MACK: Hot Bats –Michalle Mercedes, Royner Bravo, Matt Rudick, Wandy Asigen

 

Time to get to know four more of the current hot Mats bats:

PERIOD:     6/28 – 7/7

Michalle Mercedes/DSL - .400/.478/.700/1.178, 8-RBI, 8-H, 23-PA

Michalle Mercedes is a 17-year-old shortstop (born November 8, 2008) in the New York Mets organization. He signed with the Mets as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in January 2026 on a minor-league contract (reported $50,000 signing bonus).

Position: Shortstop (SS)

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Height/Weight: 6'0" / 170 lbs

Current Level (2026): Dominican Summer League (DSL) Mets Blue

He's shown some contact ability early but has room to grow in power, plate discipline, and speed.

As a very recent international signee playing in the DSL (the lowest level for most young Latin American prospects), Mercedes is a developmental project. Mets fans often track these DSL talents for future potential in the lower minors. There isn't much public scouting info or hype yet beyond basic stats and his signing. 

Royner Bravo/DSL - .625/438/.500/1.125, 4-RBI, 7-H, 18-PA

Royner Bravo is a young Venezuelan outfield prospect who signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent in early 2026.

Position: Outfielder (OF)

Bats/Throws: Left/Left (L/L)

Height/Weight: 6'1", 165 lbs

Born: April 29, 2009 (age 17 as of mid-2026)

Country: Venezuela

The Mets signed him to a minor-league contract around mid-January 2026 (announced or effective around Jan 15–18). He received a $90,000 signing bonus.

Bravo is a very raw, toolsy left-handed hitter and thrower with a projectable frame.

 

PERIOD: 7/1 – 7/10

Matt Rudick/Binghamton - .389/.542/.800/1.240, 2-HR, 4-RBI, 7-H

Matt Rudick (full name: Matthew Jon Rudick) is a 27-year-old outfielder in the New York Mets organization.

Born: July 2, 1998, in San Diego, CA.

Bats/Throws: Left/Left.

Size: Listed at about 5'7", 170 lbs (sometimes noted as 5'6").

He had a strong college career at San Diego State, where he hit over .300 in his first three seasons and posted an outstanding .410/.484/.567 line with 61 runs, 17 steals, and just 9 strikeouts in 43 games as a redshirt junior in 2021. He earned All-American honors and was known for elite contact skills, plate discipline, and on-base ability.

The Mets drafted him in the 13th round (382nd overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft and signed him for $125,000.

He has spent his entire pro career in the Mets system, primarily as an outfielder (with time in center and left field).

Key minor league highlights include:

Strong contact-oriented approach with low strikeout rates and good walk rates.

Modest power (21 career HR in minors through 2025) but ability to drive the ball when he simplified his swing.

Speed and base-stealing ability (around 50 steals career).

Career minor league batting line around .243/.367/.373 with solid on-base skills.

2024 (Double-A Binghamton): .239/.352/.366 with 8 HR, 41 RBI, and 12 SB in 114 games.

2025: Limited to rehab appearances after Tommy John surgery (elbow) in early 2025; activated in September.

2026: Split time between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. Has shown some struggles at the plate early on but delivered clutch hits, including a walk-off RBI single in June 2026 for Syracuse.

He has bounced between levels due to injuries but has generally performed best when healthy at Double-A and above.

Rudick is a classic "pesky lefty" hitter — high-contact, advanced approach, gets on base, and sets the table rather than a big power threat. Scouts have compared his profile to someone like Jon Jay in the past. He projects as a potential major league reserve outfielder or fourth outfielder due to his bat-to-ball skills and versatility, though his lack of plus tools and injury history make a full-time role less likely.

 

Wandy Asigen/DSL - .375/.688/.500/1.188, 3-RBI, 3-H

Wandy Asigen is a highly regarded 16-year-old shortstop prospect (born August 21, 2009) from Puerto Plata (Montellano), Dominican Republic, who signed with the New York Mets in January 2026.

He signed for $3.9 million as one of the top players in the 2026 international signing class (often ranked No. 2 overall by MLB Pipeline).

He was originally committed to the Yankees but backed out after changes in their international scouting department and signed with the Mets instead.

The Mets have had recent success landing top international talent, such as Elian Peña the prior year.

Height/Weight: 6'0", 180 lbs (projected to add strength).

Bats/Throws: Left-handed hitter, right-handed thrower.

Scouting strengths:  Explosive bat speed and a "special" left-handed swing.

Plus (or better) power potential; consistently hits the ball hard (110+ mph exit velocities).

Plus speed (e.g., strong 60-yard dash times).

Advanced approach for his age, with a good eye (noted for drawing walks in international play).

Athleticism and instincts that should allow him to stay at shortstop for now.

Evaluators see him as having one of the highest upsides in his class, with potential as a five-tool player, though his pure hit tool is still developing.

Professional Debut and 2026 SeasonAssigned to the Dominican Summer League (DSL Mets Orange).

Missed the start of the DSL season with a hamstring injury.

As a teenager who just turned pro, he's in the very early stages of his development and is expected to spend time in the DSL before advancing through the Mets' minor league system.

He's currently ranked among the Mets' top prospects and is viewed as a potential impact talent for the organization in the coming years. 

MACK - TOP 100 PROSPECT CATCHERS

 

                                                  PC - MACK

Yesterday, we took a look at some possible third baseman that the Mets could trade for before the trade deadline… well, dies.

Today, we move to the backstop.

Remember… AAA and AA players only.

 

Rainiel Rodriguez – C – AA - St. Louis Cardinals

                2026/AA – 176-AB, 8-HR (12 – A+/AA), 49-RBI A+/AA, 24-BB, 54-K, .267/.367/.443/.810

 

Alfredo Duno – C – AA - Cincinnati Reds

                2026/A+ - 242/AB, 16-HR, 47-RBI, 49-BB, 79-K, .260/.390/.512/.902

                       AA -  34/AB, 3-HR, 4-RBI, 6-BB, 6-K, .324/.425/.647/1.072

 

Ethan Salas – C – AA - San Diego Padres

                2026/AA – 236-AB, 7-HR, 36-RBI, 27-BB, 40-K, .280/.348/.415/.763

 

Cooper Ingle – C – AAA - Cleveland Guardians

                2026/AAA – 189-AB, 13-HR, 43-RBI, 43-BB, 52-K, .291/.419/.566/.986

                         MLB -   21-AB, 0-HR, 2-RBI, 3-BB, 12-K, .095/.208/.095/.304

 

Caden Bodine – C – AA - Tampa Bay Rays

                2026/A-A+ AA – 306-AB, 10-HR, 63-RBI, 30-BB, 20-K, .353/.419/.533/.951

                                   AA -   42-AB, 1-HR, 6-RBI, 5-BB, 4-K, .310/,400/.452/.852

Paul Articulates - A small gift

The all-star break is over, and the Mets have given us a small gift to thank us for continuing to watch.  A series win in Philadelphia felt good after months of frustration.  

This doesn't mean that the team has transformed itself into a competitor for the playoffs, but it is a small victory amidst a failed campaign that showed some signs of hope for future seasons.

In Philadelphia, where the fences are close and the winds are kind, the power lineup that the Phillies field typically generates a lot of runs.  Our two young righty pitching studs, Nolan McLean and Christian Scott held down that powerful lefty lineup in games 1 and 3 of the series.  That is no easy feat, and it shows what can happen when those pitchers are working their craft.  On Thursday, Scott held the Phillies to 3 hits and no runs across the first six and on Sunday McLean held them to two hits and no runs through six.  The Mets won both of those games handily with their confidence bolstered by such great pitching performances.

I can only hope that as Zac Thornton matures as a pitcher, he can deliver similar performances from the left side.  That may be a bit further into the future, as he still has some experience to gain at this level.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team (except Soto, Benge, and Ewing) is being looked at by curious shoppers across the league.  Some of them may become the price for an additional arm like that.

The part of the weekend series that didn't feel quite so good was watching the team implode on Saturday.  Poor play in the field, poor at-bats at the plate, and the very expensive top of the lineup (Lindor, Bichette, Soto) went 0-8.  I expect to see more of that in the upcoming series with the Brewers and the Dodgers who both can boast about strong pitching staffs.

In fact, the Brewers series opens with a matchup of trade pieces.  If you remember, back in January, the Mets and Brewers executed a trade that landed Peralta in New York with prospect Brandon Sproat heading to Milwaukee.  There were other pieces in the trade, but those two pitchers facing each other in opposite uniforms will be intriguing.  I am not sure how it will pan out, as Peralta has been a big disappointment in NY and Sproat has not lived up to his prospect billing.  This is a game where the Mets offense cannot afford to take another midsummer nap because Peralta's start will be short and ineffective if recent history repeats.

We will take the victories when we can get them and dream of future seasons with the young guys leading the charge.  Go Mets!

Reese Kaplan -- When is the Offense Going to Improve?

After the horrific game Saturday offered up by Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga, many people were ready to torch them both with weapons of destruction when the issue at hand was two-fold incompetence.  Yes, the six runs given up to the Phillies were certainly a great concern that in parallel helped further derail the trade prospect status of both pitchers.  That result is indeed undesirable and seemingly ensures both long term pitching contracts will be strangling the club in 2027 as well.

The other issue which is getting far less attention is the non-existent offense which is responsible for just as many losses by this club.  In this game the Mets managed to whack a grand total of three hits, including two by free agent to be Tyrone Taylor.  Has the front office even noticed?  One horrific game does not underscore an entire season, but it is indicative of what has not been done after constructing a highly flawed roster. 

Let’s go with the short list first.  Juan Soto is indeed an All Star.  Carson Benge has been hitting .289 after his atrocious April.  Injury promotion rookie A.J. Ewing has shown ability with the bat, his legs and sometimes his glove.  Francisco Alvarez (two home run game notwithstanding) has not done much with the long ball this year compared to his 25 HR season a few years back, but his batting average is up close to .260 which is most definitely progress.Those are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, though it is the rest of the lineup representing (in Biblical analogy) conquest, war, famine and death.

The rest of the lineup has been embarrassing both in performance and in health.  There is no first baseman, no second baseman, no shortstop most of the year, and no third baseman most of the year.  Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert, Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette have not delivered at the levels anticipated when they were acquired.  While that performance level was clear to everyone watching there were no changes made other than leaning on the AAAA express train to find out who has not been able to land permanently in the majors. 

Going forward the Mets need to identify who is truly part of the corps now and for the future.  If you believe the much bandied about untouchable five — Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Juan Soto, Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing — it would seem that everyone else is available for the right price (or because someone finally is acknowledging what has not been working since Spring Training began.)

The last time the Mets did a major selloff for a barrel of allegedly top notch prospects it did not work out all that well for the team.  Prospects are what they are — unproven hopefuls who may or may not ascend to major league competence.  It is a gamble for sure but playing more of the Eric Wagaman and Jared Young types does not bode well for 2026 nor beyond. 

I, for one, am fully behind a major housecleaning and an admission of accountability for what has not worked last year or this one.  People are scared of the term “rebuild” but you can’t create a winning roster with only five good parts. 

MACK - TWO MORE UDFA METS

 

7-14  -  The Mets have signed UDFA 1B/OF Reed Stallman –

Reed Stallman (full name: Reed Joseph Stallman) is a college baseball first baseman/outfielder for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He is a left-handed batter and thrower, standing 6'3" and weighing 220 lbs.

He was born on March 4, 2003, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is from Robins, Iowa.

High School: Alburnett HS (Iowa). He had a standout senior year in 2021 (.491 AVG, .877 SLG, 62 RBI) and was a multi-sport athlete (also played football, basketball, and track).

Junior College: Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), where he hit well (.370 AVG, strong power and RBI numbers over two seasons) before moving to Division I.

First D1 Stop: Campbell University (2024). He started all 47 games at first base, hitting 15 HR with a .239/.441/.560 slash line, leading the team in walks (47), and posting strong defense (.992 fielding %).

He transferred to Mississippi State in 2024 after Campbell's coach left for Ohio State.

2025 Season (Senior year): Played in 44 games (32 starts, mostly in the outfield due to competition at 1B). He hit .265 with 11 HR, 34 RBI, and a .376 OBP/.615 SLG. He showed power but struck out quite a bit (42 times in 117 AB).

2026 Season (Graduate year): Breakout performance as the starting first baseman under new head coach Brian O'Connor. He hit .318 with 13 HR, 55 RBI, and a .410 OBP/.624 SLG through 57 games. He improved his contact rate, clutch hitting (especially with runners in scoring position), and played excellent defense at his natural position.

Stallman was initially nervous about his role after the coaching change but earned praise for his buy-in and has become a key middle-of-the-order bat and reliable defender.

Strengths

Power and Production: Consistent home run threat (39 career HR in college) with good plate discipline (strong walk rates early on).

Defense: Highly regarded at first base with excellent fielding percentages and the ability to make highlight plays.

Clutch Performance: Notable improvements in situational hitting during his 2026 breakout.

He played in the Cape Cod League (Chatham Anglers) in summer 2025 and has been a solid contributor in the competitive SEC.

Overall, Stallman is a late-blooming power hitter and defender who has carved out a significant role at a major program after starting at the JUCO level.

MACK – very surprised some team didn’t draft him to help bring in their bonus distribution. Could develop into power bat. Excellent first base defense. 2026 wound up 51-K/173-AB. Not Clifford numbers.

Rating -  B+

 

7-14  -  The Mets have signed UDFA SS Danny Melendez (TNXL Academy) –

Danny Melendez is a high school shortstop/infielder (Class of 2026) who recently signed with the New York Mets as an undrafted free agent (UDFA).

Position: Primarily SS/2B (also some OF).

School: TNXL Academy (FL).

Physical: 6'0", 185 lbs, R/R.

Tools and Performance (from showcases/scout days)Strong measurables: 105.1 mph max exit velocity, 6.85 60-yard dash, 87 mph infield velocity.

Solid contact and power upside for a high school player, with good bat speed and hard-hit rates.

MACK – To me, an organizational fill.

Rating  -  C

MACK - STRIKE NEWS - UPDATE

 

Two things of strike interest happened on July 14^th.

First, MLBPA Honcho, Bruce Mayer, said that the players are working on a response to the last owner’s proposal and  will make their own “amateur entry proposal” soon.

(I know most people think this is going to be a long strike… and I still do too… but I am excited at the progress made by both sides. In my opinion, they really are trying to get closer on this thing).

The other thing is the fact that Commissioner Rob Manfred said that he viewed the possible incursion of an International Draft as an attempt to clean up issues in the current international process. He singled out the removal of drafting high school players, saying it represented “the changing environment of the current amateur landscape” (whatever that means).

It seems to me that Manfield is trying to place both the domestic and International sides of baseball under the same set of rules.

(Again… in my opinion… you can’t be paying a 23/year old, three-year college star three million dollars and, at the same time, pay a 16/year old Latin child who is still learning the game, twice as much. Makes no sense).

Commissioner Rob Manfred and interim union head Bruce Meyer each hold press conferences on the day of the All-Star Game in Philadelphia. "I think that I have an ownership group that is more united than any group in my entire time of baseball," Manfred says, referring at least obliquely to the league's push for a salary cap. "They are a group that believes in what I am arguing for."

Bob Nightengale - 

Lockout or not, MLB showing their optimism (or is it arrogance) in labor negotiations that the 2027 season will start on time by announcing that Opening Day will be on March 25, the earliest in MLB history, with the regular season concluding Sept. 26

MACK - Third Base Prospects

 

Yesterday, we took a look at some possible first baseman that the Mets could trade for before the trade deadline… well, dies.

Today, we more to the slim pickings at third.

Remember... we are dealing with AAA or AA players only.

 

Caleb Bonemer – Chicago White Sox (AA, ETA 2028) - versatile 3B/SS with strong defensive skills and solid offensive tools. Expected to be a long-term prospect with high upside MLB.

2026:  A+ -  223-AB, 18-HR, 43-RBI, 38-BB, 81-K, .238/.381.556/.937

            AA -    78-AB,  4-HR, 12-RBI, 13-BB, 22-K, .269/.380/.449/.829

 

Jett Williams – Milwaukee Brewers (AAA, ETA 2026) - 3B/SS/OF combo prospect with speed and defensive flexibility. Already showing MLB-level tools MLB.

2026:  AAA -  304-AB, 9-HR, 41-RBI, 47-BB, 78-K, .234/.341/.385/.726

 

Andrew Fischer – Milwaukee Brewers (AA, ETA 2027) - Left-handed power threat with solid defensive skills. Projected to be a high-upside prospect MLB.

2026:  A+ -  191-AB, 20-HR, 50-RBI, 45-BB, 82-K, .298/.443/.675/1.118

            AA -    73-AB,  9-HR, 16-RBI, 17-BB, 31-K, .274/.424/.753/1.177

 

Sebastian Walcott – Texas Rangers (A, ETA, 2027) – injured this season, currently rehabbing at the rookie level.

2025:  AA –    474-AB, 13-HR, 59-RBI, 70-BB, 108-K, .255/.355/.386/.741 

2026:  Rehab -  6-AB, 0-HR, 1-RBI, 1-BB, 1-K, .500/.571/1.167/1.738

Tom Brennan - “How Was I Supposed to Know?”; Elian! DSL Wacky Wildness; Ron Hunt RIP

Stearns might be thinking…

“How was I supposed to know THIS MUCH could go wrong? 

Every sports team faces a range of future outcomes when building a team for a season.

David Stearns no doubt feared the length of deals to Alonso and Nimmo from an age perspective. He must have feared the long term negative potential of future outcomes. We all know one thing:

Baseball players can most assuredly go to bed one night at the top of their game, sleep soundly, but wake up the next morning in steep decline.

Every roster player has a range of outcomes. And every team will experience setbacks each season. 

Too many bad ones can kill ya.

Having said that….

Stearns may have planned for 10 negative outcomes.

But how was Stearns possibly supposed to know the following 17 adverse things would happen before the ASB:

1. Lindor would miss 2 months because he had Forrest Gump Syndrome, and when he felt his leg muscle pull heading into 2nd, instead of stopping, he foolishly kept “right on running”? He has all of 12 RBIs and a .210 average as of July 16? Bad outcome.
2. Jorge Polanco, who was not iron man, but played 138 games in 2025, and drove in 82 runs, would unravel, and have 3 RBIs at the ASB? 
3. Indispensable Iron Man Soto would miss weeks with a pulled muscle?
4. Sean Manaea would come back this spring with the velocity of Randy Jones for several ineffective weeks?
5. Rockin’ Clay Holmes would get a 111 MPH liner off his fibula, costing him half a season? Two inches to the right or left…
6. Senga would go from ace to an absurd foreign mystery novel?
7. Peterson could pitch great from June 2024 thru July 2025, then suck?
8. Francisco Alvarez would miss 4 weeks with another injury?
9. Baty and Vientos would largely flop in replacing Alonso’s at bats?
10. Semien would be worse than expected, even at his age?
11. Robert would be as fragile as late-career Cespedes?
12. Peralta was traded for to be a SP 1, but pitched as a SP 5.
13. Tong was MILB pitcher of the year in 2025, but flop in 2026?
14. Wenninger would get stuck in wildness quicksand?
15. Relievers Lambert and Ross would flop due to extreme wildness?
16. Ryan Clifford would strike out so much he would be his own FAN club?
17. Reimer would flop (and get hurt again) after a strong 2025 in AA?

And Mendoza managing skills not being up to overcoming much adversity.

This team missed the lower end of its range of possible outcomes by roughly 2 standard deviations from the mean.

Now, he has to fix the mess. Good luck, buddy. 

And…An easy one…Move the fences in.

ELIAN PEÑA IS A STRONGER PROSPECT THAN WE THINK

He is only 18 and playing, not in the FCL, but already up in A ball St Lucie.

At season’s end he will still be 18.

What has he accomplished in his jump straight from the DSL in 2025 to his playing every day in A ball with St. Lucie?

Plenty.

A .387 OBP? Excellent. 

SEVENTH BEST OBP IN HIS LEAGUE!

26 steals in 74 games? Nothing to sneeze at. 9th most in his league.

His 2026 DSL HR power has not shown up in Lucie yet, but it will. Why?

He is facing vastly better pitching than the insanely weak pitching in the DSL. So, he is smart. Do not try to do too much.

And he is getting on base ever so frequently.

He has fanned just 67 times in 341 PAs, a rate less than half that of Whiff Guru Colin Houck. 

So that, given Peña’s jump past the FCL to A ball at age 18, is super impressive.

His defense is error-prone so far. 

- What 18 year old shortstop doesn’t make a lot of errors?

My prediction? Set your watch:

He will be a New York Met by two years from today.

My comparison? 

He will be far better than Ryan Clifford by this time in 2027. 

He is far better than Colin Houck right now.

Clifford, by default, is the Mets’ current #2 prospect.

Pena could easily be # 2 next year, behind the great Mitch Voit.

HEADING OUT OF THE BREAK, WILDLY

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENED WITH MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. 

So many walks in the minor leagues. 

Syracuse, for example, is averaging a crazy high 5.2 walks per 9 innings, with Lambert and Ross the chief culprits. That duo’s combined walks and HBPs somehow implausibly exceed one per inning. 

Two IL AAA teams nevertheless have walked even more batters!

In the DSL:

5 teams are allowing over a walk per frame this year.

A Braves squad has walked an insane 274 batters in 224 IP.

The Mets’ two DSL teams are “control freaks” - at least  by comparison. 

“Just” 434 walks in 486 IP. 

A mere bag o’ shells. A bunch of Weisenheimers.

Why so incredibly wild? I won’t even hazard a WILD guess.

To cap it off, I looked at pitchers walking more than a man per inning in the DSL. 

Trust me, there are ever-so-many. The list is quite lengthy.

But the not-coveted “Four Wild Hombres” award winners for THE WILDEST DSL PITCHERS (all non-Mets) are:

 Hector Aguilar, Wilmer Duarte, Luis Acevedo, and Jesus Febles.

Combined, the four have thrown 54 innings.

AND remarkably walked 118, hit 27 batters, and fanned just 39. 

Mind-blowing. 24.2 walks and HBP per 9 innings.

Hitting 4.5 batters per 9 innings!

Professionals? Not where I come from.

CLEINER RAMIREZ, BONUS BABY

Thru 31 DSL games, .265/.358/.479.

 

Is that good? Not terrible, but not great. Why? 

There are many poor hitters in the DSL, yet the median team has surrendered 6.3 runs per game.

The median team’s OBP is .401.

So one would expect a bib bonus baby to be destroying the DSL.

It is early, but so far, not so impressive.

FINALLY - R.I.P:

“Ron Hunt, the combative second baseman who became the first Met to start in an All-Star Game, was runner-up to Pete Rose for the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year Award and who as an Expo set the astonishing Modern Era record of 50 hit-by-pitches in a single season, has died. He was 85.”

Fond memories of former Met Ron Hunt.

Hunt had a fine .402 OBP in that 50 HBP season, a .418 OBP in another high-HBP season, and averaged a .390+ OBP from 1970-73, in which he was plunked 126 times.

Someone should tell that to Brett Baty. 

Baty has been hit a scant 9 times in his MLB career, once every 152 career PAs, with a paltry .296 OBP.  

APPARENTLY NOT REALIZING THAT “BOO BOOS” CAN BOOST OBP.

Hunt got hit once every 25 times up in his long and successful 33 WAR career.

Tom Brennan: 1) Kevin Parada: Are His Changes Working? 2) Baseball is a Joke; 3) Nate

 

Smiling Kevin Parada, probably pictured after his $5MM Signing Bonus

IS KEVIN PARADA TRYING TO BE ANOTHER JERRY GROTE?

 I wrote in the past about how Jerry Grote transformed himself from a lousy hitter to a decent, low power, contact one with the Mets, after significantly altering his batting approach.

It appears Kevin Parada (Mr. 11th Overall) changed something significantly this year. 

How so? Two things:

1) he fanned a high 113 times in 371 PAs last year (1 every 3.28 PAs)

   - but an improved 60 in 240 PAs this year (1 every 4 PAs).

   - 1:4 is not good, yet, but the improvement over 2025 is notable.

2) His power has evaporated. One HR in 240 PAs? He averaged 13 in 2023-25.

 - THAT has to be something no one could envision on draft day.

 - When they drafted a POWER HITTING CATCHER.

They also went first round with power hitter Brett Baty, who has just 4 HRs in 290 PAs this year. SMH.

I am not sure Parada’s changes (apparently surrendering power for lower Ks) are for the better. 

Defense? 

He has low passed balls and low errors this year, but allowed 45 of 55 (82%) in base stealers, so he is no Grote in that regard, either.

KP turns 25 soon.  He seems to be a bust. But he has two months to refute that. He did hit nearly .260 in May and June. 

Better? Perhaps. But he has to DO EVEN BETTER.

He is, however, just 6 for 38 with 6 walks in July. 

He’s turned back into a pumpkin. Just call him Pumpkin Parada.

(BAD) TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Last year, the Mets had Pete. No one else at 1B needed. 

1B Joey Meneses packed his AAA bags and headed to AAA Vegas this year, playing in the As system.

Here are his AAA stats - compare to Rye Toast Clifford: 

Vegas Joey: .346/.396/.546 in 74 games, 80 RBIs. Just 39 Ks. Wow. 

He did get a brief call up by the As this year:  on base 7 of 25 times.

My guess is, had he stayed with the Mets this year, he gets a longer look.

BASEBALL IS A JOKE

On Sunday, July 12, Zach Thornton was a masterful Met. 7 shutout innings.

Did he pick up his first career win? No.

Christian Scott on that date had 12 starts this year, Thornton has 3.

In the old days, if you had 15 starts and an ERA of 3.00, you’d probably be 7-4.

These two guys had a combined record of 2-2. 

What a joke.

Remember when you were excited that guys could win 300 career games?

Then 200 career games?

Nowadays, winning even 100 career games will be eye-popping.

Unless you are a relief pitcher, perhaps. 

After all, some relievers won or lost those 11 starter no-decisions.

Mets relievers thru Friday were 21-19 (.550). The starters? 20-38 (.345).

Maybe, on the other hand, the relievers should get all 162 decisions. 

The Mets after all would win 89 games with a .550 winning percentage.

NATE LAVENDER HAS TO BE AN IMMINENT MET; YAN, TOO

To become a MLB pitcher, you need:

1) for there to be openings, and 

2) to be better than the other possible farmhand call-ups.

Enter Nate Lavender.

60 Ks in 36 IP in AAA. That’s 15 per 9.

And his ERA since May 1 is sub 4.00. 

Control? Good enough.  HRs? Low.

Best Mets prospect reliever in AAA, hands down.

And he is a lefty, and lefties Raley and Minter are likely be traded.

Perfect alignment, except for one thing:

If Raley and Minter both go, as expected, the Mets need TWO Lavenders.

Jefry Yan, 29, is another lefty with stock strikeout #s.

In AAA, 25 Ks in 10.1 IP, with 4 hits allowed.

In AAA, 26.2 IP, 45 Ks, 19 hits allowed.

His problem has always been walks, with 26 walks in 37 innings this year.

He played overseas in 2024, but in 2023 and 2025, had a crazy high 70 walks in 86 minor league innings, vs. 147 Ks.

He seems to be the left handed clone of Wild righties Lambert and Ross - except he is pitching much better than either (3.41 ERA).

Here is a video of him wildly celebrating fanning the side in AAA in late June: 

Jefry Yan Ks the Side With Flair

About Yan, I say? 

He throws around 100, has a sharp slider, is 6’3” and looks much like Aroldis Chapman physically. And VERY animated.

When lefties Minter and Raley get traded, bring lefties Lavender and Yan up.

74 combined innings, 131 Ks. Fight fire - WITH WILD FIRE!