MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #9 - RHSP - Will Watson

 

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting.  Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future.  This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1.  The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

9.    RHSP Will Watson

23/years old    6-1    180    7th rd. 2024 – USC

2025 – A/A+/AA:  28-G, 23-ST, 3-9, 2.60, 1.20, 121.1-IP, 142-K, 58-BB

GROK -

Will Watson is widely regarded as one of their breakout prospects in 2025.

He signed for $281,300, just under slot value.

Prior to USC, Watson attended California Lutheran University and San Joaquin Delta College, where he was drafted in the 20th round by the Seattle Mariners in 2023 but opted to return to school.

Watson's journey to pro ball included a solid college season at USC in 2024, where he appeared in 16 games (9 starts), posting a 3.93 ERA over 50.1 innings with 46 strikeouts, 27 walks, and a 1.411 WHIP.

Watson profiles primarily as a pitcher with starter potential but could transition to relief if command issues persist. He's praised for his competitiveness, athleticism, and ability to miss bats,

2025 Performance and Rise

Watson's first full professional season in 2025 has been a revelation, earning him spots on Mets top-prospect lists. He began at Single-A St. Lucie, where he dominated with a sub-3.00 ERA and high strikeout totals, including a career-high 7 Ks in 4.1 hitless innings in his debut on April 9.

Promoted to High-A Brooklyn in June, he continued excelling (e.g., 8 Ks in 4.2 scoreless innings on June 13), then reached Double-A Binghamton by late summer.

Scouts call him a "wildcard" arm with quick-rising potential, though his fringe-average control (walks remain a hurdle) could cap him as a mid-rotation starter or high-leverage reliever.

ETA to MLB: 2027, but aggressive promotions suggest 2026 is possible.

Pitch Repertoire

Watson's arsenal is deep and versatile, featuring a five-pitch mix that plays well against both lefties and righties. He's experienced a velocity spike in pro ball (up 2-3 mph across the board), crediting Mets development for better extension and spin. He throws from a low-three-quarters slot with a leg kick and long arm action, adding deception. His fastball-centric approach keeps hitters off-balance, and he's noted that opponents "haven't been comfortable" facing it.

Four-Seam Fastball

94-97 mph (avg. 95)

Rise/run profile with elite spin (up to 2,300 RPM); explosive life up in the zone for whiffs. Primary pitch (50-60% usage).

Plus grade; generates swing-and-miss (often his best offering). Peaks at 97 mph.

Slider

84-87 mph (mid-80s avg.)

Sharp, late break with two-plane movement; pairs well with fastball for righties.

Above-average; key for stealing strikes and Ks (recently "working really well"). 20-25% usage.

Cutter

88-91 mph (upper-80s avg.)

New addition in 2025; hard, late cut to tunnel with fastball/slider.

Fringe-average but improving; used as bridge pitch (10-15% usage). "Still finding the right spots," per Watson.

Changeup

87-90 mph (upper-80s avg.)

Tailing action with arm-side fade; firm but flashes plus potential vs. lefties.

Above-average; complements fastball for reverse splits. 10-15% usage.

Curveball

78-82 mph

Deeper, 12-6 break as change-of-pace; less used but adds depth.

Average; situational for early counts or stealing strikes. <10% usage.

Strengths: High-spin fastball and slider combo drives his 25-30% K-rate; athletic delivery aids repeatability. Areas for growth: Command (4+ BB/9) to unlock full potential—refining this could elevate all pitches to plus. Watson's meteoric 2025 rise—from seventh-rounder to Double-A playoff starter—marks him as a Mets system bonus. With the organization's pitching lab, he could emerge as a dark-horse rotation piece by 2027.

 

11-7-2025

Just Baseball

14. Will Watson – RHP – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 7th Round (203) – NYM (2024) | ETA: 2027

Initially a two-way player at California Lutheran, Watson shifted his focus to the mound full time before transferring to USC where he pitched his way from the bullpen to a starter’s role. His athleticism is evident, working down the mound well, releasing from a roughly 5 foot height with a long arm action that can make it difficult to consistently hit his spots.

Though his fastball averaged 95 MPH and is released from a low slot, it seemed to be relatively easy for hitters to stay on, with a 45% Hard Hit rate allowed and a swinging strike rate below 8%. His best pitch is his plus slider at 85-87 MPH that decimated right-handed hitters in 2025. His equalizer for lefties is an above average changeup, but he will mix in a fringy cutter as well.

Watson has big league stuff and the athleticism to dream on some more, but his command will need to improve to fend off a move to the bullpen.

 

11-8-2025

Tom Brennan/MM

13. RHP Will Watson

Very, very promising righty. I promise.

A 22 year old 6’1” righty, with a 60 rated FB, he threw 3 brief innings of toe-dipping in 2024, then went just 3-9 in 2025, but with a dazzling 2.60 ERA and 142 Ks in 121 IP.  W/L records in the minors don’t mean a lot, as starters often get pulled after 4 innings or in the 5th, denying them the chance to pick up a W.

In the second half of 2025, Watson had a 2.10 ERA. Pitching at 3 levels, 18 of his 2025 innings were in his 3rd destination in Binghamton.  Could very well be a 2027 Mets starter. A “Sherlock” for a rotation spot, some might say.

 

12-6-2025

Angry Mike/MM

WILL WATSON -> Watson is another SP who will draw a lot of attention, becuz of how his arsenal improved across the board & his strong finish. His stuff is electric & he has a future as a SP or RP, which is why the extra attention is based on what the Mets decide to do.

-> Will we see another uptick in VELO on all his pitches? Can Watson take another step forward with his command? If both these things happen you have a potential Top 100 Prospect by season’s end.

 

12-15-2025

Angry Mike/MM

Will Watson was selected in the 7th Round of the 2024 Draft out of U.S.C., after spending a couple years of eligibility honing his skills on the JUCO circuit. Watson’s assignment St. Lucie started off very well, before battling control issues during his second month, allowing an uncharacteristic 18 walks for the month of May. 

The Mets still saw enough to promote him to Brooklyn in June, which is when Watson’s season really took off. Watson features an improving arsenal, that features 3 pitches above-average to plus, highlighted by a 4-seam fastball, that generates comparable I.V.B to Jonah Tong.

2025 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

-  14 outings allowed ZERO ER -> pitching into the 5th IP in 12 of them

-  18 outings allowed 3 hits or fewer -> 4 outings pitched fewer than 3 IP

-  8 outings pitched into the 5th IP or longer -> allowed 2 or fewer hits

-  21 outings he had 4+ strikeouts

-  9 of his final 10 outings he had 5 or more strikeouts

-  9 outings of 6+ strikeouts

-  7 outings of 7+ strikeouts

-  Posted 4 months of with an ERA under 2.00 & 16+ IP

-  Posted 3 months only allowing 3 or fewer runs across 16+ IP

-  Only 2 outings -> allowed more than 3 earned runs

-  6 outings     ->   23 ER    |    23 IP        ->   9.00  ERA

-  22 outings   ->   12 ER    |    98.1 IP     ->   1.10   ERA

MAY 31st GS: 1st outing of season -> pitched a career-high 81 pitches

Fastball registered (95+) -> 6 times past the 65-pitch mark

JUNE - AUGUST 23rd OUTINGS  ->  Promoted to Hi-A: Brooklyn

Performed his best facing off against toughest competition of his career

Eclipsed previous career high in IP for a season

Showing ZERO signs of fatigue

Showed improved command

Fastball, Changeup, & Slider -> all flashed above-average

Mets increased pitch counts into the 65-87 pitches per start

1.70 ERA  -> 14 outings  |  63.2 IP

.199 BAA was the lowest of his professional career over longest stretch of his professional career

25 strikeouts  ->  2 starts posted 8 strikeouts each

30% K-RATE & 11% BB-RATE | 63.2 IP career-best for longest stretch of IP

Allowed fewest homers per 9 IP

 

Reese Kaplan -- A Look at the 6 Men For a 5 Man Rotation

Many people are talking about the Mets starting rotation going into 2026.  As it sits right now (assuming both Christian Scott and Jonah Tong start the season in Syracuse) you still have six pitchers for five openings.  Freddy Peralta, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and rookie Nolan McLean are all vying to take the mound every fifth day.  The question is who gets the designation as the 6th starter/long man out of the bullpen?

Obviously Peralta and Holmes are slated to be regular starters after the former’s All Star level performance and the latter’s successful transition from reliever to starter.  Nolan McLean is about as sure a thing as you can write down today after his totally dominating September debut.  So it would appear that three of the six spots are already nailed down.

Now here’s where it starts to get a bit more interesting.  In the “ride the hot hand” category you have David Peterson who has shown the ability to begin a year with dominating stuff and then more often than not lose his way as the season progresses.  Having a big lefty who can pitch to a below 3.50 ERA for the first few months is very appealing not only for how it will help in the race for the pennant but also to increase his trade value as a free agent to be when the season ends.  If you feel he is not going to be a part of the Mets future after this season ends then showing him at his very best makes sense.

After that you have Sean Manaea, thus far one of the poorer free agent deals under David Stearns’ leadership.  He was flat out awful for the period in 2025 when he was healthy enough to play.  A lot has been written about his arm angle being off and how working with the off season laboratory has helped him adjust to return to the techniques that turned him into a winning hurler in 2024 which led to his $75 million free agent deal the following year.  As much as we hate to admit it, paycheck size often dictates playing time so you would think that Manaea is likely pitcher number five.

That evaluation leads us to the man on the outside looking in.  Once again meet Kodai Senga.  His career ERA in the major leagues is just 3.00 over 52 starts during which he threw 285 innings and whiffed 320.  You’d think on the surface he would be at the top of this list of three alternative starters, but his injury history and his less than stellar output during 2025 has many people ready to kick him to the curb.  Even when the club refused to allow him up from Syracuse for the final ill fated September push towards October baseball his final numbers for that season were just a 3.02 ERA.  It’s not as if he was pitching to a 5.64 ERA like Manaea was, but Stearns’ ego and judgment are on the line when it comes to the lefty but less so when it comes to the Billy Eppler inked Senga.   He could still be a late spring trade candidate.

Of course, behind these top six starting pitchers are the ones getting seasoning and health in AAA.  It would appear that going into the 2026 season the Mets are in better shape pitching-wise than they were last year.  Then again, that conclusion surmises health and competence.  Still, the potential to be very good is indeed there.

Paul Articulates – Who stays? Part 5: Relief Pitchers

With a re-designed core and many new players and a deep reserve of prospects, this year’s spring training will become an intriguing competition for spots on the opening day 26-man roster.  

This series will take a look at the players that are in position to compete for a slot on that roster but are not a lock.  We will look at the pros and cons of carrying them with the MLB team when they break camp with the alternative being depth and development pieces in the minor leagues.

Some players are very well established as MLB regulars that are not reasonable candidates for demotion, so for the purposes of this review the following list of players are considered locked down on the MLB Roster:

Infielders: Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Bo Bichette, 

Outfielders: Juan Soto, Luis Robert Jr., Tyrone Taylor

Pitchers: Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley

Catchers: Francisco Alvarez; Luis Torrens

Given this list, and MLB rules that allow only 26 players on the active roster from opening day through August 31st, and that a maximum of 13 pitchers can be listed among the 26 players, there will only be room to carry five more pitchers and five more position players beyond what is listed above.

Today we will take a look at the Starting Pitchers that are vying for some of those five “contested” spots:

 

Relief Pitchers on the 40-man roster:

AJ Minter, Huascar Brazoban, Luis Garcia, Dylan Ross, Bryan Hudson, Joey Gerber, Alex Carillo, Austin Warren

AJ Minter – I am rooting for AJ Minter to make a full recovery.  He is a very effective lefty out of the pen in the late innings when he is at his best.  Unfortunately, he is going to take longer to rehab and will not be available for the first month.  At best he will join the team in mid to late May, making his two year, $22M contract effectively a five-month rental.  By the time he turns free agent again at the end of this season, he will be 33 years old.

Huascar Brazoban – Brazoban returns from a UCL injury to his right elbow suffered in August last year.  If he recovers to his previous performance standard, he is a sometimes effective, sometimes wild arm for the mid-to-late inning bullpen cast. 

Dylan Ross – I see Ross in the major leagues by 2027.  He is a power arm out of the bullpen that has been lights out in Brooklyn, then Binghamton, then Syracuse last season.  He pitched to a combined 2.17 ERA with 1.15 WHIP and 80 strikeouts in 49 games.  This included a 1.69 ERA in 288 appearances at AAA!  The team was so impressed with this 6’5” 251-pound fireballer last year that they placed him on the 40-man roster even though he didn’t yet need rule 5 protection.  He could open the season in the big leagues, especially since AJ Minter won’t be ready.

Luis Garcia – Luis Garcia is a veteran of 13 MLB seasons, most recently with the Angels.  He turned 39 in January, so the Mets’ investment of $1.75M with incentives increasing to possibly $3M is not going to be spent to make Syracuse better.  Garcia will pitch for the big-league club or he will be DFA’ed.  Only a disastrous spring would lead to the latter result, so I am projecting Garcia to be part of the active roster when the regular season begins.  Garcia is a ground ball pitcher (~50%) due to his great sinker which should synchronize nicely with the Mets’ improved infield defense.

All the rest – I don’t see Bryan Hudson, Joey Gerber, Alex Carillo, or Austin Warren breaking camp with the Mets.  They are all guys that David Stearns took a flyer on to add depth, and the opportunity for one of them to make the team will come from some breakthrough modification to their mechanics from the pitching lab data or some new pitch introduced by the pitching staff that perfectly complements their other stuff.  What is meaningful for this group is the depth that they will have in Syracuse.

Relief Pitchers not on the 40-man roster but with spring training invites: RHP Adbert Alzolay, RHP Mike Baumann, RHP Nick Burdi, RHP Daniel Duarte, RHP Craig Kimbrel, RHP Ryan Lambert, LHP Nate Lavender

Craig Kimbrell – Much like Garcia, Kimbrell will pitch for the big-league club or he will be DFA’ed.  He has a great history as a closer for Atlanta and had strong seasons for San Diego and Boston after that.  Since 2021 though, Kimbrell has lost some of what made him great.  His ERA and WHIP have increased and his K rate has gone down.  A late season run with Houston made him attractive enough for the Mets to take a chance that he has something left in the tank.

Nate Lavender – Lavender was a favorite amongst Mack’s writers before he was lost in a rule 5 draft two years ago.  Bad for him but good for the Mets, he didn’t meet the rule 5 requirements with Tampa, so they had to give him back.  Lavender is a lefty reliever with great stuff and when we last saw him with the Binghamton and Syracuse teams in 2023, he compiled a 2.98 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched.  His 2024 season was curtailed by injury, and that injury was what kept him off the field in 2025 with the Rays, forcing his return.  If his rehab was successful, he may have a shot.

All the rest – I don’t see Adbert Alzolay, Mike Baumann, Nick Burdi, Daniel Duarte, or Ryan Lambert breaking camp with the Mets.  Most of them, like Alzolay, Baumann, Burdi, and Duarte have a MLB pedigree, but a performance record that does not stand out.  Once again, the opportunity for one of them to make the team will come from some breakthrough modification to their mechanics from the pitching lab data or some new pitch introduced by the pitching staff that perfectly complements their other stuff.  Lambert has looked good in the minors but probably needs more time at the AA/AAA levels to build up his confidence and his repertoire before competing at the MLB level.

To summarize, the large cast of relief pitchers hoping to make the club boils down to two groups with a chance: the elder statesmen looking for a career capper (Kimbrell and Garcia) and the young bucks ready for a career opener (Ross and Lavender).  Their performance over the six weeks of spring training is going to make the difference between success and failure.  Room is limited on the roster, so only superb springs will get these players where they want to be.

Steve Sica- Three Predictions for 2026

Photo by: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

With the start of Spring Training comes the avalanche of predictions. I might as well throw my hat into the ring and submit my three way too early season predictions.

1. Juan Soto will be the first MVP in Met history:

First off, I still say David Wright was robbed of this in 2007, and in 1988, Darryl Strawberry had a better year statistically than that year's MVP, Kirk Gibson. 

Francisco Lindor was the most valuable player to the Mets in 2024, more than, in my opinion, than Ohtani was for the Dodgers. But this isn't about rehashing past debates. 

Juan Soto came in third place in the MVP voting last year, and if not for a slow start to begin the season, he might've won MVP honors. Soto is coming into his second season with the Mets. The adjustment period is over. The fans love him, he's been in New York for three years now, and he'll be 27 this season. On paper, the time is now for Soto to have his most monstrous season yet.

He's won a World Series, earned one of the highest-paid contracts in baseball, and has already collected over 200 home runs in his career. But, Juan Soto has yet to win an MVP. Being such a fierce competitor and winner, you have to imagine that that is his ultimate personal goal currently in his career. If he stays healthy and the Met lineup provides him with enough protection and RBI chances. If he starts 2026 the same way he finished 2025, Juan Soto should beat out even the almighty Shohei Ohtani and give the Mets their first MVP winner in their 64-year history. Hopefully, that won't be the only drought Juan Soto ends in Met land this season.

2. Carson Benge will be the Mets' starting right fielder on Opening Day

It's pretty clear early in Spring Training that the starting right fielder job is Benge's to lose. Juan Soto will be moving to left field, leaving right field wide open. When you look at the Mets' roster, there is a lack of depth in the outfield position. That's good news for Benge, who turned in a stellar 2025 in his first professional season. He dominated High-A and Double-A all summer long.

The only question mark around him, other than if he has a good enough Spring or not, is his lack of professional experience. As good as he was last year, that's the only sample size we have on him. But his potential future teammate, Juan Soto, came up at just 19 years old and hasn't looked back since.

Benge has risen to the challenge at every call-up on the professional level. He can hit for average, power, he's a smart hitter, able to take pitches and work a count. He can run too. I don't want to call him a five-tool player, but he has the potential to be. Not since Pete Alonso making his Met debut on Opening Day in 2019 has there been this much excitement around an offensive player in the Mets system.

I think Benge will crack the Opening Day roster next month, and if his history proves anything, he'll be with the big club for a long time.

3. The Mets will bounce back and into a playoff spot in October

Maybe not such a bold prediction, but hey, it's the Mets. Saying they're going to the postseason, no matter how good they look on paper, is always a risky move.

They ripped apart their core this winter and improved a few of their weak points from 2025. The bullpen, despite the tough loss of Edwin Diaz, actually looks more rounded and deeper going into 2026. Devin Williams will be the closer, and Luke Weaver seems like a likely choice for the setup man. The Mets have a few guys who will be competing for the 7th inning spot this spring. 

The lineup looks totally different, but on paper, it seems to gel a bit more. Defensively, they look better than last year. Lindor will miss some time on the IL, but it doesn't seem to be significant enough to completely derail the Mets' postseason aspirations.

The rest of the NL East is full of question marks. The Phillies have their own injury concerns with how healthy Zack Wheeler can be. Last year, Aaron Nola looked nowhere near the ace he once was. The Braves are always a threat, but don't seem as intimidating as they have in years past. The Marlins will be making noise this year, and I predict they'll be a .500 or better team. 

The Mets roster matches up well with all their NL East counterparts, and outside of the Dodgers, no National League team looks poised to run away with it. The Mets are still in their competitive window. I predict 90 wins and the top Wild Card spot, where they'll host the Wild Card Series at Citi Field.

MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #10 -RHRP - Ryan Lambert

 

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting.  Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future.  This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1.  The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

10.    Ryan Lambert

2025 – A+/AA:  46-G, 2-1, 1.62, 1.16-WHIP, 7-SV, 50-IP, 27-BB, 81-K

GROK -

Ryan Lambert is a highly promising right-handed relief pitcher in the New York Mets organization. Selected in the 8th round (233rd overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft out of the University of Oklahoma, he's quickly emerged as one of the system's most exciting bullpen arms due to his elite velocity and strikeout ability.

Viewed as a potential future closer or high-leverage reliever

Lambert's college journey involved transfers, starting at North Iowa Area Community College (NJCAA) in 2022, then Missouri State in 2023, before landing at Oklahoma in 2024. At Oklahoma, he appeared in 23 games as a closer/reliever, posting a 2.57 ERA over 21 innings with 19 strikeouts and a 4-0 record. His arm strength turned heads, including a 102 mph fastball against Wichita State in 2023—he's an admitted "adrenaline guy" who thrives in high-pressure spots.

Draft Appeal: Mets scout Skip Johnson (his Oklahoma coach) praised his fastball but emphasized secondary development. Lambert signed for $172,500 and debuted professionally in 2024, logging limited innings due to his low-mileage arm (just 56 total college innings since 2022).

Professional Performance

He's been used exclusively as a reliever, averaging under an inning per outing in college and continuing that trend in the minors.

Overall Projection:

Mets officials see him as a "classic two-pitch reliever" with upside for more. His mechanics (high-three-quarters slot, short arm action) generate power but can lead to walks (7.3 BB/9 in college). If he refines control, he could rocket through the system—Mets have a track record of fast-tracking relievers like José Buttó.

Pitch Repertoire

Lambert's arsenal is built for overpowering hitters, led by one of the hardest fastballs in the minors. It's a high-velocity, two-pitch mix right now, with room to expand.

Four-Seam Fastball - 97-102 (sits 98) - Elite "rising" action with +20 inches of induced vertical break (iVB), creating an optical illusion of upward movement. Set MLB Draft League records at 100.4 and 100.7 mph in 2024. 31.2% whiff rate (double NCAA average). Generates tons of groundballs (56% GB rate career). Primary pitch (60-70% usage est.); his "out" pitch for two-strike counts. Mets love its carry and deception.

Sinker (or Cutter-like variation) - 95-98 - Heavier, with more arm-side run and less vertical break when thrown harder. Can flatten out into a cutter profile. Secondary offering for inducing weak contact; pairs well with fastball for tunneling. Helps vs. righties.

Slider 84-88 - Developing sweeper-style breaker with horizontal movement; still raw but shows promise for whiffs. Early-career pitch (low usage); focus of Mets' development to complement his heat. Potential third pitch.

Lambert's stuff plays up in short bursts, making him ideal for late innings. He's expressed confidence in pushing his fastball even higher ("no limit to what I can do"), and his groundball tendencies (56% career) limit hard contact. Challenges include walk rate and adding a reliable off-speed pitch, but at 23 with minimal wear, his ceiling is a dominant closer  

        MACK – In my book, Lambert is show-in for the Mets pen in 2027. Maybe even as a closer. Just electric shite here and, when he is paired with Dylan Ross someday, is going to be one hellava nasty back-end portion of the Mets bullpen.

 

11-6-2025

Tom Brennan/MM

17. RHP Ryan Lambert

Lambert, another fireballing reliever with toughness, will be a real factor in the Mets pen in 2026. In his first full season, he had 81 Ks in 50 innings, and a 1.62 ERA between High A and AA. 7 of 9 in saves, and 12 holds.  Typically sits in the high 90s.

Fearless. Hungry. 23 years old and 6’3” 225.

He has to start out in AAA, and most likely will be added to the Mets pen during 2026.  It seems unlikely he will make the Mets opening day roster with no AAA innings to date.  But I’d like to be wrong.

 

11-7-2025

Just Baseball

https://www.justbaseball.com/prospects/new-york-mets-top-15-prospects/   

Ryan Lambert – RHP – (Double-A): An 8th round selection in 2024, Lambert bounced Northern Iowa Area Community College in 2022 to Missouri State in 2023 and Oklahoma in 2024.

His fastball and overall intensity on the mound caught the attention of big league clubs and translated into a dominant first full pro season, pitching to a 1.62 ERA in 50 innings, striking out 81. His 70 grade fastball averages 97 MPH and gets plus carry from a short arm delivery that results in big whiff within the zone and chase at the top. The slider is still a work in progress off of it, but the fastball alone makes him a high probability big league reliever.

 

1-12-2026

ANGRY MIKE/MM

RYAN LAMBERT ->  PHASE TWO

Lambert is one of my favorite prospects in the Mets system, he’s an old-school power-pitcher, who excels at attacking hitters up in the zone, and then inducing chase with his wicked slider. Lambert’s best pitch is his 70-scouting grade fastball, that sits in the upper 90s, topping out at 102, with a ton of spin and carry, as well riding life. His slider sits in the mid 80s, and exhibits a power sweeping or gyro horizontal movement, which can be thrown for strikes or be used to induce chase. 

Lambert forced a quick promotion to Binghamton and dominated as their closer, posting 14.58 K/9, 1.71 ERA, and 0.190 BAA. Unlike Ross, Lambert was consistent every month, aside from a couple rough outings here and there, which are a result of his control being spotty at times resulting in more walks than we accustomed to seeing. 

Similar to Edwin Diaz, at times he’ll pitch himself into trouble, and then quickly pitch himself out of it. Lambert should be ticketed to start 2026 in Syracuse and I can’t imagine him being there that long if he exhibits the same premier stuff he flashed in 2025.

MACK - Top 28 Prospects - #11 - 3B - Jacob Reimer

 

The excitement about the Mets' prospect pipeline has been building year over year as the team improves their domestic and international scouting.  Many of the Mets' picks are being discussed throughout baseball, so Mack has boiled it down to the top 28 to give the readers a glimpse into the team's future.  This series will run for 28 days, counting down from #28 to #1.  The entire list can be viewed by clicking "2026 Top 28 Prospects" on the top menu bar.

11.    Jacob Reimer

Turns 22 in February    6-0    2025

Plays 3B, 1B, LF          RHH

2022 – 4th round pick – Yucaipa HS (SoCal) - $77.5K bonus

2025:  A+/AA – 522-PA, 112-K, 58-BB, 17-HR, 77-RBI, .282/.379/.491/.870

He's emerged as one of the Mets' top hitting prospects.

Reimer had a breakout 2025 season at High-A Brooklyn, where he slashed .284/.388/.500 with 8 HR and 11 steals in 62 games, earning South Atlantic League Player of the Month for April (.318/.383/.659 with multiple multi-HR games, including a franchise-record three-homer game on April 30).

His scouting profile highlights plus raw power, an advanced approach (high walk rates, strong contact skills), and improved timing/rotation after tweaks in the Mets' hitting lab following a hamstring-limited 2024 (.218/.358/.282 in just 25 games).

Defensively, he has a strong arm for third base but questions about range and accuracy; the Mets have tested him in the outfield.

Many see him as a potential everyday corner infielder with power upside, and he's frequently mentioned as underrated or a rising star in the loaded Mets farm.

 

10-31-2025

Who are the next young studs for the Mets?

3B Jacob Reimer (No. 6 prospect, Double-A BNG)

2025 MiLB Totals: 122 G, 522 PA, .282/.379/.491, 125 H, 17 HR, 32 2B, 5 3B, 88 R, 77 RBI, 15 SB, 21.5%-11.1% K-BB%, .209 ISO, .338 BABIP, .399 wOBA, 157 wRC+

Latest Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 / Power: 50 / Run: 40 / Arm: 50 / Field: 45 / Overall: 50

MLB Comp: Max Muncy (2015 Grades: 45 / 40 / 40 / 45 / 45 / Overall: 45)

Given his placement just outside the Top 5 on the Mets’ prospect list, I imagine everyone reading this is plenty familiar with Jacob Reimer’s name as well. That’s for good reason: Reimer had a scorching 2025 campaign.

After an initial struggle at High-A in 2023 and then an injury-shortened follow-up campaign in 2024, Reimer entered the 2025 season as the Mets’ 15th overall prospect. Though his skillset was apparent, there were some questions about whether they’d consistently translate to in-game results.

Safe to say those concerns have been largely put to rest.

But it’s not just the eye-popping slash line or the position-leading wRC+ that have my hype meter going crazy. This is what has me extra stoked about Reimer:

Among third basemen with at least 500 plate appearances, Reimer led all of Minor League Baseball in isolated power (ISO) and ranked third in Speed score (Spd). No other third base prospect offered a profile quite like that in 2025.

Though Reimer’s 15 stolen bases in 2025 were only good enough to tie for 20th among his MiLB peers, it reflected a 5x increase from his 2023 total of three (3) stolen bases. Couple that with a doubled homer output, and to say Reimer simply ‘bounced back’ from his hamstring injury would be putting it mildly.

Long story short, this kid’s fantastic, and he’s only going to get better. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a cup of coffee in 2026.

 

11-7-2025

JUST BASEBALL

8. Jacob Reimer – 3B – (Double-A)

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (119), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2027

A California prep bat, Reimer was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, turned in an impressive first pro season in 2023 before injuries limited him to just 21 regular season games in 2024. The Mets sent Reimer out to the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost reps, where he posted mostly average numbers, but started to make the mechanical adjustments that have him breaking out in 2025.

Hitting

Reimer previously started with his weight stacked on his back side and back knee bowed out towards home. Starting so stacked with his back knee at that angle likely made it more difficult to hold his weight back as he began his launch, resulting in some drift forward.

He now starts more upright, coiling into his back side with rhythm along with his barrel getting into a slot that is much easier to get on plane (he dropped his hands too low with the bat more vertical as he loaded before).

These improvements have Reimer’s barrel living in the zone much longer while putting him in a more powerful position to hit. He has cut his ground ball rate by 10% while his hard hit rate has jumped from 33% in 2023 and 2024 combined to a whopping 49% through his first 50 games in 2025.

While finding more barrel depth, Reimer has maintained solid contact rates while his pitch recognition skills and feel for the strike zone stand out. There’s above average power potential with the feel to hit and approach to get into it.

Defense/Speed

Not necessarily the fleetest of foot, Reimer’s range is fringy at third base, but he has an above average arm and is comfortable throwing on the run and from different angles. He may ultimately profile best at first base, but Reimer should be able to provide passable defense at third.

Outlook

Earning high marks for his work ethic and knowledge of his swing, Reimer followed an injury-riddled 2024 season with tangible adjustments in the box and added strength that have him breaking out offensively in 2025. Even if there is limited value beyond the bat, Reimer has the offensive ingredients to get on base at an above average clip and hit 20-25 homers.

 

11-11-2025  -  Tom Brennan/MM

3B Jacob Reimer

By this time next season, we will know much better just how good the 21 year old former 119th overall pick is.  His bad 2024 hammy injury essentially destroyed that year of development.

Strong bounce-back for Jacob in 2025, who struggled but then adjusted well to AA pitching. He may well have a better hit tool than Clifford long-term. I struggled to decide which of the 2 should go at #6, and which at #7.   I went alphabetically.

Some say the 6’0”, 205 Reimer is a tad slow.  If so, how did he steal 15 of 18 in just 122 games?  He also raked 32 doubles, 2 triples, and 17 HRs, along with 77 RBIs, in those 122 games.  And he hit .277 despite his fairly prolonged mid-season slump.

Project those power numbers over 162 games and you end up with 42 doubles, 23 HRs, and 102 RBIs.  20 steals, too. I’ll take it. 

Ceiling? Close to David Wright. Floor? Close to Zach Lutz.

My prognosis is somewhere in the middle between the two, a good, solid major leaguer.

He has played first base well, and been error-prone at 3B. I expect real glove progress in 2026, and for him to force his way somewhere into the Mets line up in 2027.

 

11-21-2025

TJStats

#50 - Jacob Reimer broke out in a big way during the 2025 season, making his way to AA while posting a 157 wRC+. Every aspect of his offensive profiles paints him as an above average bat with his most impressive traits being his excellent approach and silky-smooth swing geared for loft. His 11.1% walk rate was supported by a strong 22% O-Swing rate. He rarely expanded the zone with two strikes, allowing him to battle back into counts frequently. While his contact metrics hovered around average, he struggled to consistently connect with breaking balls. His defensive future remains a question moving forward; however, he looked more comfortable manning the hot corner this season and projects to be third baseman. Reimer is a well-rounded hitter with no discernible flaws at the dish who should find his way up to MLB soon.

11-27-2025

Angry Mike/MM

Jacob Reimer had a spectacular 2025 season, first and foremost\, it was great to see him start the season healthy and show zero ill-effects from the injuries that cost him almost the entire 2024 season. Reimer split the 2025 season, first 61 games at Brooklyn and the last 61 games with Binghamton. As impressive as his start in Brooklyn was, Reimer really turned heads with the way he finished his season at Binghamton.

Reimer offers the Mets considerable insurance in the event Vientos or Baty fail to continue progressing in their development, and his defensive versatility to fill in at LF, 1B, 3B also increases the overall value of his prospect profile. Reimer represents one of the best success stories for our development team, and has helped to more than make up for the slower development of a couple of early round draft picks that are taking longer to develop.

 

11-30-2025

Running From The OPS        @OPS_BASEBALL

We saw a full season out of Jacob Reimer in 2025, and the 21-year-old certainly didn't disappoint. He slashed .282/.379/.491 with 17 HR, 32 2B, an .870 OPS, and a 157 wRC+. He has an advanced eye at the plate and pairs it with excellent swing decisions. This system is loaded!

 

12-5-2025

Angry Mike/MM

JACOB REIMER -> Finished 2025 as one of the hottest hitters in MILB, also ticketed for AAA, should spend all of ‘26 there.

-> If Reimer starts off hot & a need arises, is he the “Alert-5” high-upside hitter #Mets will call upon?

 

12-29-2025 –

Tom Brennan/MM

J. REIMER -> Full-Season MILB STATS:

Year 1 -> Low-A |  HI-A -> 19 years old -> 21% K-Rate | 398 PA

| .265 BA | .399 OBP | .774 OPS | 8 HR | 13 2B | 0 3B | 3 SB | 49 RBI |

| 63 Runs | 62 BB |

 

Year 2 -> HI-A | AA -> 21 years old -> 22% K-Rate | 502 PA

| .282 BA | .379 OBP | .870 OPS | 17 HR | 32 2B | 5 3B | 15 SB | 77 RBI |

| 91 Runs | 58 BB |

1-16-2026 –

Tobey Schulman         @tschulmanreport

Jacob Reimer should be a consensus top-100 prospect by the end of 2026. The 21-year-old generates a solid amount of pull-air contact, and excelled vs. AA pitching in 61 games.

.282/.379/.491 slash line between A+/AA in '25, with 17 HR, and a 157 wRC+..

      

Paul Articulates – Who stays? Part 4: Starting Pitchers

With a re-designed core and many new players and a deep reserve of prospects, this year’s spring training will become an intriguing competition for spots on the opening day 26-man roster.  

This series will take a look at the players that are in position to compete for a slot on that roster but are not a lock.  We will look at the pros and cons of carrying them with the MLB team when they break camp with the alternative being depth and development pieces in the minor leagues.

Some players are very well established as MLB regulars that are not reasonable candidates for demotion, so for the purposes of this review the following list of players are considered locked down on the MLB Roster:

Infielders: Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Bo Bichette, 

Outfielders: Juan Soto, Luis Robert Jr., Tyrone Taylor

Pitchers: Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Brooks Raley

Catchers: Francisco Alvarez; Luis Torrens

Given this list, and MLB rules that allow only 26 players on the active roster from opening day through August 31st, and that a maximum of 13 pitchers can be listed among the 26 players, there will only be room to carry five more pitchers and five more position players beyond what is listed above.

Today we will take a look at the Starting Pitchers that are vying for some of those five “contested” spots:

Starting Pitchers on the 40-man roster:

Sean Manaea, Jonah Tong, Tobias Myers, Justin Hagenman, Jonathan Pintaro, Christian Scott

Sean Manaea - I wrote about Manaea a month ago, predicting that he would become the comeback player of the year.  Manaea was so good in 2024 when he discovered a way to use a crossfire delivery to create deception.  In 2025 he somehow lost the mechanics on that delivery after recovering from injuries that started with an oblique in spring training.  Well, he is back now and he is healthy.  With all the video from his great season, the technology available in St. Lucie, and a coaching staff that understands how to use the information, why shouldn’t he become what he was?  My prediction is that he will, and he will be in the mix for the fifth starter slot.

Jonah Tong – 2025 could have been the start that propelled Tong into the Mets rotation for the foreseeable future.  Unfortunately, there was that one game against Texas where he was pitted against former ACE Jacob deGrom in front of a sold-out Citi Field crowd.  Tong couldn’t find his release point, suffered an embarrassing six earned runs in 2/3 of an inning.  That game will cause him to start in AAA to get more seasoning before having a run at the MLB level again.  However, let’s remember that he was dominant in the minors last season with a 1.43 ERA in 22 starts across the AA and AAA levels.  That includes 11.2 scoreless innings at Syracuse.  Tong will join the club later in the year for good.

Christian Scott – 2025 was a lost year for Scott, as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.  Before that, he had some impressive outings for the Mets in 2024.  He compiled a 4.56 ERA with 39 strikeouts in just over 47 innings that year after being called up in May.  This year, the Mets will probably start him slowly to build up arm strength and mental confidence.  Depending on how he performs in the spring, that could mean a Syracuse Mets opening day, or a middle relief stint with the New York club.  I am predicting the former, as there are just so many options in play for the five available pitching slots on the active roster.

Tobias Myers – Tobias was the additional player that came over in the Peralta trade, and he was considered valuable enough to help justify the cost (Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams).  The Mets are expecting to get some bang for that buck, and Myers could deliver.  He is not likely to be in the starting rotation on opening day, but if he pitches up to his potential, expect to see him break camp as a middle-to-long reliever with the team.  He could be the first guy to get a spot start if a rotation pitcher can’t go.

Justin Hagenman – Hagenman has seen action for the big league club with a spot start and a few relief outings last season when the primary arms got tired.  He showed well, with a 4.56 ERA over 23 innings (same ERA as Scott in 2024) but was shuttled back and forth between AAA and MLB too many times to get a stable sample of what he could do.  This spring will go a long way in determining how he is viewed by the front office.  My guess is that they will renew his bus pass.

Jonathan Pintaro – Pintaro was a rising star through the low minors and has pitched 18 games at the AAA level to date with fairly good results.  He saw a brief call-up last year but gave up 2 earned runs in 2/3 of an inning so there is no valid measurement for how he stacks up against MLB competition.  Expect him to start the season in AAA.

Starting Pitchers not on the 40-man roster but with spring training invites: RHP Carl Edwards Jr., RHP Kevin Herget, LHP Joe Jacques, LHP Anderson Severino, RHP Robert Stock, LHP Matt Turner, LHP Brandon Waddell, RHP Jack Wenninger

This group includes too many players to delve into individually.  Other than prospect Jack Wenninger who is clearly on a trajectory to make the big league club but probably needs at least another half season in AAA, the rest of this group are second and third chance guys who have been all around the league, or projects that have not made it above the AAAA level.  My prediction is that none of this group makes the active roster on opening day.

This is a lot to process in one post.  Imagine how David Stearns feels trying to sort out an entire organization of pitchers.  To summarize what is said here, I believe that the Mets will carry Manaea as a starting pitcher, vying with Peterson, Holmes, and Senga for the back half of the rotation.  The loser of that battle joins Tobias Myers in the pen as a middle/long reliever with first dibs on starts when one the top 5 in the rotation stumble or get injured.  Tong, Hagenman, Scott, and Pintaro travel north to Syracuse to provide the AAA team with a very strong rotation.