The Mets‘ trio of rising starting pitchers could be poised to become the core of the team for years to come, or they could be competitors by the time spring training begins.
Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong are barely into their big league careers, yet they’re already learning what it’s like to see their names mentioned in big league trade rumors. The Mets still have several needs for 2026, and four young, controllable right-handers starters (including Christian Scott) are considered valuable assets on the trade market. It feels strange to refer to players in their early-to-mid-20s as “valuable assets,” but that’s part of the business of baseball.
It’s the part they’re content to ignore this early in their careers.
“I honestly don’t really look at it all,” Sproat said earlier this month during a charity event at Citi Field.
Why worry when it’s out of their control? Their agents will fill them in on the relevant information, but in the meantime, they still have to train to compete for rotation spots in 2026. McLean has his locked up and Scott, who missed last season to rehab from Tommy John surgery, likely has one as well. But Sproat and Tong, the two the Mets are the most likely to part with, will go into spring training hoping to show the Mets they’re ready to help them win games.
Sproat, a 25-year-old second-round pick in 2023, made four starts as a rookie last September, going 0-2 with a 4.79 ERA. In his Major League debut, he carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. It was the later innings of his outings where he struggled, seemingly running out of gas each time.
The Mets were cautious about his pitching in the minor leagues, not wanting to overload him and run up his pitch-count in the event he was needed in September. He had thrown 90 or more pitches only three times with Triple-A Syracuse before his call-up. Sproat will have to be able to get deeper into games at the big-league level to keep a rotation spot.
“It was going out there and soaking it all in, and taking cues away from it going into the offseason,” Sproat said of his experience in September. “There’s always something that you can work on, whether it’s the mental side or the physical side or different pitches. I mean, I think there’s a little bit of everything.”
Tong made five starts with mixed results. His high fastball will play in the Major Leagues, but it became apparent that better hitters aren’t going to chase it the way minor league hitters will. The Mets had him working on expanding his pitch mix last year, and Tong will be able to get more comfortable using all of his pitches during spring training.
The 22-year-old finished 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA.
“I think a big thing was just seeing good and bad, and then just going into regular offseason prep and realizing areas I need to improve,” Tong said. “It’s not as complicated as before, but it’s definitely my favorite part of the year. I just really like taking a deep dive and seeing everything because you get a really cool moment to reflect.”
McLean, 24, is untouchable in trades, according to sources. For good reason: After going 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts, the Mets believe he’s a pitcher they can build around. McLean should start the season as a favorite for NL Rookie of the Year.
“We’ve got a special group,” he said. “It’s cool to be around all the guys every single day and we just try to push each other to do better.”
A trade seems like it would do little to affect the friendship. The three have been constants in each other’s lives over the last few years and haven’t missed a beat this winter, talking daily.
“Whether it’s baseball or not baseball, we’re always communicating,” Sproat said. “We have a great friendship there. So, video games, golf, I mean, you, you name it.”
