A complete shift in philosophy over the last two seasons has led the New York Mets toward a future of collecting talent both in the farm and at the big league level. A new, more traditional model, headed by President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, should allow for a more sustainable product at the highest level. It’s a model buoyed of course by payroll, but also by the ability to call up big-league-ready prospects; a component to the Mets’ equation that couldn’t be said in the early Steve Cohen era.
Throughout much of the last half-decade, the Mets routinely ranked toward the back-third of farm system power ranking lists.
Enter Stearns.
The acquisition of names like Luisangel Acuna, Drew Gilbert, and Ryan Clifford in exchange for aging, redundant starting pitchers has helped turn around New York. Coupled with considerable strides on the player development side of things, a sustainable winner in Queens appears more certain than ever.
And a big wave appears poised to arrive in 2025…
DEVELOPMENTS
It was a banner year for the Mets farm system. Pitchers and position players alike, just about every demographic of their budding talent tree blossomed this summer.
On the pitching front, it was another breakthrough campaign for Brandon Sproat who now comfortably ranks atop the farm at his position. Sproat played his way through three levels, peaking at Triple-A Syracuse. He found punch-out stuff in a way he’d never before, striking out 131 batters in just 116.1 innings. While the general control for the strike zone still remains in the fringy category, it’s a profile that projects into the middle of a rotation at the next level and should flash some highlight-reel outings thanks to sublime stuff.
Fellow righty Blade Tidwell also saw his stuff dominate the competition at Double-A over the first couple of months of the season, though he struggled to adjust to Triple-A throughout the dog days of summer. His walks skyrocketed and the walks piled up. Still, Tidwell is just 23 years old and should have a chance to take another big step in 2025 with a chance to break into the Mets rotation midseason next year.
Nolan McLean is proving at least capable of starting at the professional level after being mostly limited to relief opportunities as a two-way player at Oklahoma State. It’s one of the better sliders in Minor League Baseball and it all but guarantees a role in the big leagues, possibly as early as 2025.
Perhaps the greatest development from 2024 is right-hander Jonah Tong. A seventh-round pick out of high school in 2022, Tong is just 21, and carved up the High-A and Double-A levels this year. He punched 160 tickets in just 113 innings and appears poised to debut in some Top 100 lists entering 2025. It’s an explosive fastball that’ll touch 97 mph with elite carry through the top of the zone.
It’s hard not to be excited about Mets pitching prospects, but the bats are knocking on the door too.
Shortstop Jett Williams has battled nagging injuries throughout his abbreviated minor league career, but when he’s been on the field all he’s done is produce. Williams arrived at Triple-A in 2024 and slashed .364/.533/.545 across just six games. He may get looks in centerfield or at second base for the Mets next season, assuming Francisco Lindor stays healthy and continues to man the ‘6’.
Gilbert is also ready and waiting to make his mark in 2025. He also struggled to stay on the field for much of the season dealing with lower body ailments. Gilbert doesn’t have the ceiling or athleticism of a guy like Williams, but he also doesn’t have a wart to his game. He has the look of a steady corner outfield player who has produced at a Kole Calhoun level for a decade. But he needs to stay on the field.
Seeing Clifford, Carson Benge, Colin Houck, and infielder Ronny Mauricio in 2025 has to have the Mets’ brass excited.
QUESTIONS
Pitching and rebounds are the main questions for the Mets’ farm exiting the 2024 season.
Beyond Sproat, who is probably the club’s top prospect entering next season, it’s unclear if there’s a potential impact arm ready to make starts in the show.
But getting Williams, Gilbert, Clifford, and Marco Vargas back on track at the plate has to be at or near the top of the to-do list for Mets brass for 2025, as is the return of Ronny Mauricio from injury.
Benge and Jeremy Rodriguez performed in 2024, and Benge is probably on his way to the top of the system with a bullet. Scouts generally want to see him get to his pull side more so the power shows up bigger in games, but all five tools play at the big-league level and he’s a hitter first, power bat second.
Can he max out the power and end up as a 20-plus homer bat with high contact and OBP marks?
Right-hander Mike Vasil has four pitches that project well enough for back-end projections, but he must throw more strikes to put himself in the mix in 2025.
Down the system a bit, Boston Baro showed he can hit for average and get on base, reaching High-A just after turning 20 years of age, but whether or not he can develop enough power to warrant an everyday role remains to be seen.
| LEVEL | TEAM | W-L | TOP PROSPECT |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Syracuse | 78-71 | Brandon Sproat, RHP |
| AA | Binghamton | 69-67 | Jonah Tong, RHP |
| A+ | Brooklyn | 65-67 | Jesus Baez, SS |
| A | St. Lucie | 69-61 | Carson Benge, OF |
| R | Mets | 23-28 | Jeremy Rodriguez, SS |
| DSL | Orange | 27-27 | Edward Lantigua, OF |
| DSL | Blue | 21-33 | Roybert Herrera, SS |
ADDITIONS & SUBTRACTIONS
In July, the Mets shored up their roster and gave up RHPs Kade Morris, Tyler Zuber, Tyler Stewart, and LHP Josh Walker to do it, adding a few minor league free agents for depth, plus RHP TJ Shook in a deal with the Brewers.
In the draft, New York started with Benge but also added some arms, including second-round LHP Jonathan Santucci and right-hander Nate Dohm (3). Outfielder Eli Serrano (4) is an intriguing athlete with some pop and athleticism, and SS Trey Snyder is a sturdy infielder with a chance to hit and stay up the middle, and there’s power to go get here.
GRADUATIONS
Jose Butto, RHP
Dedniel Nunez, RHP
Reed Garrett, RHP
Danny Young, LHP
Butto served as a solid long man for the Mets in 2024, making seven starts along the way. He covered 74 innings in 30 appearances overall, missing bats but also loading up on walks. Still, he posted a 2.55 ERA and 1.0 fWAR in his rookie season.
Nunez was outstanding (2.31 ERA, 2.40 xERA, 2.22 FIP, 2.32 xFIP, 0.9 fWAR, 36% K, 6% BB) with his 96 mph fastball and a plus slider that induced 45% whiffs and allowed a .145 average.
Garrett also was solid, making 53 appearances and posting above-average numbers despite a high 12.1% walk rate. His splitter was dominant (51.1% whiff, .132 BAA) and his mid-80s slider is another true weapon.
Young was a serviceable middle arm, dominating lefties to the tune of a .207/.303/.224 slash.
BIG-LEAGUE RADAR (yet to debut)
Sproat, RHP
Gilbert, CF
Tidwell, RHP
Vasil, RHP
SCOUT SAYS
“It would be easy to miss among the dollars spent how much they have grown their own talent the last several years. There’s a lot of that lineup they signed and developed themselves.”
“I really like the work they’ve done with (Francisco) Alvarez and Mark Vientos. I know those are two major leaguers now, but development does not end at call-up and the Mets found their way with those two keys to their roster in 2024. If they can do that again in2 025, they’ll build the kind of depth championship teams have, because the raw ability is there. Tong and Benge are difference makers for me.”
- Farm System Snapshot: (Oakland) Athletics - December 31, 2024
- Farm System Snapshot: Arizona Diamondbacks - December 30, 2024
- Farm System Snapshot: Atlanta Braves - December 27, 2024
