Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert and Ronny Mauricio, the Mets’ top three position prospects, played sparingly—if at all—in the first half because of injuries, but steps forward from multiple pitchers helped the farm system hold serve.
Righthander Christian Scott dominated Triple-A competition and made a successful MLB debut. Meanwhile, a trio of pitchers from the past two drafts showcased power stuff at the upper levels and rocketed up the midseason Top 10 Prospects ranking.
Overall, Mets pitching development has improved by leaps and bounds. The organization’s cumulative ERA for full-season affiliates improved from No. 22 in 2023 to middle of the pack this year. But it goes deeper than that.
The Mets were excited to have rotation depth at the upper levels for what feels like the first time in ages. Scott, Jose Butto, Blade Tidwell, Mike Vasil and Dominic Hamel formed the Triple-A Syracuse rotation at the end of June, with Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean waiting in the wings at Double-A Binghamton.
Baseball America subscribers can see the full updated Mets Top 30here. Notable risers, fallers, new additions and injury updates are below.
Notable Risers
Blade Tidwell, RHP
The 2022 second-rounder has struggled to miss bats at Triple-A Syracuse with the same frequency he had at lower levels. Still, the Mets remain optimistic based on Tidwell’s outstanding fastball velocity—he sits 95 mph and touches near 99—and shape. The organization lauds his ability to manipulate the ball and pick up new pitches, which was key to Christian Scott’s development and ascension. Tidwell will probably benefit from Triple-A moving to the ABS challenge system exclusively in the second half.
Brandon Sproat, RHP
Drafted in the second round last year after four years at Florida, Sproat hit the ground running in his pro debut this year. He ranked among the minor league leaders with a 1.77 ERA through 12 appearances and had the stuff to back it up. Sproat averages 96 mph and has hit 100 this year, all while throwing a ton of strikes with his fastball and slider. He owns the best changeup among Mets pitching prospects and leans on the 88 mph pitch for chases. Sproat was lauded for his athleticism coming out of college, but Mets strength coaches have helped him reach a new level. He now moves even better on the mound, which is evident in his improved fastball shape and precision.
Nolan McLean, RHP/DH
McLean was starting at DH as many as four times a week for Double-A Binghamton while he pursued a career as a two-way player. But were he to drop hitting, the Mets believe he would be able to truly flourish with extra rest and side work. The organization is enamored of McLean’s mid-90s velocity from a low release angle and his deadly sweeper. His focal point is developing a changeup or other weapon to neutralize lefthanded hitters.
Jesus Baez, 3B/SS
Baez hit his way out of Low-A St. Lucie as a 19-year-old, receiving a bump to High-A Brooklyn on June 25. He hits the ball hard for his age while showing solid swing decisions and a strong strikeout rate of 16%. Baez is probably more of a third baseman than shortstop, so his growth as a hitter—he ranked second in the Florida State League in hits and homers when promoted—is an encouraging sign.
Jonah Tong, RHP
Low-A hitters could not touch Tong’s fastball. He struck out 36 in 18.2 innings for St. Sluice without allowing an earned run before a May promotion to High-A Brooklyn. It’s not pure velocity—he sits 92-93 mph—but rather, it’s the vertical ride that makes Tong’s four-seam fastball so tough to hit. Batters tend to swing under the pitch. That and improved strike-throwing have enabled the native Canadian to thrive in his third pro season.
Notable Fallers
Kevin Parada, C
Drafted 11th overall in 2022, Parada has made defensive improvement a priority this season at Double-A Binghamton. His framing is cleaner and his throwing mechanics have improved, which was evident in a sharp decline in stolen base attempts. The issue for Parada has been in the batter’s box. So far this season, his batting average was hovering near .200 and he was striking out 33% of the time because of too much in-zone miss. Parada still shows power but must get his bat on track to profile as a regular catcher.
Luisangel Acuña, SS/2B/OF
Acuña plays shortstop, center field and second base regularly for Triple-A Syracuse. He has carrying tools in his speed, defense and arm but might be a beat slow at shortstop. The biggest question Acuña faces is one of hitting impact. He’s not a pure hitter and has below-average power, meaning that his road to an MLB role likely hinges on his versatility, base-stealing acumen and on-base ability.
Colin Houck, SS/3B
Drafted 32nd overall last summer, the 19-year-old Houck didn’t appear ready for full-season ball this spring. Through 60 games at Low-A St. Lucie, he hit just .200/.298/.311 with a 35% strikeout rate. Houck was a multi-sport athlete in high school who was lauded for his competitive makeup, but it’s not clear yet whether he has a carrying tool.
Notable New Additions
26. Jack Wenninger, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
Track Record: The Mets had a lot of scouts’ eyes on Wenninger during his draft year at Illinois, and they wound up selecting him in the sixth round in 2023 and signing him for an under-slot $225,000 deal. Wenninger made a brief pro debut last summer, striking out four of the 12 batters he faced, before an assignment to Low-A St. Lucie this season. His 84 strikeouts ranked second in the system as of late June.
Scouting Report: The Mets were drawn to Wenninger’s athleticism and wide repertoire of potentially solid-average stuff. He pitches at about 91-92 mph and gets up near 96 with a nearly over-the-top arm slot. His fastball plays because of its combination of vertical and horizontal break. Wenninger’s most reliable whiff pitch is his low-80s changeup, which plays well as a downward fading pitch that contrasts with his four-seam fastball. He is working to sharpen his slider to near-average to round out his mix, but it is a distant third pitch. Wenninger throws a lot of strikes but can be homer-prone when his command wavers.
The Future: As a college pitcher in Low-A who has good feel for a changeup, Wenninger is generating a lot of swings and misses. He will face a sterner test when he moves up to High-A.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50
Significant Injuries
Jett Williams, SS/2B/OF
The Mets’ 2022 first-rounder made a big impression in his full-season debut last year, but failed to launch at Double-A Binghamton this season before going on the injured list on April 29 followed by right wrist surgery in June. The Mets noticed that Williams wasn’t hitting the ball as hard as he did last year before he confessed to wrist soreness in late April. In a best-case scenario, he could return by mid August. An Arizona Fall League assignment is in play.
Drew Gilbert, OF
Gilbert raked at Double-A last summer after coming over from the Astros in the Justin Verlander trade. He has not yet had a chance at an encore. Gilbert went on the Triple-A Syracuse injured list after seven games with a severe right hamstring strain. The Mets hope he can return by the end of July.
Ronny Mauricio, 2B/SS
Mauricio tore his right ACL while running the bases in the Dominican League and had surgery to repair the ligament in January. Mauricio is already running and playing defense during his rehab and hopes to begin hitting in the weeks ahead. The key for Mauricio will be getting comfortable rotating on his right knee, which is the lead leg in his lefthanded swing. He is not expected back this season.
Marco Vargas, 2B/SS
The Mets added the sweet-swinging lefthanded hitter last summer when they traded David Robertson to the Marlins. Vargas played just 18 games for Low-A St. Lucie this season before succumbing to a wrist injury. He returned to play on June 30.
Jacob Reimer, 3B
The Mets placed Reimer on the 60-day injured list at High-A Brooklyn with a severe hamstring injury. He has yet to play this season.
Calvin Ziegler, RHP
Ziegler had Tommy John surgery in April and is out for the year. He had been assigned to High-A Brooklyn.
