It's officially September, which means Fall is right around the corner, and with it, the Arizona Fall League. The team affiliates have already been announced, with the Met prospect assigned to the Surprise Saguaros. They'll be joined by prospects from the Royals, Guardians, Rangers, and NL rival Phillies.
The Fall League is a mix of rising stars who are on the doorstep of an MLB debut, and prospects who might've spent the better part of the summer on the IL, looking to get in some reps before the long offseason begins. The Mets will likely send their usual 7-8 prospects, with those details coming later this month. In the meantime, here are three names I'd like to see next month in the desert.
INF Boston Baro:
Seems to be a textbook case for the player who spent most of the MiLB season on the IL and needs reps this fall in Arizona. Baro was once a top Met prospect before injuries derailed his progress this season. He's appeared in just seven games this season and has fallen off the top-30 Mets prospect list after a flurry of deadline moves for the Mets.
Baro, an 8th-round pick in 2023, turned 22 just over a week ago. He's still young with a lot of potential left. In 2025, with High-A Brooklyn, he stole 28 bases while only being caught twice. His .220 average and .602 OPS were concerning, but at 20-years-old for most of that season, he was playing up to his competition.
The AFL could be just the boost Baro needs. In a typically friendly hitters environment, with the cooler October desert air, Baro could use this Fall as a springboard to a successful 2027 season.
RHP Garrett Stratton:
A steal of a draft for the Mets last year in the 20th round. He's arguably been their most effective reliever in 2026. In 27 innings with Double-A Binghamton, Stratton has filled in as closer and pitched to the tune of a 1.63 ERA with 36 strikeouts and just two walks allowed.
The numbers he's put up this season would qualify him to go in the first ten rounds, not in the second-to-last round.
The Mets have had a history of sending some of their top relievers to the AFL during the Cohen era, and seeing Stratton go up against the best of MiLB hitters would be a treat and perhaps expedite his journey to Queens, maybe as early as 2027.
1B Billy Amick:
With his raw power, Amick might hit balls straight to the Grand Canyon while playing the the Phoenix suburbs during the AFL. Amick came to the Mets in a mid-season trade and has hit over 30 home runs this season, while being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in the process.
Personally, I don't think Amick quite fits the bill for an AFL selection, but if the Mets decide to send him to the desert, I think we'll see his power numbers absolutely take off in the dry desert air of October.
6 comments:
Baro
Love this choice
Needs to catch.up
Stratton
Hope you're right
Looks like a live one
Amick
Not a bad place to work on the K/9%
Steve, what other 4-5 would you send? I agree with these three.
What is the total one team sends?
Really interesting piece. The three you've picked certainly present different opportunities for gathering useful information. I'd be interested in knowing who manages and coaches those teams and what influence the organizations have over how their players are used. My only concern is that the environment is too inviting for Amick since what he needs to improve is his ability to make contact, not to show off his HR prowess.
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