season.  

He has been the paradigm of what it really means to be a player's manager: not a friend or a guy you love or would die for (all words really) but someone you trust, who shows his faith in you and your ability and puts you in the best position to succeed, and gives you a good kick in the ass when you are too hard on yourself and an even harder kick when you too easily let yourself off the hook without learning from your mistake

Like every Mets fan I have views about various aspects of the winning formula -- especially filling the talent gaps that remain.

So let me begin there.  

*    This is not the time to take risks on oft injured players.  Injuries are inevitable, but you can't build a roster based on the expectation that the future won't resemble the past.  

No Robert; and if Polanco doesn't mend and perform to expectations, you simply cannot afford to keep him. 

**    The pitching staff is not currently built for the playoffs.  Heck, they are a pitcher or two short of being built to get to the playoffs.  

I've made it clear that I believe that the anchor of every good team is the starting staff and the back of the bullpen.  No experiments at this point when it comes to either.  

***     The Mets have to find an ACE that can anchor the team for the next 3 or 4 years (which probably means a contract length that doubles that number of years, somewhere between 6-7 years at the least).  Maybe the answer is Skubal.  At the very least, he's as close to the answer as we can get our hands on now.

****    Scott and McLean have to pitch 7 innings as often as they pitch 5, maybe more often.  

*****   Manaea is a reliable back of the rotation starter as may be Thornton.  I'd like to see another veteran righthander who is middle of the rotation as his baseline

 I don't fully believe in Williams as a closer in part because I don't really believe in having one closer, unless his name is Mariano Rivera.   I'd like two pitchers who are comfortable and excellent in that role and a third who can do it in a pinch.  

The Mets actually had that with Williams and Weaver and either Minter, Raley or Brazoban in a pinch, but we didn't use them in that way. Sure, they used someone other than Williams when he was unavailable to close a game.  But that's not what I mean by having two closers.  I believe that the choice of closer does not depend primarily on the availability of the presumptive closer, but should be determined by the situation.  

Whose coming up to hit, lefties, righties, fastball hitters, etc.  Fit the closer to the moment.

Sensible use of a bullpen has been undermined by the way relievers are paid.

When it comes to the position players I have a few points to make.  

*    Take a look at how the team is winning now: speed, putting pressure on the defense; timely and consistent hitting from Bichette, Benge and Young. Until about two weeks ago, I predicted that Bichette would stick around for the second year of his contract.  I had mixed feelings about that likelihood.  Not anymore.  

I can't speak for you, but at this point, I would genuinely miss him in the lineup and at 3B if he opted out.  

I'll be damned.

Add Lindor's timely hitting of late and Soto's return and the line-up stretches in just the way the team is built for. 

**     But what we don't have is a legitimate power threat.  You gotta be able to score a certain percentage of your runs in bunches and through HRs.

***    We also have a couple of black holes in the lineup: at 2B  and in our projected DH.  That is not going to cut it.  We have to be ruthless in getting more out of 2B and DH.

****    Injuries happen;  you have to pay for insurance in the form of back up players.  

Insurance can be costly, but it is invariable less costly than failure to be ready to respond to a setback.

No roster spot should be filled by an afterthought.  

Every player on the team has to be someone who you would be comfortable playing for 2 weeks straight if you had to.

In a nutshell

The goal is not to put together a roster as if we were solving a puzzle.  We are building an edifice. No weak links.  

Not every wall is a weight bearing wall, but every wall has to capable of bearing the weight assigned to it.

MACK – HOT ARMS – DYLAN ROSS, GREGORI LOUIS, NICHOLAS CARRENO

 

Thanks to John From Albany for supplying the stats.

 

PERIOD:  7/14 – 7/27

 

Dylan Ross/AAA-Syracuse – 0.60-WHIP, 3.1-IP, 3-K, 0-BB, 0-R, 0.00

Dylan Ross is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets organization (currently with Triple-A Syracuse Mets).

He is 6'5", 250–251 lbs, bats/throws right, born September 1, 2000 (age 25) in Statesboro, Georgia. He was drafted by the Mets in the 13th round (389th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia and signed for $125,000.

He attended Statesboro High and Georgia Premier Academy, then pitched at Eastern Kentucky (limited 2020), Northwest Florida State College (2021: solid starter numbers), and Georgia (2022).

He needed Tommy John surgery after just two starts at Georgia, which dropped his draft stock. A UCL revision surgery in 2023 delayed his pro debut further.

He made his professional debut in September 2024 (one scoreless inning with 3 Ks for Low-A St. Lucie) after missing most of 2022–2024, then struggled in the Arizona Fall League.

In 2025 he broke out as a reliever, rising quickly from High-A Brooklyn to Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse.

Across 49 appearances and 54 IP he posted a 2.17 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 80 strikeouts (35.7% K rate), and 33 walks (5.5 BB/9), with seven saves.

In 2026 he was optioned to Syracuse in spring training, dealt with early arm fatigue (7-day IL, rehab at St. Lucie and Brooklyn), and has struggled more at Triple-A (around a 7–8 ERA range in ~25–26 IP with elevated walks, though still missing bats).

He remains a high-upside power-arm prospect ranked in the Mets’ top 20 or so by various outlets (e.g., MLB Pipeline ~No. 17). Control and health are the main questions for a potential MLB bullpen role.

Ross throws from a three-quarters arm slot with simple “dart-thrower” mechanics and excellent extension (~7 feet), which helps his stuff play up. His four-pitch mix (usage roughly 33% fastball, 33% splitter, 30% slider, ~4% curve in 2025 Triple-A looks) is built around power:

Four-seam fastball: Mid-to-upper 90s (sits ~96–98 mph, averages ~97 in Triple-A samples), has touched 100–102 mph. Average spin (~2,200 rpm) and shape, but velocity + extension make it play above average (scouting grades often 60). It gets on hitters quickly.

Splitter: His best secondary and a true plus pitch (often graded 55–60). Sits mid-80s to low-90s (avg ~89–90, up to 93), very low spin (often ~700 rpm, a “spin killer”), with heavy downward dive (significant extra drop vs. the fastball). Excellent tunneling with the heater; high whiff rates and very tough on lefties especially. He has thrown it heavily at times.

Slider: Mid-to-upper 80s with gyro/cutter-like action (limited horizontal break but effective gloveside movement). Primarily used against right-handers to generate chase; solid swing-and-miss potential (high Whiff% in samples).

Curveball: Occasional mid-80s offering used sparingly as a change-of-pace/get-me-over pitch for eye-level variation.

Strengths: Elite velocity and extension, plus splitter that disappears, high strikeout upside in short stints.

Concerns: Command/control (walk rates often elevated, especially at higher levels), consistency after two UCL surgeries, and predictability if the movement profile doesn’t expand. Evaluators see a potential late-inning power reliever if he throws more strikes and stays healthy.

 

Gregori Louis/A+ Brooklyn – 2.18-WHIP, 3.2-IP, 4-K, 5-BB, 0-ER, 0.00

Gregori Alexander Louis is a left-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets organization (currently with High-A Brooklyn Cyclones).

Born October 28, 2002, in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic (age 23 as of 2026).

Bats/Throws: L/L.

Listed at 6'3", 161 lbs.

Signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic on June 29, 2022.

He has remained a pure reliever throughout his pro career (no starts listed in available stats).

He debuted in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and has progressed through the Mets system with stops at FCL Mets, Low-A St. Lucie, High-A Brooklyn, and a brief assignment to Double-A Binghamton in 2025.

Notable seasons: 2024 stood out: Dominant at Low-A St. Lucie (4-0, 1.49 ERA in 42.1 IP over 20 games, 44 K, 24 BB) before a promotion to Brooklyn (1.08 ERA in 8.1 IP). Overall that year he posted a 1.33 ERA across levels with strong strikeout rates and limited hard contact.

2025 was more challenging (around 5.64 ERA across levels, including time on rehab in the FCL), with higher walk and home-run rates.

2026 (High-A Brooklyn): Early returns show solid strikeout ability (high K/9 in the 11+ range in some splits) but elevated walks (BB% often in the high teens to 20%), resulting in ERAs in the mid-4s range in available updates (e.g., around 4.2–4.6 in 20+ IP samples). He has recorded saves and continues working primarily in relief.

Fastball: Mid-to-high 90s. His most trusted pitch; he feels comfortable throwing it in any count. Velocity plays up because of his unique delivery (described as having “funk” to the glove arm that makes the ball hard for hitters to pick up and square up). It gets on hitters quickly.

Slider: Usable against both left- and right-handed hitters.

Changeup: Showed well in his High-A debut and has been a developing secondary.

Cutter: Actively developing, inspired by Kenley Jansen (a pitcher Louis follows). Coaches viewed it as a potential weapon especially against right-handed hitters.

Secondaries have shown progress in consistency but were still developing as of the 2024 report. His left-handedness, combined with the velocity and deception, gives him value as a potential multi-inning or matchup relief option. Stamina profiles point to a bullpen role.

Overall, Louis is a projectable lefty reliever with intriguing raw stuff and a track record of missing bats at lower levels.

 

Nicholas Carreno/A+ Brooklyn – 0.67-WHIP, 6.0-IP, 6-K, BB, ER, 1.50

Nicolas (or Nicolás) Gabriel Carreno is a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher in the New York Mets’ minor league system (born June 9, 2006, in Barcelona, Venezuela; listed at 5'10", 155 lbs; B/T: L/L).

He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent on January 15, 2023 (undisclosed bonus; he was undersized with a then 89-91 mph fastball).

The Mets acquired him from the Pirates on July 30, 2024, in exchange for left-hander Josh Walker.

He has progressed from the Dominican Summer League (DSL) to the Florida Complex League (FCL), Single-A St. Lucie Mets, and High-A Brooklyn Cyclones (promoted June 11, 2026).

Early years: Struggled with control in the DSL in 2023 (10.50 ERA). Improved in 2024 (combined 3.66 ERA, high strikeout rates across Pirates and Mets DSL affiliates).

2025: Mixed results in FCL and a late promotion to St. Lucie (overall 5.72 ERA in 28.1 IP).

2026: Strong start at Single-A St. Lucie (1.94 ERA in 41.2 IP, 58 K, 21 BB).

He has shown high strikeout ability and ground-ball tendencies at times, but walks remain an issue (elevated BB rates).

He is still young and developing, with potential as a starter or (more likely longer-term) reliever depending on command and repertoire expansion.

Carreno throws from a slingy three-quarters arm slot with a long arm action. He currently relies primarily on a three-pitch mix: four-seam fastball, two-seam/sinker fastball, and slider. He has not featured a changeup in recent reports (he worked on one earlier with the Pirates, but it has been paused).

Four-seam fastball: Sits low-to-high 90s (averages ~94–95 mph, tops out at 98). Above-average spin (~2,500 RPM) and roughly average induced vertical break (~15 inches). Usage around 30% at St. Lucie; can be hittable when he grooves it due to command issues (opponents have had success against it at times).

Two-seam/sinker: Similar velocity (around 95 mph), with less vertical break and more arm-side run (extra 4–8 inches of horizontal movement). Used ~30%; generates weaker contact and better results than the four-seamer in lower levels.

Slider: His best pitch. Sits low-80s to low-90s (averages ~84–86 mph). Sharp, cutter-like action with modest horizontal movement (1–5 inches). High usage (~40%); excellent whiff rates (often 40%+) and strong results against hitters (e.g., very low batting lines and high swing-and-miss in the Florida State League). He commands it better than his fastballs.

Scouting notes highlight the velocity jump since signing and the effectiveness of the slider, but note that refining fastball command and developing a reliable third pitch (changeup or similar) will be key for higher levels, especially if remaining a starter. Smaller stature is a noted factor, though he has added some strength

He is an intriguing Mets lefty prospect with rising stuff and strikeout upside, currently at High-A.

Paul Articulates – Let’s talk about intangibles

For many reasons, the 2026 baseball season has been a disappointment for New York Mets baseball fans.  The suffering continues, as the team remains 11 games back from the final wild card spot and is still 3.5 games behind the Nationals team they just swept to climb out of the cellar.

Many fans, frustrated by where the season went and the loss of experienced veterans at the trade deadline, want to see remnants of the season removed.  Change the GM!  Release all the veteran players that disappointed!  Move on from those prospects that never became stars!  I certainly understand the sentiment, and have felt the same emotions.

However, baseball is a strange business.  Players overperform or underperform for so many (often subtle) reasons that it is very hard to predict.  Last year’s star can be this year’s goat and vice versa.  If you run the business with emotion, you will constantly be tossing out good players with the bad because you couldn’t tell a slump from a decline.

With that in mind, I decided to look at this year’s team with an eye beyond the statistics.  In today’s game, the analytics rule, but they can also mischaracterize the value of a player in an organization if one just focuses on the individual pieces and not how they fit together.

“Intangibles” is a term that refers to immeasurable qualities that contribute in ways that are not well understood.  I will take some poetic license with this definition, as some of the qualities I will refer to are indeed measurable, but are also not the numbers that are typically used to judge player effectiveness.  

On the roster of the current New York Mets, there are a handful of players that are a lock for the future.  This is essentially the same list that David Stearns used to describe the very few players that would not be considered for trades at the deadline.  The guys that are locks own that designation for reasons that are obvious to all, so there is no need to discuss the “intangible” value they bring to the team.  That list would include:

Soto, Lindor, Benge, Ewing, McLean, Scott.  Further, Lindor, Thornton, Bichette, Young, and Torrens have made the case for their future with this team.

The rest are the players that are easily dismissed by the fan base given the amount of angst create this season.  Let’s talk about three of them to really understand what they bring to the team before adding them to the scrap heap:

Brett Baty: 

Sure, he has not lived up to the prospect hype of past years.  He has shown flashes of power and capable defense, but with a career slash line of .227/.293/.653 he is not the star that was expected to arrive.  But before you say, “move on”, consider the other things he brings to the team.  

AVAILABILITY:  Baty has played in 112 of the Mets’ 125 games this season, and some that he has not played in were manager discretion.  He is the healthy guy amongst an injury-riddled lineup.  

VERSATILITY: Baty is not in the running for a gold glove, but he has shown the ability to play several positions in both infield and outfield at a capable MLB level.  When much of the roster proved fragile, Baty is able to fill in where needed.  Since the Mets have parted with Guillermo, Iglesias, and McNeil, very few can offer what Baty does in terms of roster flexibility.

Sean Manaea: In the 2025 season and the first half of 2026, Manaea was either hurt or incapable of throwing quality starts.  With a $25M/yr salary, this became one of the most painful roster spots in recent history.  Manaea has certainly figured something out recently, as his velocity and pitch location has improved, and he is now making his starts worth watching.  

But the intangible that comes with Manaea is the mentorship and clubhouse leadership he provides.  Several sources have indicated that he is among the most well-liked players on the team.  Dugout shots during any broadcast usually show Manaea surrounded by others on the pitching staff discussing the ongoing game.  

Sideline reporters have indicated that the young pitchers on the team rely on Manaea for advice on everything from the art of pitching to the fortitude required to pull yourself out of a terrible slump.  Once again, the Mets have cast off others with this ‘sensei’ quality – do you want them to do that again?

Francisco Alvarez: This “can’t miss” prospect that shot through the minors onto the Mets’ roster did miss.  He was plagued by injuries, loss of focus, and reversion to an out-of-control swing that limited his contributions to the team.  Now in his fourth full season, most of his welcome is worn out.  But Alvarez was an impetuous youngster that was more talented than he was mature.  

Several ups and downs later, he is actually learning more from his back-up than from all of his previous coaches.  Alvarez appears to be settling down into more consistent play both at the plate and behind it thanks to Luis Torrens.  Alvarez is only 24 years old, and I believe his best days are in front of him.  His abilities far outweigh his stats, and if you keep the duo of Alvarez and Torrens on this team into the future, good things will happen.

That's my conversation starter.  Who are your candidates for players who bring more to the team than just a slash line?

Reese Kaplan -- So What If Carlos Beltran Is Not the New Manager?

To hear most people picking up the popular narrative, Carlos Beltran is going to be the new manager in 2027.  There are certainly reasons why this selection could make sense.  He was once before hired to be a manager before the scandal of his Astros World Series appearance came to light and for purposes of public relations he was quickly asked to turn in his lineup pencil before he even got started.

Obviously Beltran has a solid Mets reputation and went into Cooperstown adorned with a Mets baseball cap.  That identity and Mets visibility follows what Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza did when they were inducted despite having played for other teams during their playing careers as well.  His seven years as a Met were far more good than bad and people generally count him as one of the rare good long term contracts the team offered up to anyone. 

There are some downsides to Beltran being the new skipper.  For one thing, he has no managerial experience.  While everyone indeed needs to start somewhere, it’s also a learning-on-the-job zeitgeist that often shows how green the new manager can be without several years at the helm previously.  We all saw eventually what happened when new managers like Luis Rojas and Carlos Mendoza hit the wall, though in Mendoza’s case it had as much to do with the poor roster he was given as his own growth.

So what if the Mets decide Beltran is not really the best choice despite the good public relations and instant recognition he would give the team if he took that role?  Or, what if Beltran decided he was not ready to suit up every day in the dugout, taking full responsibility for the success and failure of what his players do while on the field.  What do the Mets do then?

Oddly, interim manager Andy Green may be the temporary answer.  His years in San Diego were not exactly made of legendary performance, but everyone who knows the man extols both his knowledge and communication abilities.  With the great selloff having happened the Mets are suddenly starting to look like not quite the cellar dwellers they did under Mendoza.  He’s been working on the farm system since 2024 and some of the current players now on the big league roster like Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Zac Thornton, Nolan McLean and Christian Scott are all supporters of him at the helm. 

To a great many people the emergency fill in for Mendoza doesn’t carry the weight nor cache of new Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran.  His career managerial numbers are not outstanding and a quiet, knowledgeable guy in charge will not have the same public relations weight Beltran would.  It would, however, be an interesting plan B should the Beltran vision not happen from either side’s decision.  If indeed they need another managerial candidate does anyone else stand out as a superior option to Andy Green?  He knows the team’s majors and minors, he has real managerial experience and he would help bring some continuity over into the 2027 season.  

MACK - HOT ARMS - Matt Seelinger, Carlos Guzman, Josbel Torrez

 

PERIOD:  7/16 – 7/25

 

Matt Seelinger/AAA-Syracuse –

    1.20-WHIP, 3.1-IP, 5-K, 3-BB, 0.00

Matt Seelinger is a 31-year-old right-handed relief pitcher (born April 19, 1995, in Westbury, NY) for the New York Mets organization.

He stands 6'3" and weighs 190 lbs.

He is a Long Island native who attended W.T. Clarke High School and played college baseball at Division III Farmingdale State College.

Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 28th round (838th overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft — the first player from Farmingdale State ever selected.

Bounced around organizations (Pirates → Rays → Giants → Phillies) via trades, releases, and minor-league deals.

Spent 2024 with the independent Atlantic League’s Long Island Ducks (hometown team), posting a dominant 0.44 ERA in 21 games with 31 strikeouts in 20.2 IP. The Detroit Tigers purchased his contract mid-2024.

Excelled in the Tigers system (especially Triple-A Toledo) with strong strikeout rates. In 2026 with Toledo, he had a 3.89 ERA in 39.1 IP (swing/long relief role), 49 K, and 19 BB.

Traded to the Mets for cash considerations on July 6, 2026 (he had an upward mobility clause). Promoted to the majors the next day for his MLB debut at Citi Field — a feel-good homecoming story.

Minor-league career (through 2026): 23-16 record, ~3.30 ERA, strong K rates (over 12 K/9 in many seasons), mostly in relief.

Seelinger is a three-pitch reliever with solid velocity for a depth arm and some unique deception.

Four-seam Fastball (FF): ~38-48% usage, averages ~92-93 mph (sits 92.4-92.8). Decent carry/rise; generates swings-and-misses and fly balls. Straight but effective when elevated.

Cutter (FC): ~42% usage, ~86 mph. High whiff rate, heavy sink, good horizontal movement. One of his better swing-and-miss pitches.

Knuckle Curve / "Knuckle Drop" or "Knuckle Puck" (KC/CU): ~19-26% usage, ~80-81 mph. His signature pitch — a unique, low-spin offering (often 1,300-1,700 rpm, can vary widely) with a custom grip (modified four-seam grip with bent fingers). It blends curveball, splitter, and sometimes screwball traits: significant downward "drop" (negative vertical movement, e.g., -5 to -12 inches), variable shape, and tunneling potential off the fastball. High whiff rates and low opponent production in the minors. Coined/perfected on Long Island.

He tunnels his pitches well (fastball and breaking ball often look similar out of the hand) and has shown above-average swinging-strike ability in the minors, though command can be inconsistent (elevated walk rates at times).

Overall Profile: Classic journeyman/late-bloomer reliever with a standout homemade pitch. Strong strikeout stuff in Triple-A but raw results in his brief MLB look.

 

Carlos Guzman/AA-Binghamton –

    2.10-WHIP, 3.1-IP, 5-K, 2-BB, 0.00

Carlos Guzman (full name: Carlos Alberto Guzmán) is a right-handed relief pitcher (primarily) in the New York Mets organization.

Born May 16, 1998 (age 28), in Maracay, Venezuela, he stands 6'1" and weighs 210 lbs.

He throws right-handed  

Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent in 2015 (age 16).

Spent time in the Tigers system, reached High-A as a starter in 2022 (9-6, 4.16 ERA in 25 starts for West Michigan).

Traded to the Chicago Cubs in March 2023 for INF/OF Zach McKinstry.

Signed as a minor-league free agent by the Mets in November 2023 (and re-signed later).

Has pitched mostly in relief at upper levels since joining the Mets, with stints at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. He has also played in the Venezuelan Winter League (Tigres de Aragua).

As of 2026, he remains a depth reliever in the Mets system (not on the 40-man roster), bouncing between AA/AAA. He has not yet debuted in MLB.

He is a hard-throwing righty who has transitioned from starting to relief. He has shown flashes of effectiveness in the upper minors but has not broken through to the majors yet.

4-Seam Fastball: 92-95 mph (primary pitch).

Changeup: 83-85 mph.

Cutter: 88-90 mph.

Slider: 83-86 mph.

This is a four-pitch mix suited for relief work, with the fastball providing velocity and the offspeed/breaking pitches offering separation. He has generated strikeouts (around 9-10 K/9 in recent upper-minors seasons) but can be hittable at times, especially in AAA.

Guzman is a classic minor-league depth arm with a solid but not elite repertoire. He could provide bullpen help for the Mets if he refines command and consistency, but he is not currently a top prospect.

 

Josbel Torrez/DSLB –

    1.40-WHIP, 5.0-IP, 5-K, BB, ER, 1.80

Josbel Rafael Torrez is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization.

Born: April 5, 2007, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

Height/Weight: 6'1", 180 lbs.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right.

The Mets signed him as an international free agent to a minor league contract on May 6, 2026. He was assigned to the DSL Mets Orange (Dominican Summer League) shortly after.

He has shown some strikeout ability in limited innings but has also allowed some hard contact/walks, which is common for a teenage pitcher adjusting to pro ball.

Torrez is a very new, low-level prospect with limited public scouting reports available right now. At 19 and pitching in the DSL, he is in the earliest stages of his career.