One of the more difficult aspects of running a baseball club is maintaining a top farm system while simultaneously keeping its championship window open. Oftentimes, teams are forced to choose between the potential of a playoff run, or holding on to prized prospects who could someday help them become perennial contenders.
The Mets‘ system has made tremendous progress in recent years and it shows no signs of slowing down. ESPN just ranked it No. 5 overall, while The Athletic had it lower, in the fourth of eight tiers at No. 14. Baseball America has six players from the Mets’ system on their Top-100 list, tied for the most with the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians.
Now, they have to play up to that contender status. Some of the players they have in the system could help them do that season.
ESPN’s ranking came with the caveat that the high ranking is bolstered by a few high-level players, namely right-handed starter Nolan McLean and outfielder Carson Benge. It’s top-heavy, and was even more top-heavy before they traded right-handed starter Brandon Sproat and infielder/outfielder Jett Williams to the Milwaukee Brewers for ace Freddy Peralta last week.
But that trade did little to alter the state of the system. Benge has a chance to start in left field on Opening Day, and McLean will factor into the opening-season rotation. Beyond those two, the Mets have several other players knocking at the door of the big leagues.
Right-handers Christian Scott and Jonah Tong will play a part in the rotation at some point next season, but should everyone stay healthy coming out of spring training, they might be starting the season at Triple-A. They’re prime depth options. Scott, who missed last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, can get some innings under his belt without the pressure of having to win big league games right away, and Tong can work on his pitch usage. They both have minor league options, but if they come up to the big leagues and pitch so well that the Mets can’t justify sending them back to Syracuse, the club will likely find spots for them.
After years of producing infielders, the farm system is finally catching up with outfielders. Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio have all graduated to the big leagues, and Luisangel Acuña and Williams have been traded to other teams where they’re no longer blocked at their positions. In addition to Benge, the Mets could graduate outfielders A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito in the next few years.
Ewing, another ESPN top-100 prospect, is a 21-year-old outfielder who could provide depth for the Mets later in the season if he keeps progressing the way he has over the last two years. A center fielder drafted in the fourth round in 2023, Ewing hits for contact and hits the ball hard, with a career .800 OPS in the minor leagues. He’s also lightning quick; Ewing stole 70 bases last year over three levels.
Another speedster, Morabito had an impressive showing in the Arizona Fall League over the offseason. With Tyrone Taylor and Luis Robert ahead of him on the depth chart, there is little pressure for the Mets to rush his development this season. Still, Ewing and Morabito help bolster the overall outfield depth.
Ryan Clifford, a power-hitting first baseman acquired in the Verlander trade in 2023, could be an option if the Mets need a big bat. While the 22-year-old will have to show that he’s more than a three-true-outcomes hitter, the team has traded away most of the other pieces they acquired in those 2023 trades while holding on to Clifford for a reason.
Pitching is where the kids will likely make the biggest impact. Outside of McLean, Tong and Scott, right-handers Jonathan Pintaro and Dylan Ross are expected to contribute out of the bullpen. Right-handed starter Jack Wenninger has scouts intrigued after posting a sub-3.00 ERA in 26 starts with Double-A Binghamton last year. He throws from a 3/4 arm slot and has good control, though he might need to add another pitch or two.
The Mets have used starters out of the bullpen in the big leagues in the past, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see someone like Wenninger called up to make a few relief appearances next season if he starts the season strong, much the way they used Pintaro last year.
Nate Lavender isn’t on any prospect lists, but now that he’s back with the Mets, the left-handed reliever has a chance to finally make his big-league debut. Before he was lost to elbow surgery and the Rule 5 Draft, some around the Mets felt he had the makeup of a future closer.
Clearly, the investments into player development have paid off. The Mets have several development coaches, hitting and pitching labs, and even language and cultural resources available to minor leaguers. The club has consistently emphasized drafting and developing talent in order to become sustainable. They aren’t there yet, but with some other notable prospects at the lower levels, and long-term success projected for McLean, Tong, Scott and others, they’re headed in the right direction.
