Ernest Dove - Ryan Lambert’s Triple-Digit Fastball Highlights Mets’ Emerging Relief Prospect Pipeline

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The New York Mets may be quietly building a new wave of bullpen arms in their farm system, and right-hander Ryan Lambert is quickly emerging as one of the most intriguing.

Lambert, ranked No. 17 in My Dove Report Mets’ organizational prospect rankings, features one of the most electric fastballs in the system — a pitch that has already been reported touching 100 mph early in spring camp.

The 23-year-old right-hander was selected in the eighth round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft, part of the first draft class overseen by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns. Since entering pro ball, Lambert has shown a mix of overpowering stuff and developing command that has evaluators intrigued about his long-term bullpen role.

Dominant Results in 2025

Lambert put together an impressive statistical season across High-A and Double-A in 2025.

Over 50 innings, he posted:

• 1.62 ERA

• 81 strikeouts

• 27 walks

Opposing hitters struggled to square him up, batting just .178 against him while producing a .539 OPS.

The strikeout numbers reflect Lambert’s ability to generate swings and misses, largely thanks to a high-velocity fastball that has been described by some evaluators as one of the best in the Mets’ minor league system — regardless of whether the pitcher is a starter or reliever.

Elite Fastball the Calling Card

Lambert’s fastball is his defining trait.

The pitch consistently sits in the upper 90s and has already reached triple digits during early workouts in spring training at Clover Park, the Mets’ spring complex.

That kind of velocity — combined with late movement and swing-and-miss ability — has led to comparisons in style to high-powered relievers such as Jhoan Duran, Hunter Harvey, and Jordan Hicks.

While those comparisons are largely tied to the explosiveness of Lambert’s fastball, the next step in his development will be refining his secondary pitch.

Development Focus: Slider and Command

Lambert is currently working to sharpen a slider that could become his primary secondary offering. As well as a new kickchange.

The pitch will be critical to his long-term outlook, particularly against advanced hitters who can adjust to velocity alone. Improving command of both the fastball and slider will also be key after his 27 walks in 50 innings last season.

If those areas continue to develop, Lambert’s ceiling could be significant.

Projecting Lambert’s Future Role

With his current arsenal, Lambert projects as a potential late-inning reliever.

At his best, he could develop into an eighth- or ninth-inning bullpen weapon, capable of overpowering hitters with elite velocity and swing-and-miss stuff.

Even if command inconsistencies persist, Lambert still profiles as a high-octane bullpen arm capable of filling important middle-inning roles.

For an organization that has often relied on external additions to build its bullpen, the emergence of power arms like Lambert could represent an important step toward developing impact relievers internally.

And if his triple-digit fastball continues to play at the upper levels of the minors, Lambert may not be far from forcing his way onto the Mets’ major league radar. ⚾

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