MACK - Let’s Get To Know – SP Camden Lohman

  

The New York Mets promoted FCL-Mets SP, Camden Lohman, to the St. Lucie Mets.

Camden Lohman is a 19-year-old right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets organization (born November 5, 2006, in O’Fallon, Missouri).

High school: Fort Zumwalt North (O’Fallon, MO). Committed to Missouri but signed with the Mets.

Drafted in the 8th round (253rd overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft.

Signed for an over-slot $797,500 (slot value was about $213,200; roughly late-third-round money) to keep him from college.

6'4", 195 lbs, R/R. Thin, high-waisted, projectable frame with room to add strength while staying athletic. Throws from a high three-quarters/over-the-top arm slot with a long arm action and relatively short stride, creating a high release point and good downhill plane.

He was not a high-priority follow as a junior (fastball mostly upper-80s, modest results).

As a senior he jumped in velocity and performance: 0.80 ERA in 44 IP, 21 H, 15 BB, 92 K.

He shows swing-and-miss ability (solid K rates) but is still refining command and consistency.

Ranked in the Mets’ top 30 prospects range by some outlets (e.g., MLB Pipeline around No. 26–30).

Pitch Repertoire

Primary arsenal (pre-pro and scouting reports):

Fastball: 91–95 mph (tops out at 95). Best with downward plane down in the zone. Spin rates typically in the 2000s; more effective lower in the zone than up due to average ride/backspin. Uses his height for angle. Scouting grade often around average (50).

Slider: Low-80s. Best pitch for swing-and-miss with late two-plane depth/slice when sharp. Can get inconsistent (sometimes looser/slurvier “butterfly” shape). Strong strikeout offering with potential.

Curveball: Mid-70s (often 74–77 range). Similar two-plane shape; may fit his over-the-top slot particularly well. Flashes average potential.

Splitter (developed from a changeup): Low-80s. Change-of-pace offering that flashes potential; still a work in progress and used less frequently early on. Needs more consistency and usage.

In an early-2026 interview he mentioned fine-tuning the fastball (working on better ride/4-seam shape after sometimes cutting it) and slider, while beginning to workshop a cutter as an addition.

Overall scouting grades (MLB Pipeline-style, draft/2026): Fastball 50, Curveball 50, Slider 50, Splitter 50, Control 50, Overall 40 (with projection remaining).

Projection and Outlook

Lohman is a classic projectable high-school righty with starter upside if the secondary pitches and command develop. Strengths include size, arm speed, downhill angle, and emerging swing-and-miss stuff (especially the slider/curve). 

Risks include the typical high-school command issues, need for better pitch shape consistency, and the chance he ends up in the bullpen if a third/fourth pitch or control lag.

The Mets’ pitching development (sic) track record is a positive for him. He still has significant physical projection left.

He’s very early in his pro career (just finishing his first full minor-league season as of August 2026), so expect continued development focus on strength, consistency, and refining the arsenal.

Tom Brennan: DeMayo New Top 30 Prospects List; “Noah Hall” of Fame; and MORE

HITTERS IN THE METS CURRENT TOP 30?

THEY WILL BE DOING A LOT OF THIS

As expected, the sea change caused by the massive haul of prospects at the trade deadline required a huge realignment of the Top 30 by Joe D.

Here is his list:

Joe DeMayo New Top 30

I like and essentially agree with most of it. I do however still have problems with his having Ryan Clifford as high as # 14. 

While Joe dropped Clifford from 3rd to 8th about a month ago, and further downward to # 14 now, I do not see how Clifford, brutally hitting .185 with 150 Ks in 98 AAA games, could be 14th, while new addition Billy Amick, a similar type player in AA with more HRs and fewer strikeouts is 27th.

Me? I’d make Clifford sit outside the top 30 and earn his way back in. 

His 2026 has simply been brutal. I’d rather see a Trey Snyder, who Joe left out of the top 30, inserted in the upper 20s. He is hitting nearly .300 with above average speed.

I do have a problem also having Jacob Reimer as high as #8. I’d have bumped him down to around # 12, and make him earn his way back up. He had a horrible, injury-riddled 2024, a quite solid but not spectacular 2025, and another weak, injury-riddled year this year. Injury-riddled is not a great resume highlight. Stay healthy. The competition is now fierce. I still like Reimer more than Clifford.

I want Mitch Voit higher than # 5. He started slow this year in crappy Brooklyn, surrounded by a team hitting .180, but has been flat-out sensational offensively since the start of June, is fast as heck, and great on defense,with a 60 rated arm. He does not strike out much. Oddly, he might already be ready.

Joe D has Jon Santucci at #2, Sammy Stafura at # 3, and Mitch at # 5. 

I’d go with Voit at # 2, because he just might have Clemente-like ability, with Santucci the Superb at # 3, and Stafura, who is exciting, but strikes out at a somewhat concerning rate, at # 5 (for now).

I like Jefferson Rojas @ # 1, as he is very talented, but whether he is better than Voit remains to be seen.  I’d be thrilled if he is.

I like new guy Emilien Pitre at # 13. He can really hit. Why is he lower than Reimer (.227), though? 

Pitre, you see, is raking at .313/.440/.448.  Fast, too (32 steals). Strong defensively. Solid K rate. I’d definitely want to put him above Reimer. And it frankly makes no sense to me to have him only one slot ahead of Clifford. He’s doing SO VERY MUCH BETTER.

(Maybe I will do a list of the Top 30 Mets’ SUSPECTS. Nah, I won’t do that)

I like new draftees (yet to pitch) Carson Wiggins at # 10 and Aiden Robbins @ # 12. Robbins is hitting .318 at St Lucie, and what I love is just 3 Ks in his first 25 PAs.

I also like seeing my guy, Super Duper Randy Guzman jumped all the way up to # 16 by Joe D. Randy has hit extremely well in 2025 and 2026 (61 XBH and 106 RBIs in 502 at bats) with power when healthy. 

He is, sadly, back on the IL again. He needs to watch his Ks, but his power and average #s in 2025/26 are terrific. And his first 7 Brooklyn games of the season being .393/.438/.536 were hugely impressive.

I also like Joe D slotting big bonus babies Elian Peña and Wandy Asigen at # 6 and # 7. Both look more and more like potential high impact future major leaguers (by 2029 and 2031), at this early stage. Asigen is still 16, for heaven’s sake. For another week, anyway.

I would have taken a flier, lastly, on Vladi Gomez at # 29 instead of Eli Serrano III. Serrano has hit poorly (.193) and missed a lot of games due to injury time. Vladi, though, in the FCL and St Lucie, is having a terrific season, at .338/.433/.457, with 37 steals in 182 PAs, and a low K rate.

Lastly, even though Zac Thornton is technically still a prospect, he is a locked-in major leaguer who will move past prospect status in the next 2-3 weeks. So, I would have graduated him now, and added another guy to the top 30, who would be thrilled to be included there.

Simply, the draft and especially the recent trades have turned a highly disappointing Top 30 into a terrific one. Heavily weighted towards offense.

I grade the current top offensive prospects at A overall. Terrific.

The pitchers in the Top 30?  

B- or C+. Not as many around as are the abundant hitters.

It is hard to imagine that this is not now a top 5 ranked farm system.

P.S. One guy who has been splendid of late is RHP Noah Hall.  

He was terrible early this season. 1-6, 6.29 at the end of June. 

The only one writing about Hall then would have been his Hall Monitor.

Then, the calendar turned July, and the Superman cape came out. 

He recently gave up 4 runs in 5 innings on 2 HRs to big AA Homer guys in a game he led big in. Probably just trying to get the ball over with the big lead, and got snagged a few times.

In the other 5 starts since July 1, spanning Brooklyn and Binghamton, 28 innings, 11 hits, one run, 4 walks and 40 Ks. Pretty darned incredible. “Hall” of Fame numbers.

Which you’d never realize if you only looked at his 4-6, 4.44 ERA season mark.

AS TO THE FUTURE?

I think the NY Mets can reload their pitching staff this off season.

These prospects as a core will still be a good floor for the Mets, and provide a potentially high ceiling.

These new and existing prospects will start to provide real major league help in 2027.

In 2028, the floodgates will open and many of these young talents will pour into the majors. 

It could be 1984/85 all over again? Why not? Just give Keith a glove.

We do need a first baseman.

AND…

Even though Benge appears to have dodged a bullet with his wall collision, with his MRI only showing bruising, he needs to differentiate between aggressive and reckless when it comes to fielding. We need him for 162 per.

A DSL NO HITTER

One of the Mets’ two DSL teams spun a 7 inning no hitter on Saturday.

Congrats to the two pitchers, Josbel Torres, with 4 innings, and Esteban Mejia logging the final 3 frames. 

The other DSL team also won, 3-2. A final line of 3 runs, 3 hits, and 3 errors. 

Three-mendous.

RONNY MAURICIO EXPLODES, AND MUCH MORE

A single, 2 doubles, a HR, and 5 RBIs in 4 at bats. Jumped his AAA average to .292.

Elsewhere: 

In Brooklyn, new bats Stafura 3-4, with 3 runs, and Aiden Smith was 2-4, a HR, and 3 RBIs in a 6-5 win. New arm Gabrysh gave up 3 runs in 4 innings, BUT FANNED NINE.

In Binghamton, Jefferson Rojas was 3-4, 3 RBIs, Pitre got his daily dose of 2 hits, Amick drove in 2, and already has 10 RBIs post-trade, and Voit was 2-3 and a walk, raising his AA average to .568. Ted Williams said WOW!

New arm Gabe Davis gave up 3 runs in 3 innings, fanning 3. He only has 65 pro innings to date, and is in AA, so be patient.

Tom Brennan: What’ve They Done to Jonah Tong? And A Few Other Tidbits

 

REMEMBER JONAH TONG SMILING AFTER GATORADE LAST YEAR?

You know the way some folks go to a psychiatrist for some minor concerns and come out like raving lunatics?

Or the guy that goes into the hospital to get his tonsils removed, gets C-Dif, and gets a leg amputated before he goes home.

That’s about the result of the treatment from Mets experts for Jonah Tong.

In 2025, Tong was MINOR LEAGUES PITCHER OF THE YEAR. Incredible!

He did that while just turning 22 in June 2025.

MLB.com wrote this:

“…nobody was more unhittable than Jonah Tong, who lapped the field by putting up videogame numbers before his Aug. 29 MLB debut. Tong led the Minors in ERA (1.43), strikeouts (179) and average-against (1.48) while ranking second in WHIP (0.92) as he morphed into MiLB's much-watch hurler over a string of ascendant performances. 

“He allowed one earned run or fewer in 18 of his 22 starts, two or fewer hits in eight of his first 13, and no hits at all in two, compiling 24 strikeouts over the course of those 11 2/3 combined no-hit frames.”

Back to me:

He allowed 2 HRs in 114 minor league IP in 2025.  One every 57 innings.

Then, he got called up to the big leagues, in a Mets pitching emergency at year end 2025, despite limited experience, with just a few AAA outings. Against much better MLB hitting, he pitched reasonably well in 3 Mets outings and poorly in 2 others. No surprise.

The Mets, however, looked at that big picture of Tong in 2025 and seemingly decided, “we must ignore his incredible minor league success in 2025 and COMPLETELY FIX HIM!”

They did change things, all right.

In AAA this year, 20 HRs in 86 innings. 

One every 4 innings. 14 times the 2025 rate.

A 2026 ERA of 5.46, as compared to last year’s 1.43. Quadrupled.

His 2025 WHIP of 0.92 has jumped 59% to 1.46 this year.

Heckuva “fix”, wouldn’t you say?

Maybe they “fixed” Ryan Lambert and Dylan Ross equally well this year, too. Expertly repaired Ryan Clifford?

SOLUTION?

We need a SWAT team to show up at each Mets minor league location with a bullhorn and say:

“PUT YOU I PADS ON THE GROUND.  STEP AWAY FROM THE PROSPECTS”!

Somehow, I think Jonah Tong’s stats would be far better if they just left him the heck alone.

I WANT MY TONG TERRIFIC BACK!

IMAGINE THIS TEAM’S OFFENSE…

If Soto was playing, rather than Bumbling Brett Baty?

It would be TOUGH.

JEFRY YAN…

…is surely a feel-good story. 

But he sure seems to bounce a lot of sliders in the dirt. I hope he cuts those down.  If he does, I will be jumping up and down.

Yan’s sliders must be high enough to 1) induce swings & 2) avoid wild pitches. He threw 12 wild pitches in 41.2 AAA IP, a really high rate.

MACK - Let’s Get To Know – SP Dillon Stillner

 

 

This past Thursday, the New York Mets promoted SP Dillon Stillner from the FCL Mets to the A-St. Lucie Mets.

Dillon Stiltner is a right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets organization, a 2025 18th-round draft pick (553rd overall).

Born: December 22, 2006 (age 19 as of August 2026)

Height/Weight: Listed at 6'3", 190 lbs (some scouting reports note ~6'2"/195); projectable, high-waisted frame that added mass in high school and may still fill out

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

High school: Trinity Christian High School (Sharpsburg, Georgia)

Drafted/signed: 2025 MLB Draft by the Mets; signed for a $222,690 bonus (he had a commitment to Chipola College in Florida)

He was a two-way player in high school (also played first base). As a pitcher over his career there, he posted a 1.88 ERA in 137.2 innings across 30 appearances, with 168 strikeouts and 62 walks. He also hit .348/.446/.638 with power and some speed.

Stiltner signed in July 2025 and debuted in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League (FCL Mets). In 2026 with the FCL Mets he has a 0-3 record, 8.65 ERA, 26.0 IP, 32 strikeouts, 20 walks, and 1.85 WHIP in 10 games (4 starts). He has had recent assignments involving the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and back to the FCL.

He remains a very early-stage prospect in the lower levels of the system.

Pitching Repertoire and Delivery

Stiltner throws from a low three-quarters to nearly sidearm arm slot with a long arm action and relatively low-effort, clean mechanics overall (though some reports note arm movement during the stride/release that could affect consistency of the release point and command). He has a whippy arm that generates life on his pitches.

Fastball: Sits low-90s and has reached 94–95 mph. Features excellent arm-side run/life and sinking action. He works it east-to-west effectively (in on righties, running away from lefties). He has historically been fastball-heavy.

Slider: Low-to-mid 80s. His go-to strikeout pitch with sweepy break.

Changeup: Generally low-70s to mid-80s range depending on the report; still developing. It shows tumbling action and some arm-side fade; feel for it lags behind the fastball/slider.

Overall, scouts describe a solid three-pitch mix with projection remaining due to his frame, athleticism, and arm strength.

Command/control has been a noted area to watch given the arm slot and mechanics.

He is a developmental high-school draftee still early in his pro career, with upside tied to further physical maturation, refining command, and developing the changeup into a more consistent weapon.

Tom Brennan - Benge Hurting His Wrist on a Fearless Catch Reminds Me of My Article From June 8

So…the Mets won their 4th straight on Friday night. Red hot Carson Benge had 2 for and 2 RBIs, and we were thrilled the Mets drafted superbly.

Then, Benge made a super-aggressive (some would say reckless) sliding catch into the wall in the left field corner...injured his glove hand…got pulled.

I read this, exhaling a bit: “X-rays were encouraging, though Mets interim manager Andy Green said Benge could undergo further imaging if the wrist is still sore on Saturday morning.”

So…I thought I would rerun this post from June 8 on the downside risk of playing with (perhaps unduly) reckless abandon - it is a fine line between aggressive and reckless:

(PICTURED: AJ EWING)

THE METS HAVE TWO PSYCHO CYBORGS IN THE OUTFIELD

Do any of you remember a psycho defender of Mets years gone by…

….named Juan Lagares?

Gold Glover, eye-popping plays…and plenty of lengthy fielding-related injuries. 

Plenty of IL time, too.

The funny thing is, during the several long periods of time when he was on the IL, his and my WAR accumulation were IDENTICAL.  

ZERO.

Anthony DiComo recently wrote an article about the two sensational rookie Mets psychos in the outfield: 

Carson Benge and AJ Ewing. 

In it he noted the following, which I excerpted:

The Mets’ psychopathic brotherhood officially formed last Saturday at Citi Field, when Carson Benge robbed Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers of an extra-base hit, ran into the right-center-field fence, and splayed out on the warning track. 

…Ewing turned to Juan Soto and said, “Yo, that was psycho.”

…Soto (noted) that Ewing and Benge “call each other ‘psychopath’” for their defensive exploits. “Yeah, you are,’” Soto quipped.

In the eyes of both rookies, it’s the most flattering of epithets. A psychopathic outfielder is one who plays with a sort of controlled recklessness, sprinting, diving and, yes, crashing into fences from time to time.

“I feel like it’s just trying to make every play, whether that be running through a wall or standing easily,” Benge said. “Either way, I just want to make every play and not really care too much what happens to my body.” 

“I take a lot of pride in being able to play that way, just because I know there’s value in everything you do on the baseball field,” Ewing said. “Whether that’s in the box, on defense, running the bases, you’ve got to bring it all 100% of the time.”

So who’s more psycho? 

“Depends on the day,” Benge said.

In baseball scenarios, both players agreed, Ewing may be the crazier one due to his propensity for running into fences … not just during games, but before them, too. Prior to Monday’s series opener in Seattle, Ewing was shagging flies in the outfield when Bo Bichette hit one deep over his head. 

Rather than let the meaningless ball go, as most players would, Ewing sprinted backward, caught it and crashed into the fence. His cap and sunglasses went flying. “Bo hit the ball, I was like, ‘I need this one,’” Ewing said. “I don’t know why.”

Maybe it is just me.  “Psycho” makes me nervous.

I was around when Mike Baxter ended his career, essentially, crashing into the outfield wall to save Johan Santana’s successful no-hit bid.

I was around when Jason Bay got a few fence-crashing concussions that permanently and negatively altered his career.

I was around to see Juan Lagares hurt himself trying to make a reckless play in a lopsided game and miss months, more than a few times.

Mike Trout has had his share of injuries attacking walls.

Bo Jackson was other-worldly, until his hip bone died from brutal contact.

Brandon Nimmo crashing into a wall that caused a bulging disc and extended months of IL time.

You young lads are humans, not indestructible cyborgs.

I’m sure you readers can share your own exuberance injury examples.

That being said:

Man, I love the enthusiasm of Benge and Ewing. Who wouldn’t?

But I want to see them be long-term great. 3,000 hits apiece, and Ewing being the next HOF Pete Rose, who wasn’t extremely grass I’ve, but not psycho, and Carson Benge becoming the next HOF Carlos Beltran, who wasn’t an outfield psycho, but just a repeat Gold Glover.

So, I would recommend: 

Fellas, maybe you don’t don’t be kamikaze psychopath outfielders. 

Be real aggressive, for sure, but psychopathic actions in the outfield over time can damage the bodies that brung ya here. And possibly damage your careers long-term.

It would be your loss…and ours.

ESPECIALLY…

After Carson Benge went 5 for 5 on (that early June) Sunday. 

This team needs 162 games per season of THAT dude.

And after AJ Ewing’s first 25 MLB games have resulted in a very solid .340 OBP. This team needs 162 games per season of THAT dude, too.

They are making the Unwatchables watchable again.

BUT ONLY IF THEY STAY HEALTHY.

BASEBALL HAS CHANGED

I remember the season where Mets hitters in total hit fewer homers than Mari’s’ 61 in ‘61. Them days is GONE!

I noticed the median 2026 MLB team average is just .244, while the median team is averaging 1.2 homers per game, a roughly 195 HR pace. Guys with lesser power but other great skills like Benge and Ewing are less typical - but they sure are doing great - if they stay healthy.

Reese Kaplan -- More Thoughts on 2027 Roster Decisions

The interesting thing about the Mets right now is the carousel of unknown players entering and exiting as the team uses the remainder of August and September to get to know who may or may not be a part of the team’s future.  Many decisions will need to be made between now and the start of 2027 baseball (if a strike allows the season to take place). 

The first big decision, of course, is outfielder Luis Robert.  When he’s good he’s a stellar defender, decent speed, home run power and dynamic player on the field and at the plate.  The problem is that he is not healthy most of the time and is slated to earn $20 million next season for below Mendoza line hitting and more time on the IL than on the field. 

For his career Robert is a .255 hitter with about 21 HRs and 62 RBIs per season to go along with 20 SBs.  Paired with Gold Glove level defense that seems desirable.  The problem is that he’s been in the majors for parts of seven seasons and has only had 500 ABs in one of them. 

Keeping Luis Robert in 2027 is indeed expensive but the Mets do have a $2 million buyout option they could choose to exercise.  The $18 million savings could be put into addressing other team needs and the club could go into the season with the outfield of Juan Soto, A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge as they have for many games this year. 

The three expensive pitchers returning are going to be very difficult to trade away without paydown of their salaries or accompanying them with some prime minor league talent.  This tris includes starter Sean Manaea, closer Devin Williams and apparently now reliever Kodai Senga.  In order they earn $25 million, $13.7 million (most deferred and counting as $5 million against payroll), and $15 million respectively.  There’s no way to justify Manaea’s paycheck.  Williams is more appropriate and if he can rediscover his Milwaukee self he’s a relative bargain at that price.  Senga is a challenging one.  If he is a short reliever in a setup role he’s overpriced.  If he’s a starter he’s acceptably priced if the good Senga emerges once again. 

Rumors started that Bichette wants to return to the Mets and expects them to be significantly better next season.  That’s good news and bad news.  If he returns to his career norms then he is an expensive but high quality hitter with defensive challenges.  The Mets most definitely need bats, so having him back is not a bat thing at all.

At second base, however, the Mets need to make a decision.  Can they restructure Semien’s deal to keep him around as a backup and veteran presence or will they again trot him out every day with a few straight years of poor performance as the regular second baseman?  If the utility role evolves then they likely need to look outside the organization unless they feel Ronny Mauricio is finally going to be healthy and productive.  Obviously Brett Baty is not the answer at second base.

First base continues to be a lost cause.  Jorge Polanco could play there if healthy, but that if comes with an awful lot of hesitation.  He’s not hitting at all and the health issues continue, but at his pay rate he’s going to be back again unless they pay down 25 to 30% of his salary in a trade.  Even if they did that no one emerges as a quality starter.

However, the real issue for this team is going to be its bullpen.  Assuming Williams is back and Senga remains, there is not a whole lot else there worth trotting out to the mound to hold leads.  Dedniel Nunez is a healing work in progress but beyond him it’s a bunch of pitchers with ill health or limited experience.  Expect some new faces to arrive. 

Right now the 2027 roster is not fully known and its potential for success is going to depend as much on health and productivity as it is on the yet unnamed manager who will lead them.   

MACK - MORE MINOR TIDBITS

 

Jack Wenninger was abused last night and now joins Jonah Tong as two former “next up” AAA starters. Neither are now ready to face the real guys that play this game. So where does that leave the future 2022 rotation? Let’s start with the contracts… Sean Manaea ($22,009,000) and Kodai Senga ($15,000,000). 

Then, you add the team-controlled guys… Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton… all of which have, at least, three more years with this team… let’s pretend they all stay healthy. You happy with this rotation? I’m sure as hell isn’t. There are more talented minor league starters, but none are in position to be ready to be in the Flushing opening day roster… work is needed here, folks…

Billy Amick came to the Mets with 23 2026 AA home runs this season. In the 14 minutes he’s been owned by the Mets, he has three more. That’s now 26… 

Paul?...

Ya know, everybody keeps telling me not to worry about Elian Pena’s defense (or, lack of it). That everybody down there makes a ton of them at that age. Well, he had another throwing error last night, that came off two more the night before. Yes, one of those two were reversed, but still… this is 23 errors so far this season. I don’t know where that ranks. The DSL people don’t release this info. What I do know is this has to improve greatly over the next three of four seasons… 

Nick Lorusso was promoted to AAA-Syracuse this week. I never had him in my now departed Friday Prospect Report, because he just didn’t produce at the AA-level that warranted him being included. 

He was, however, heading in the right direction, which probably landed him that promotion (it’s not that the Mets are desperate for a bat producing first baseman…). 

Well, last night for Syracuse he went: 3-4, 2-R HR, RBI and raised his AAA bating average to.364. Will it hold? Is it good enough to make this column? Whatayathing?...

 

AA-Binghamton’s SP Gary Gill Hill debuted last night and impressed everyone in the stadium, going 5.0-IP, 3-H, 0-R, 2-BB, 4-K, 0.00. I never react to newbie starters until after their first three starts, but I though it was worthy to mention a positive outing by a new pitcher, in a sea of positive hitting by the new bats…

 

Holy Shite! 214-year old Calvin Ziegler had a tremendous extended outing… ONE inning, no runs given up, no hits allowed, no walks thrown, and every batter faced struck out. His ERA has now been reduced to a microscopic 23.14… do they have CY Young awards in the minors?...

Reese Kaplan -- Looking at the 2027 Mets Roster Needs

There’s been a few days now for people to understand the great selloff and now it’s time to reassess not the remainder of 2026 but what changes will take place in 2027. 

There is no first base solution present.  Jorge Polanco maybe should be the daily DH to put less stress on his aging and oft-injured body.  No one wanted him at mid year and the Mets are on the hook for another season.  If he indeed becomes the DH, then the only candidates are Jared Young, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ryan Clifford.  None of them seem sufficient for a contending team.

There is no second base solution either.  No one is going to fault Marcus Semien for his professionalism but the offensive results simply are not there.  He’s playing like a bench player, not a $26 million starter.  Right now he’s hitting just .210.  Unless you’re semi-serious about converting A.J. Ewing into a full time second base role, your options here are limited to Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio.

We will assume for the moment that despite the rumor mill agog with conjectures about the rift between Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto as well as the Mets’ need to free up payroll, once again the team is facing a no-option situation here with the lead gloved Bo Bichette, Ronny Mauricio and various AA/AAA options not yet ready for daily play. 

Third base likely still belongs to Bo Bichette as his 2026 numbers are insufficient to market himself for a higher rate of pay elsewhere.  He could theoretically get a longer contract but it would probably be more like the rate being paid to Lindor if he fled for another club.  Consequently plan for him to be at the hot corner and to be paid well above $40 million for whatever he provides. 

The outfield right now is the only area that appears fairly set.  You have Juan Soto and Carson Benge for sure.  Luis Robert was not traded away and it’s entirely possible the Mets may eat the buyout and let him go, handing center field duties to A.J. Ewing for near minimum wage. 

Catching is also fairly solid between starter Francisco Alvarez and backup Luis Torrens.  Assuming the Mets make the efforts to keep them both around then nothing else needs to be done while minor league options work their way up the ladder for future use. 

Starting pitching is very much up in the air.  For now you would figure Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton are pretty much guaranteed to be three of the five starters.  Sean Manaea was not moved at the trade deadline and with his final $25 million year on the 2027 payroll he’s likely going to be a fourth starter.  Who becomes the fifth starter is very much up in the air.  With Freddy Peralta gone and Clay Holmes gone the club is thin here.  Robert Stock had one very good start and will get more time during 2026 but he’s likely not a long term solution.  There are several free agents and trade candidates who could be obtained to add a veteran solid starter to the mix.

The bullpen is a complete mess.  Devin Williams is still here though no one trusts him to perform like a closer.  Kodai Senga has been told he’s going to be converted to a short late inning reliever substituting for others like Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter and Huascar Brazoban who are no longer here.  After that’s it’s a wide open guessing game. Dedniel Nunez is back but after that no one else on the current staff is guaranteed to be here in 2027. 

There are surely going to be a lot of new faces when the 2027 season begins. 

MACK - THOUGHTS ON TRADE DEADLINE & OTHER TIDBITS

 

 I don’t write for Mack’s Mets anymore. I retired from that. Instead, I have been producing a bunch of bio and analytical shite. But that changes today.

Instead, I return as a sportswriter, specifically covering the New York Mets. 

My weekly Friday column will reflect that going forward,

One of the things I used to do around here was to give you my spin/rating on the results of the trading deadline. I’m not going to go into an elaborate breakdown… other Mack’s Mets writers are doing a fine job on that. Instead, just a general overview.

I’ve already mentioned that, I believe, the Mets accomplished three things from the results of the trading deadline… one, they cleaned out the majority of bad money contracts that had no future offerings to this team past the 2027 season, two, they found a close to ready major league third baseman, and three, they added prospect depth to their chain, especially in the infield. 

Past that, it’s all speculation, especially because we all know the nerds are going to try and change everything these players have done once they put a Mets uniform on.

What they didn’t accomplish was to get a Top 50 Prospect, as defined by Baseball Pipeline, nor did they find takers for the likes of Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Luis Robert Jr., five players they must now decide if they keep playing and remind both fans and the baseball world what stupid decisions it was to employ these duds, or give them a payout before the calendar year end so they have a clean slate the following year regarding team salary.

Me?

I love 3B Jefferson Rojas. He will be the starting Mets third baseman, latest, opening day 2028. I “ like” IF Sammy Stafura, Cole Mathis, Emilien Pitre, Billy Amick, and Aiden Smith. 

The rest? AAAA or steak knives. I especially like the return of infield depth in the chain. It’s no big secret that the future Mets are in need of both a producing third and second baseman. This year’s trade haul make a crowded positive situation on both bags.

I believe Rojas will be a star in this game and Mitch Voit will be a Benge/Ewing type player at second. Mathis and Amick will compete with Randy Guzman as the future Mets first baseman, that is, if Juan Soto doesn't agree to make the move here some day…I believe Stafura and Pitre will give Voit a run for his money at second… and I believe Rojas is heir apparent to third. Short? It’s Lindor’s until either Elian Pena or Wandy Asigen grows up.

Rating – B minus

 

Minor Tidbit 

AA/Binghamton’s RP, Bryce Jenkins, is the definition of helium. He is barely recognized by the Mets gaggle and only bloggers like Daniel Wexler (@WexlerRules),  and podcasters like Ernest Dove  (@ernestdove), write anything about this guy. Through Tuesday’s game, Jenkins has a combines AA/AAA ERA of 1.94, and a WHIP of 0.79… it seems that A+ Brooklyn SP Nicholas Carreno is getting his shite straighten out at this level. He dominated A-ball, failed miserable early at Coney. This week he went 5.2-IP, 0-H, 0-R, 8-K. Still needs to work on pitch count and control (5-BB this outing)… 

No one is hotter than AA-Binghamton IF Mitch Voit. He put modest numbers up for Brooklyn (.242) but I knew his numbers would grow once he left horrible Coney Island. But I never expected, through Tuesday night, an AA batting average of .539 and an OPS of 1.574!... once again, the nerds win. 

AAA-Syracuse SP, Jonah Tong, was supposed to be promoted by this weekend and Wednesday's start at Cuse' was the final test for the entirely new delivery the executives that never pitched a lick in their life gave this once star for this team. Their changes are like taking the entire engine out of a Shelby SS and installing the engine a Volkswagen Beetle uses. 

The result? Five home runs allowed in five innings. When are these guys ever going to stop this? SMH. The Breakdown of Tong... or, as Tom Brennan puts it... if it ain't broke, don't break it... A-St. Lucie SS Elian Pena committed another throwing error on Wednesday.  That's now 22 errors on the season.  A big reason why I feel Wandy Asigen will jump over him when down the road the B-Mets need a new shortstop.

GOO – (general overall opinions)

I used to be a newspaper reporter. That went away when they closed down that newspaper. It then became a blogger covering the New York Mets. The emphasis was on the minors. Mack’s Mets is now both the most read independent Mets blog, but it also is the longest running. 

My elimination of my weekly Friday Prospect Report came off of the elimination of a professional relationship with a high-ranking Mets insider. It spoke volumes to me about the degree of importance I am to the Mets. It makes my future direction is as a hobbyist who will write how I feel, and what I believe, not anyone else’s opinons.

I became a Mets fan in 1962, followed by a Mets reporter in 2005. I’m now simply a Mets blogger who writes in third person because I no longer root for this team. I still write about it and started a blog for other writers who are fans of this team. I take the Walter Cronkite approach… the team, and what they do is always “they”.

I lost my fandom when I realized the return is minimal. I thought this failure peaked near the end of the Wilpon era, but I was wrong. 

The Cohen train still hasn’t left the station.

MACK’S 2028 STARTING LINEUP:

C     Francisco Alvarez

1B   Juan Soto

2B   Mitch Voit

SS   Francisco Lindor

3B   Jefferson Rojas

LF   Carson Benge

CF   Aiden Robbins

RF   AJ Ewing

DH  Chris Suero

SP1  Tariq Skubal

SP2  Nolan McLean

SP3  Christian Scott

SP4  Jonah Tong

SP5  Zac Thornton