Tom Brennan - LOB Efficiency; Wilmer Flores a 2026 Option? And MORE…

There is…

Good news!

The Mets through June 17 had the second lowest runners LOB per game at 6.32, with the Cubs the worst at 8.07.

The bad news?  

The Mets are probably one of the worst at MOB….getting Men On Base in the first place.

NEWS FLASH: 

SAW THIS: “The Cubs are acquiring left-handed pitcher David Peterson from the Mets, a source told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian on Wednesday night, adding that New York will acquire first baseman/DH Cole Mathis (the Cubs' No. 13 prospect). The clubs have not confirmed the news.”

Mathis is 22 and in High A ball. Mets’ 2028 first baseman? Who knows?

YESTERDAY?

“Hey, let’s LOSE two.”

Time to sell.  What a shame. The Braves have lost 4 straight, and a Mets hot streak would have made things interesting. Losing 5 straight? Brutal.

What is the Mets’ Tragic Number?

By the way, SIX METS ERRORS in game two?  Really? 

The six minors teams yesterday combined for just 2 errors.

The Yankees, competitors fot N.Y. Metro’s fan base, beat two time Cy Young winner Tariq Skubal, launching 3 HRs off him.

We root for losers, when there are winners in town. Why do we do it?

IF THESE EIGHT HITTERS HAD NOT CRAPPED THE POT…

I decided to look at how pathetic some of the hitting has been compared to what i might’ve thought it wouldbe before the season started. 

Before the season started, you might have thought that the combined offensive output of Lindor, Semien, Polanco, Vientos, Baty, Melendez, Taylor, and Robert would be solid. 

More like diarrhea than solid in actuality, unfortunately.

Those 8 hitters have been up roughly 1,230 times, or the equivalent of two full 162 game seasons.

When I combine the stats so far for those eight players, I get:

 .208 with 45 doubles/triples, 34 HRs, 128 RBIs, 101 walks, and 304 Ks. 

Lindor and Polanco with a total of 7 RBIs through half the season?  SMH.

Based on a 162 game player-year, that 8 player normalized total is:

.208, 23 doubles/triples, 17 HRs, 57 RBIs, 50 walks, and 152 Ks. 

Bad indeed.

When, pre-season, I roughly would have expected .245, 35 2Bs/3Bs, 25 HRs, 85 RBIs, 60 walks, and 125 Ks from this Gang of Eight, if not better.

Considering that these 8 dudes comprise 42% of the team’s plate appearances, that collective offensive deficit from what I would have expected from them has probably cost the Mets 8-10 wins.

Thanks for the misery, fellas.

A NOVEL 2026 FIRST BASE SOLUTION?

I did not realize Wilmer Flores was now playing in Mexico.

Thru June 16, .303/.389/.480 playing for Tijuana.

Last year with the Giants?

.241/.307/.379, with 16 HRs and 71 RBIs in 463 PAs. NOT BAD.

Compare to Vientos (who had 2 errors in last night’s game).

Compare also to powerless 3 HR Baty.

With Uncle Wilmer hitting in that crappy SFG park, too.

So…For the rest of 2026? What would I do?

Trade Vientos and his .275 OBP, and sign Wilmer, just for the rest of 2026.

Bring Back Weeping Wilmer? Yes. I won’t shed tears seeing Mark go.

STEALING BASES IN THE MINORS IS OVERRATED.

Through their first 430 combined plate appearances, Benge and Ewing have stolen 18 of 23. Good, but it seems that projecting minor league stealing rates at the MLB level requires a real downwards adjustment.

Victor Scott of the Cardinals has stolen just 9 of 13 this year. 

He stole 94 in 132 minor league games in 2023.

WEIRD BUT EYE CATCHING

Calvin Ziegler’s thrown so few innings after 2022, but the numbers are insane…

8 2/3 innings, 1 hit, 4 walks, 19 Ks.

Hopefully, injuries are now fully in the rear view mirror.

MACK - Current Hottest Pitchers - Camden Lohman, Joel Lara, Zach Peek

 

MACK - Current Hottest Pitchers - Camden Lohman, Joel Lara, Zach Peek

Period - 6/10 – 6/23

 

Camden Lohman -

5.1-IP, 8-K, 1-BB, 0.00

Camden Lohman is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization (born November 5, 2006, in O'Fallon, Missouri). He stands 6'4" and weighs 195 lbs.

The Mets drafted him in the 8th round (253rd overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Fort Zumwalt North High School and signed him for $797,500 (well above slot).

Lohman was not a high-priority prospect entering his senior year—he sat in the upper 80s as a junior and attended few showcases. His velocity jumped in 2025 (senior season), reaching 95 mph. He posted a dominant 0.80 ERA in 44 innings, with 92 strikeouts, 21 hits allowed, and 15 walks. This breakout made him a notable late-round pick with significant upside due to his projectable frame.

Repertoire (Scouting Report)

Lohman throws from a high three-quarters/over-the-top slot with a long arm action and uses his size for downhill plane. His delivery is fairly clean but features a short stride.

Key pitches (per MLB Pipeline scouting grades around the draft, all ~50s with room to grow):

Fastball (91-95 mph, up to 95+): Primary pitch with downhill action. It plays better down in the zone (spin rates in the 2000s; not elite ride). Good velocity for his age and frame.

Slider (low-80s): Promising two-plane depth/slice; can be a strikeout pitch but needs consistency (sometimes slurvy).

Curveball (mid-70s): Similar shape to the slider with two-plane break.

Splitter/Changeup (low-80s): Developing change-of-pace offering; used as a third/fourth pitch.

He has shown feel for multiple pitches and average control for a young, lanky high school arm. There's projection left in his frame for added strength and velocity. Mets player development could help refine command and consistency.

He has flashed dominance (e.g., 5 Ks in a pro debut start) but is still adjusting to pro hitters.

Overall Profile:

Lohman is a high-upside, projectable starter with a four-pitch mix. Ranked around #25-30 in the Mets system, his ETA is likely 2029. Success depends on adding strength, sharpening command, and maintaining his breaking balls. The Mets' pitching development track record is a positive factor. He has the tools to develop into a mid-rotation arm or better if everything clicks.

 

Joel Lara –

7-IP, 9-K, 4-BB, 0.00

Joel Lara is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect (born January 11, 2007) in the New York Mets organization.

He signed as an international free agent from San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic, in May 2024. He stands 6'2" and weighs 210 lbs.

Lara has pitched primarily in the low minors:

2024 (age 17, DSL): 4-2, 3.49 ERA in 15 games (2

2025 (age 18): Split between FCL Mets (Rk) and St. Lucie (A). Combined 5-2, 3.71 ERA in 17 games (1 start), 34 IP, 42 K but 33 BB. Showed swing-and-miss ability but struggled with command.

Overall minors (through mid-2026): 9-5, ~5.00 ERA, good K/9 (~10+), but elevated walks and WHIP.

He has starter potential but has mixed starting and relieving. He's viewed as a high-upside arm with stuff that can miss bats, though refinement is needed.

Repertoire

Fastball (primary pitch): Velocity in the low-90s (projections/sim reports around 90-92 mph, with potential to add more). It's his bread-and-butter.

Curveball: A key secondary offering with projection/upside. Often highlighted in ratings as having significant potential.

Changeup (including possible circle change): Used to complement the fastball, helping against opposite-handed hitters.

Some sources also suggest or simulate a slider in his arsenal. As a Mets prospect, he likely benefits from their pitching development emphasis on pitch shaping, tunneling, and expanded arsenals (the organization is known for helping young arms add/refine pitches).

Profile summary: Flyball tendency, projected starter role with average-to-better stuff potential. His game relies on strikeouts (strong SO rates in DSL/FCL) but he needs to improve command and consistency to handle higher levels.

Lara remains a raw but intriguing low-minors arm. Keep an eye on his performance in A-ball for signs of development

 

Zach Peek –

5.1-IP, 4-BB, 0.00

Zach Peek (full name: Zachary Allen Peek) is a right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets organization, currently pitching at the Triple-A level (Syracuse Mets) as of mid-2026.

He was born on May 6, 1998 (age 28), in Pineville, North Carolina, stands 6'3" and weighs 190 lbs.

Background and Career Path

Amateur: Played at Winthrop University. Drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 6th round (181st overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft. Traded to the Baltimore Orioles in December 2019 as part of the Dylan Bundy deal.

Professional Highlights: Made his pro debut in 2021 and showed promise as a starter/reliever with strong strikeout rates early on. His development was significantly interrupted by injuries, including Tommy John surgery (missed most of 2023) and a shoulder issue in 2024.

In 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers organization (Rule 5 Minor League Draft selection in late 2024), he thrived in relief, posting an 11-3 record, 3.63 ERA, and 75 strikeouts in 69⅓ innings across High-A and Double-A. Became a minor league free agent and signed with the Mets in December 2025.

He has a solid track record when healthy (career minors ERA around 3.7–3.8 with good K/9), but durability and consistency have been challenges. The Mets signed him for bullpen/rotation depth in the upper minors.

Pitch Repertoire

Peek features a six-pitch mix, giving him versatility as a starter or reliever. His stuff has shown signs of improvement post-injuries. Key details (drawn from scouting reports, especially post-TJ samples):

Fastball(s): Primary offering sits in the low-90s mph (has touched mid-90s, up to ~95 mph). He throws a four-seamer (average shape, can miss bats up in the zone), two-seamer/sinker, and cutter. The cutter has graded well and may see increased usage. Fastball profile suits organizations that develop multi-fastball arms.

Curveball: Often considered his best pitch. High-spin 11-to-5 offering (~77 mph in samples) with good drop and sweep. He has shown feel for landing it for strikes and manipulating shape.

Changeup: Slower offering (~10 mph off fastball) with decent spin suppression and some depth. Solid third pitch with command helping it play up.

Slider: Shorter breaker with glove-side movement, usable as a putaway pitch (especially vs. righties). Complements his cutter.

Overall Profile: Clean delivery, projectable frame, and a deep arsenal that allows him to attack both sides of the plate. Not overpowering, but the mix (especially the curve and cutter) gives him a chance to get big-league outs if he stays healthy. Scouts have long liked his strike-throwing and secondary pitch quality.

Peek remains a depth arm with upside for a major-league bullpen or spot-start role. His 2026 performance with the Mets will be key to seeing if he can translate his minor-league success upward.

 

 

Alex Rubinson - The One that got Away: Former Mets Pitching Coach Thriving with NL East Rival

The 2025 New York Mets season has been well-documented. At this time last season, the Mets seemed poised for a deep playoff run and was considered a true championship contender. Instead, the second half hit New York like a pile of bricks. After its second half collapse, David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza made sweeping changes. Although there was initially a thought that Mendoza could lose his job as the manager, Stearns kept Mendoza in place while changing just about every other coach on the staff. 

One of the moves made was firing pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. Hefner had been the coaching pitch for the Mets since 2019, so the firing showed the organization was serious about changing its ways. It didn’t take long for Hefner to find work. About a month later, the division-rival Atlanta Braves brought in the pitching coach in the same role. 

Although the Mets and Braves had very different 2025 seasons, both teams were viewed as two of the biggest disappointments in baseball with questions heading into 2026. Atlanta promoted Walt Weiss to manager after Brian Snitker retired. Heading into 2026, the Braves figured to have a potent offense, but significant questions remained regarding their pitching staff. 

It didn’t help that Spencer Schwellenbach has missed the entire season to this point and Spencer Strider is back on the injured list after making a grand total of eight starts. Outside of Chris Sale and Bryce Elder, the Braves have had to piece together their rotation after not making any significant moves in the offseason. The Mets have had their own injuries to deal with, but the team figured to have solid depth while their top starters entering the season, Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean, have stayed healthy. 

Despite who has made up the two respective pitching staffs, the Braves are currently second in all of baseball to the New York Yankees in ERA. The team is also top five in WHIP and opponent batting average. The Mets aren’t too far behind in opponent batting average, but they are about league average in ERA and WHIP. Given the investments each team made in the offseason, that’s not how it should be. If you had told Alex Anthopoulos and company that Atlanta would be a top five pitching staff in baseball as we hit the midway point in the season, he would have been thrilled even before taking into account the injuries. 

It’s even more impressive that the Braves' starters are sixth in both ERA and opponent average. Meanwhile, the Mets rotation is in the bottom four in starters’ ERA. 

Monday night is a great example of the Braves success. Despite a 1-0 loss to the Padres, Grant Holmes was very good in 4.2 innings. Holmes has been league average for Atlanta in 15 starts this season. Holmes is only in his third year in the league and only had seven starts in his rookie season. He is on pace to blow by his career high in innings (115 last season). His control can be erratic with 4.5 walks per nine innings, but he has done a good job at keeping the ball in the yard. 

Martín Pérez has been a revelation for the Braves. The 35-year-old lefty is pitching to a 2.78 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP. He barely gives up the long ball and has been almost 50% better than league average. Pérez signed a minor league contract with the Braves just to keep his career alive. Now, the southpaw is thriving under Hefner’s leadership. The Braves are still waiting for top prospect JR Ritchie to come into his own, but the rookie has already shown he has very good breaking stuff with a plus two run value on those pitches. 

The expected statistics show that the Mets have been unlucky. The team is actually fourth in expected slugging against and sixth in expected opponent average. The staff is also very good at preventing hard contact. They are top 10 in both average opponent exit velocity along with hard hit rate, just ahead of the Braves in both metrics. Maybe things will balance out as we enter the second half of the season, as it does appear the Mets are better than their league average statistics would suggest. On the other hand, the underlying metrics don’t tell the whole story. 

Freddy Peralta is in the bottom seven among qualifiers in ERA. His expected ERA is a full run lower, so he shouldn’t be nearly as bad as what he has shown. His fastball is still a plus pitch, but even if his ERA was 3.83 instead of 4.83, that is still not living up to the ace that Mets fans expected when the team acquired him in the offseason. 

McLean has been very good with a couple of rough appearances inflating his numbers, but his bright red baseball savant page shows that he can be an ace in the near future. You’re just putting a lot on a rookie’s shoulders if he needs to be your stopper every fifth day. 

After the 2025 season concluded, two NL East rivals were at a crossroads. It was a pivotal point in the direction of both clubs. Both teams addressed their bullpens while the Mets made a big investment in their rotation. Fair or not, the Mets pointed the finger at Hefner when they fired him, and the Braves scooped him up. Now, the Braves have a top pitching staff in baseball despite only two starters having enough innings to qualify, while the Mets appear destined to sell at the trade deadline with more questions than answers for the rest of 2026 and beyond. 

Paul Articulates - Starting pitching not getting started

This year the run prevention strategy has not worked, and the bats that were sacrificed to attain better defense cannot help outscore opponents.  The Mets have not been particularly bad in the field, and if anything they have shown some range and inspired play in the outfield.  There is one place to look for the reason for a lack of run prevention – the mound.

The starting pitching for the New York Mets has not done the job this season.  Despite beginning the season with some hope, some of the big names went down with injuries, some have not performed as expected, and others that one would hope could come through with some improvements have generally failed.

There are a few possible reasons for the failure of starting pitching – let’s take a look.

1) The team was not staffed sufficiently.  I don’t believe this is the case.  Although the pitching roster does not resemble the finest in Mets history, one could argue that on paper, the rotation of Holmes, Peralta, McLean, Scott, and Senga should have been good enough to win many games with solid defense behind them and a few key hits.

2) The team was hampered by unprecedented injury.  I also don’t believe this is a valid reason.  No team makes it through the season without injuries, particularly to the pitching staff, which is more vulnerable in today’s game of max effort arms.  I think the Mets should have had sufficient depth with guys like Tong, Thornton, and Pintaro in the minors and Peterson/Manaea in the mix.

3) The pitchers are getting confused by the guidance.  This one is unproven but certainly has some merit.  Why has Kodai Senga failed so miserably since having a fine first season with the Mets?  His injuries have been more with core and legs than with the arm, so he has not lost the tools that made him succeed previously.  How he uses them comes into question.  How about Nolan McLean?  He has been throwing video game stuff that has befuddled hitters, yet somehow he has those bad innings that let the game get away.  

4) The Mets are not calling a good game.  This theory could explain a lot of things.  In the prior paragraph I described the unexpected struggles of two pitchers with tremendous ability.  This week we saw both throw games against the Cubs that included a baffling mix of pure dominance with nightmare innings.  Senga and McLean started their games with dominant first innings.  Then their pitches seemed to shift from fastball heavy to breaking stuff that was not finding the plate.  A couple walks or hit batters later, something flat across the middle of the plate was launched into the upper stratosphere.  Some of this is pitch execution.  Some of it is wrong pitches putting a pitcher in the hole and creating batter advantage.

I looked a little deeper into this one.  In 49 games this season, with Francisco Alvarez behind the plate, the Mets’ ERA is 4.79 over 436 innings.  With Luis Torrens catching, the Mets’ ERA is 3.87 in 432 innings over 48 games.  One run per game is quite a big difference when all else is equal.  A team ERA of 3.87 is manageable, though not spectacular.  It would certainly produce a better record than the 2026 Mets have posted.  In MLB this year, eight teams have team ERAs under 3.87 and six of them have winning records.  Most are division leaders.  

As David Stearns evaluates the team’s performance and ponders his path as the trade deadline nears, he has to be concerned about why good players are not playing good.  

In my last piece, I highlighted the issues with not following a strategy to take advantage of the ABS.  Today, I am highlighting the inability to maximize the capabilities of today’s pitching staff.  If you can’t optimize play with what you have, then it may not be reasonable to overpay to get better players.

MACK – The Latest Hot Bats – Ben Rortvedt, Jackson Cluff, Frank Moreno

 

MACK – The Latest Hot Bats – Ben Rortvedt, Jackson Cluff, Frank Moreno

 

John From Albany keeps churning out this list and I keep sending it your way.

 

Period:    6/13 – 6/22

 

C Ben Rortvedt –

 

        .400/.526/.933/1.459 – 19-PA, 2-HR, 4-RBI, 6-H

 

Ben Rortvedt (full name: Benjamin Thomas Rortvedt) is a 28-year-old professional baseball catcher (born September 25, 1997, in Madison, Wisconsin) currently in the New York Mets organization. He bats left and throws right, stands 5'10" and weighs around 210 lbs.

Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 2nd round (56th overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Verona Area High School in Wisconsin.

MLB Debut: April 30, 2021, with the Twins.

He has bounced around several teams: Twins (2021), Yankees (2023), Rays (2024–mid-2025), Dodgers (mid-2025), and now Mets (2026).

Known primarily as a defensive specialist behind the plate, with strong framing, blocking, and overall receiving skills that have kept him as a viable big-league option despite modest hitting.

Career: .190 AVG, 9 HR, 52 RBI in 227 games (559 AB), .279 OBP, .270 SLG, 0.2 WAR.

Best offensive season: 2024 with Rays — .228 AVG, 3 HR, 31 RBI in 112 games.

Designated for assignment by Mets in late March 2026, cleared waivers, and outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.

Current Role with Mets    He provides organizational catching depth behind primary options like Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens. He is under contract through 2026 ($1.25M). His defensive reputation gives him a chance to return to the majors if injuries occur.

In short, Rortvedt is a well-traveled, defense-first catcher who earned a World Series ring in 2025 and is now adding depth to the Mets system. His journey highlights the journeyman nature of many backup catchers in MLB.

 

SS/2B/3B Jackson Cluff –

 

        ,462/.588/.692/1.280 – 17-PA. 1-RBI, 6-H

Jackson Cluff (full name: Jackson Paul Cluff) is a 29-year-old utility infielder (primarily shortstop and second base) in the New York Mets organization, currently playing for their Triple-A affiliate, the Syracuse Mets.

Born: December 3, 1996 (Littleton, Colorado).

Bats/Throws: Left/Right.

Height/Weight: 5'11" / 181 lbs.

Draft: Selected by the Washington Nationals in the 6th round (183rd overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Brigham Young University (BYU). He signed for $200,000.

Cluff spent his first six professional seasons (2019–2025) in the Nationals system, reaching Triple-A but never debuting in the majors. He became a free agent after the 2025 season and signed a minor-league contract with the Mets in November 2025 (with an invitation to big-league spring training).

He is known as a versatile, defense-first utility player. He has experience at every infield position (with middle infield as his comfort zone), some outfield time, and has shown speed and solid on-base skills. Scouts have noted athleticism, gap power, and above-average running ability, though questions about his arm strength for everyday shortstop have persisted.

He won Arizona Fall League Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.

Best recent season: 2025 with Rochester (Nationals AAA) — .242 AVG, .349 OBP, .422 SLG, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 23 SB in 103 games.

He has drawn walks at a decent rate and stolen bases effectively (career ~88 SB). Strikeouts have been a factor in some seasons.

Cluff is organizational depth for the Mets. He participated in spring training (making some highlight defensive plays) and is expected to serve primarily as a utility player at Triple-A Syracuse, with a slim but possible path to the majors if injuries create opportunities (e.g., the Mets have had infield

In short, Cluff is a classic "Quad-A" type player: reliable minor-league veteran with defensive versatility, some pop, and speed, now providing depth for the Mets.

 

6/14 – 6/23 –

 

C Frank Moreno/DSL Blue –

 

.526/.591/.842/1.433, 2-HR, 9-RBI, 22-PA

 

Frank Moreno is a 17-year-old Venezuelan catcher (born November 22, 2008) in the New York Mets organization.

He signed with the Mets as an international free agent in January 2026 on a minor-league contract that included a $75,000 signing bonus.

Position: Catcher (C)

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Height/Weight: 5'11"/185 lbs

He stands out as one of the Mets' recent international additions as the team continues to invest in young talent under their front office.

MACK - The Latest Top Five Lowest ERAs - Cam Tilly, Emilio Obispo, Randy Guzman

 

MACK - The Latest Top Five Lowest ERAs

 

Period:     June 8-21

 Cam Tilly/St. Lucie –

 

        10-IP, 7-K, 3-BB, 0.00/0.50

 

        Cam Tilly (full name: Cameron Wayne Tilly) is a right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets organization.

Born: June 27, 2004 (age 21) in Newburgh, Indiana.

Height/Weight: 6'2", 207 lbs.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right.

High School: Castle HS (Newburgh, IN) — standout performer with a dominant prep career (e.g., 11-0, 0.66 ERA as a senior).

College: Auburn University — pitched primarily in relief with some starts. In 2025 (sophomore year), he went 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA, 58 strikeouts in 46 IP.

Draft:     Selected by the Mets in the 7th round (No. 223 overall) of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Auburn. Signed for $397,500 (above slot value).

He was also part of the gold medal-winning USA Baseball 18U national team in 2022.

He made his pro debut in 2026 after a brief appearance in the FCL (Florida Complex League) in 2025.

He's shown flashes of strong performance, including a 5-inning no-hit outing in his first pro start.

The Mets are developing him as a starter due to his pitch mix.

Fastball: Sits 92-94 mph, up to 97.

Secondary pitches: Slider (swing-and-miss), splitter (plus potential with good drop), curveball.

Strengths: Interesting arsenal with swing-and-miss stuff; willing to use secondaries.

Areas to improve: Control/command (below average), consistency.

MLB Pipeline Rank: No. 27 in the Mets system (2026). Overall prospect grade around 40, with starter upside but possible bullpen fit if command lags.

Tilly is a relatively new pro with promising stuff and early success (including the no-hitter), but he's still refining his game in Single-A. He's viewed as a solid mid-round developmental piece for the Mets. Keep an eye on his strikeout rates and ability to limit hard contact as he advances.

 

Emilio Obispo/St. Lucie –

   

        9-IP, 11-K, 4-BB, 0.00/1.00

 

                                 Emilio Jose Obispo is a 19-year-old right-handed pitching prospect in the New York Mets minor league system.

Born: August 14, 2006, in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic.

Height/Weight: 5'11", 150 lbs.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right.

The Mets signed him as an international free agent on May 16, 2024.

He began his professional career in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) in 2024 with the Mets Orange team (Rookie level). In 9 starts:

0-5 record

3.47 ERA

36.1 IP

41 strikeouts

12 walks

1.38 WHIP

He showed strong strikeout ability (over 10 K/9) but struggled with wins and allowed a fair number of hits.

In 2025, he dealt with injuries (placed on the 60-day IL with the FCL Mets) but returned later in the year.

Recent starts have drawn positive attention, with low-run outings, strikeouts, and promising velocity (reports of 93-95+ mph fastball plus a good breaking ball).

He is viewed as a developing starting pitcher with upside due to his age, strikeout stuff, and command potential.

He remains a lower-tier prospect without major top-30 organizational rankings yet, but his early 2026 results in full-season ball are encouraging for the Mets' rebuilding/development pipeline.

 

Randy Guzman/DSLO –

 

        8.1-IP, 13-K, 1-BB, 0.00/0.72

 

        Unable to find information on THIS Randy Guzman. Only stats for the outfielder are online.

 

Miquel Meijas/St. Luice –

 

        7.2-IP, 6-K, 1-BB, 0.00/0.26

 

        Miguel Mejias (full name: Miguel Alejandro Mejias) is a right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets minor league system.

Born: November 2, 2004 (age 21) in Higuerote, Venezuela

Height/Weight: 6'1" / 150 lbs

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Current Team: St. Lucie Mets (Single-A, Florida State League)

The Mets signed him as an international free agent on October 15, 2022. He has progressed through the Mets' lower levels:

2023: Dominican Summer League (DSL Mets Blue) — Appeared in 11 games (1 start), went 2-0 with a 5.25 ERA in 12.0 IP.

2024: Missed significant time due to injury (placed on IL multiple times with the FCL Mets).

2025: Florida Complex League (FCL Mets) — 4 appearances, 4.15 ERA in 4.1 IP.

Career Minor League Stats (through 2026)

Record: 3-0

ERA: Around 4.76–5.68 (depending on exact games included)

Innings: ~22–23 IP

Strikeouts: 19

WHIP: ~1.54

He primarily works out of the bullpen (very few starts) and has shown some strikeout ability but also control issues (high walk rates in smaller samples). He's a slender, projectable right-hander still early in his development.

 

Dakota Hawkins/Brooklyn –

 

        7-IP, 9-K, 0-BB, 0.00/0.71G

 

        Dakota Hawkins (full name: Dakota James Hawkins) is a right-handed pitcher in the New York Mets' minor league system.

Born: March 20, 2000 (age 26) in Centralia, WA.

Height/Weight: 6'0", 208 lbs.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right.

He played high school baseball at W.F. West High (Chehalis, WA), spent two years at Lower Columbia College (Longview, WA), and then three seasons at Washington State University (WSU).

At WSU, he had a strong senior year in 2023 (5-3, 4.32 ERA in 14 starts, leading the team in innings and strikeouts) and earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention.

He signed with the Mets as an undrafted free agent on July 19, 2023.

Hawkins has progressed through the Mets' system since signing, primarily with affiliates like the FCL Mets, St. Lucie (A), Brooklyn Cyclones (High-A), Binghamton (AA), and Syracuse (AAA). He has shuttled between levels multiple times, especially in 2025.

He has transitioned more toward relief/bullpen work in recent seasons, which has helped his performance and brought him close to the majors (multiple call-ups to AAA).

Hawkins throws a fastball, slider, changeup, and other offerings. He has shown good strikeout ability (often 8-10+ K/9 in stronger outings) and has improved command in shorter stints. As of 2025-2026, he's viewed as a depth arm who has reached AAA and continues to compete for a potential big-league opportunity, particularly in relief.

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Brennan - Soto Out?? Who Is Succeeding in Binghamton? Time To Sell? CALVIN BY THE TWO’S

HEY!! 

I DO SEE SOME GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN BINGHAMTON

 

First…Mets lose AND Soto leaves the game due to his back. Day-to-day.

Senga was pummeled by a Crow, falling to 0-6. 

9-6 loss, in which the Mets trailed 9-3 headed into the ninth.

I could have done 0-6 for the Mets much more cheaply than Senga. 

Simply said, there is…

NO JOY IN METSVILLE. 

OK…what else?

It can’t be all bad with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (BRPs), right?  

I’ve occasionally been rough on them…and for good reason…

They are last in hitting…last in OBP…2nd to last in HRs…last in runs…

But 2nd in steals.

I watched a little Binghamton baseball on Sunday on SNY. 

Score? 0-0 thru 6. What is this, soccer?

Me? I prefer lots of runs. 

Zero?  Off went the TV.

I did see they had 9 guys on the IL, which might make them first-included hitters Reimer, Serrano, Smith, and Vargas. (Severity unknown to me.)

I also learned that .230 hitting Wyatt Young has 13 of 15 steals, including 8 this month, as he tries to boost Binghamton scoring. He also had just 3 infield errors in 57 games this year. He is a gamer, my friends.

In the box score, I saw Young pitched the 11th inning and took the loss, allowing one run…nine runs fewer than Freddy Peralta and 4 fewer than David Peterson. 

Young has volunteered to pitch in SIX GAMES this year, going 7 innings (with a 3.86 ERA, lower than, again, Peralta and Peterson). The 138 game season is half over now, so he is on pace for 12 relief outings. 

Better than Senga? Maybe.

I also learned that Nick Lorusso has been hitting with power. 

So I looked into it a tad further.

Through May 1, he was hitting .164. Then he recovered from hypothermia. He’s raised that 60+ points thereafter.

He had just 2 HRs through May 16, but jettisoned 9 more into lower earth orbit through June 20, a span of just 25 games.

I like 9 HRs in 25 games. And then he added yet another one last night.

They also recently signed Nick Lucky and Nick Roselli.  

It’s better to be lucky than good.  

And it is not bad to be named Nick. At Nite.

And the BRPs brought back Jaylen Palmer, who had 4 RBIs on Saturday.

The second half started this Tuesday, with 69 games down, 69 to go.

Maybe in the second half, they’ll get Lucky. In the Nick of time.

Last note: some guys improve dramatically as they go higher.

Such has been the case with the BRP’s Kevin Villavicencio.

His stats this year:

A BALL: .115/.148/.115 in 52 ABs. Terrible. Worse than terrible.

HIGH A BALL: .203/.230/.390 in 59 ABs. Not good, either, but a lot better.

AA BALL: .261/.320/.370 in 49 ABs.  Solid. A whole lot better. 

AAA BALL: .333/.333/.333 In 3 ABs. OK…Small sample. But HOF if he could do a slash line like that at the MLB level for another 2,499 games.

A promotion from AA to AAA seems to be doing wonders for Kevin Parada.

SO…PERHAPS…PROMOTE EVERY SINGLE HITTER THAT IS STRUGGLING. 

THE FASTEST APPROACH IN TURNING FLOUNDERERS INTO BEHEMOTHS.

 

HIGHS AND LOWS

Chris Suero fanned in all 4 of his Bingo ABs last night. 

While St Lucie’s Julio Zayas added 4 hits. Also…

A decent MILB hitter will roughly have the same number of hits as Ks per game. So, 72 hits and 72 RBIs in 72 games. A strong hitter will do better.

But Ryan Clifford has just 52 hits in 72 games, with 107 Ks. 

Benson in Brooklyn had 3 of Brooklyn’s 14 hits in last night’s 8-7 Brooklyn win. His .276 stands out mightily in Brooklyn.

Mitch Voit has a .403 OBP in June, and 11 steals in 16 June games.  He is the best offensive player in the Mets minors. GOOD draft pick.

Benson and Voit are two neon lights for the .197 hitting Cyclones.

Last year, we couldn’t stop raving about Tong, Thornton, and Wenninger. CANNOT MISS!  

This year in the minors, these 3 have in fact missed - combined, they are just 5-15, and have allowed 110 earned and unearned runs in 168 innings. They have essentially morphed into the equivalent of exMinor Mets Dom Hamel and Mike Vasil. Which is greatly disappointing. So far, anyway.

TIME TO SELL?

The Mets got flounced by the Phillies. The Mets seem to be outmatched, a condition I think will persist, even when Lindor returns.  

“SELL SELL SELL”, I could picture stocks maven Jim Cramer exclaiming.

ZIEGLER BY THE TWO’S

Calvin Ziegler is finally pitching in rehab games. On Tuesday, he started, well, technically, as he recorded 2 outs, 2 strikeouts, 2 runs, and 2 unearned runs.

More than 2 grins, though. We are super happy he is pitching again.

DSL PITCHING DOOZIES

The Mets Blue team has an 8.29 ERA through 17 games. 

Not so bad, really. Seven DSL teams have worse ERAs. 

The Blue have walked 123 and fanned 125. 

Not so bad…

A DSL Braves team has amazingly issued 157 walks in 116 innings. 

They just got instructions on where the strike zone is, so that should help.