Carson Benge. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Carson Benge is the most successful first-round pick in a long time. The answer is probably Pete Crow-Armstrong though a good portion of his development came from the Chicago Cubs and not the Mets and did not play a game for them. So then you go back to David Peterson, though the hope is that Benge will be more successful overall. With that being said, the answer is probably Michael Conforto in 2014, at least for Mets-specific impact.

President of baseball operations David Stearns’ first draft pick for the Mets is already manning right field every day after forcing his way onto the major-league roster. He had a dreadful first month adjusting to the majors, but after cleaning up his swing at the start of May, Benge slashed .299/.363/.457 (.820 OPS). He has a great glove and is a plus baserunner with 20-to-25 home run potential.

Second-round pick Jonathan Santucci has had some top-100 prospect buzz and made Lance Brozdowski’s top-50 pitching prospects list. Santucci has a true plus-plus pitch with his slider and despite a slow start to the season, he pitched to a 3.57 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in Double-A this season earning a promotion to Triple-A. It took him a few starts to adjust to the level but his last four starts were strong and could earn a spot on the major-league roster at some point in 2027. He led all of minor league baseball with 163.

Seventh-rounder Will Watson made Baseball Prospectus’s Top-101 list as the 96th-best prospect in baseball but struggled in 2026. After only six starts he was put on the injured list. He returned in August and threw only 17 innings to a 5.29 ERA. Five of those runs came in a single outing and the reminder were mixed.

Fourth-rounder Eli Serrano started hot but cooled off significantly. Fifth-rounder Trey Snyder had a good season earning a promotion to High-A and has a plus-contact tool and can play all over the diamond. Serrano meanwhile profiles as a power over hit corner bat.

Eighth-rounder Ryan Lambert looked like he could be a breakout reliever in spring training while he was popping high velocities but he has struggled heavily with injuries in Triple-A to a 7.71 ERA and 1.80 WHIP. He has two plus-pitches and could have a future in the bullpen if he can improve his control at all. He is currently throwing in the Arizona Fall League

Third-round pick Nate Dohm was part of the trade package that sent Ryan Helsley to the Mets. Helsley struggled heavily with the Mets in 2025 while Nate Dohm has struggled heavily with the Cardinals High-A team in 2026.

12th-rounder Brendan Girton and 13th-rounder R.J. Gordon have shown flashes but have struggled as they have moved up to higher levels. Girton is also currently throwing in the Arizona Fall League.

You can view the full draft here:

• Round 1 – Carson Benge – OF
• Round 2 – Jonathan Santucci – P
• Round 3 – Nate Dohm – P
• Round 4 – Eli Serrano – OF
• Round 5 – Trey Snyder – SS
• Round 6 – Corey Collins – 1B
• Round 7 – Will Watson – P
• Round 8 – Ryan Lambert – P
• Round 9 – Jaxon Jelkin – P
• Round 10 – Brendan Girton – P
• Round 11 – Nick Roselli – 2B
• Round 12 – Ethan Lanthier – P
• Round 13 – R.J. Gordon – P
• Round 14 – Tanner Witt – P
• Round 15 – Owen Woodward – P
• Round 16 – Josh Blum – P
• Round 17 – Jacoby Long – OF
• Round 18 – Jace Hampson – P
• Round 19 – Frank Elissalt – P
• Round 20 – Adam Haight – SS

Nolan McLean. Photo by Rick Nelson

The New York Mets’ 2023 draft was overall successful with some big-impact names coming out of it.

Nolan McLean, taken in the third round, may be the most impactful player taken. The Mets drafted him as a two-way player with an eye for what he could do on the pitching side. Within a year, he stopped hitting, and a year later he went through a massive overhaul in Triple-A in the summer of 2025, leading to his quick call-up. He has pitched to a 2.93 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 227 2/3 innings and looks like he could be a potential frontline starter for years to come.

The other player who can claim the most impact is A.J. Ewing, who was taken in the fourth round. Ewing was drafted as a shortstop but quickly moved to the outfield, where he has developed into a plus-defensive center fielder with flex at second base. He dominated Double-A and Triple-A, forcing his way onto the 2026 major league roster in May, and slashed .252/.324/.376 (.700 OPS).

The swing change he made in the minors this year has helped him get to his power better, and his HR/162 pace ended at 15 while his stolen base pace ended at 34. Even if he tops out as a 15 home run player, Ewing looks like he can man center field for the long haul while also providing flexibility in the infield.

The Mets liked Brandon Sproat so much they drafted him twice, this time in the second round. He struggled heavily in 2025 to maintain velocity or command the major league baseball, which led him to change up his pitch mix and try to be a contact-suppression-based pitcher. Following a trade to Milwaukee, he struggled as a Brewer and their manager, Pat Murphy called out his struggles. He did not make the postseason roster. Across 117 2/3 innings between the Mets and Brewers, Sproat has a 5.43 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. He was part of the trade that brought Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to Queens.

Colin Houck, taken in the first round, has unfortunately looked like one of the worst picks the Mets have made in recent history. He has struggled heavily in High-A, slashing .207/.281/.327 (.608 OPS) across 153 games, and it is hard to see him having a path to Double-A, let alone the majors. In a draft where he was drafted five picks before Kevin McGonigle, who the Mets were rumored to be linked to, this only looks worse in hindsight.

Zac Thornton, taken in the fifth round, made adjustments between appearances in the majors leading to a strong rookie season with a 3.42 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. He made some interesting pitch mix changes in that start that could elevate his ceiling a bit and he has said he wants to add velocity in the offseason. As it stands, the Mets would likely prefer he starts the 2027 season in Syracuse because they have five better starters in the majors Opening Day, but he would still likely make at least 15-20 starts in 2027 with injuries

He needs to work on generating more whiff and right now he still projects to be a backend starter, swing man, or up-and-down pitcher, but if he could ever get to that velocity, a decent comparison might be David Peterson. But the Mets are much happier drafting David Peterson in the fifth round than the first round.

Jack Wenninger had top-100 buzz early in the season, but struggled as the season went on, ending with a 4.54 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. He struggles to maintain velocity across outings, which may end up making his good outcome future as a back-end reliever, but that is a good outcome for a sixth-round pick. The Mets have to decide if they want to protect him in the Rule 5 Draft and if he is not claimed he will likely at least get some bullpen innings in the majors in 2027.

13th-round pick Ben Simon has looked strong in both Double-A and Triple-A this year flashing multiple plus pitches and pitching to a 3.56 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. He is unlikely to be protected or claimed in the Rule 5 Draft but he could be a factor in the majors in 2027.

Third-rounder Kade Morris was traded to the Athletics for Paul Blackburn, who started strong for the Mets, got hurt, and then struggled heavily, leading the Mets to eventually cut him. Morris has had mixed results in Triple-A and the minors in general, pitching to a 4.08 ERA and 1.35 WHIP this year. He got a brief cup of coffee in the majors but it did not go well with a 10.90 ERA and 2.14 WHIP in 17 2/3 innings.

Boston Baro missed most of the 2026 season with injury after struggling in both 2025 and 2024. He has looked fine as of the time of writing showing off plus contact traits in the Arizona Fall League despite slashing .227/.452/.364 (.815 OPS) but he has yet to hit a ball over 95.6 mph. He makes a lot of contact but it is hard to envision a major league future without some level of power.

You can see the full draft here:

• Round 1 – Colin Houck – SS
• Round 2 – Brandon Sproat – P
• Round 3 – Nolan McLean – TWP
• Round 3 – Kade Morris – P
• Round 4 – Wyatt Hudepohl – P
• Round 4 – A.J. Ewing – SS
• Round 4 – Austin Troesser – P
• Round 5 – Zac Thornton – P
• Round 6 – Jack Wenninger – P
• Round 7 – Noah Hall – P
• Round 8 – Boston Baro – SS
• Round 9 – Nick Lorusso – 3B
• Round 10 – Christian Pregent – C
• Round 11 – Brett Banks – P
• Round 12 – Brady Kirtner – P
• Round 13 – Ben Simon – P
• Round 14 – John Valle – P
• Round 15 – Justin Lawson – P
• Round 16 – Jake Zitella – 3B
• Round 17 – Bryce Jenkins – P
• Round 18 – Gavyn Jones – P
• Round 19 – Christian Little – P
• Round 20 – Kellum Clark – OF

Jonah Tong. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The New York Mets’ draft in 2022 was an overall successful one littered with top prospects and current major league players.

Their first round was a mixed bag, taking both Kevin Parada and Jett Williams. Parada has struggled so much in the minors he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft and went unclaimed. He bounced up and down between Double-A and Triple-A and was inconsistent at the plate but he did end strong offensively in 2026. He has struggled defensively and still has clear holes in his swing. Without further adjustments it is hard to see a future in the major leagues with him and he likely remains unprotected in the Rule 5 Draft.

Jett Williams was a quick riser in the minors and in 2025 seemed poised to make noise in the majors in 2026, but his stock has fallen considerably this season with both Baseball America and Pipeline dropping him altogether from their most recent top-100 updates. The Mets traded him in a package for Freddy Peralta and it would seem they sold high on him at the right time. Interestingly, Brandon Sproat was the other name traded in the package and was drafted in the third round, however, did not sign. He was of course drafted once again by the Mets in 2023.

Jonah Tong was taken in the seventh round and was a consensus top-100 prospect but has fallen some. Tong made his major-league debut in 2025 with mixed results but looked better in 2026 pitching to a 3.82 ERA across seven appearances. He had mixed results in Triple-A this year but everything seemed to come together towards the end of the year.

Blade Tidwell was taken in the second round and was up and down in the minors. He flashed good stuff at times but was never able to command his pitches. He threw 15 innings in the majors with the Mets in 2025 to a 9.00 ERA before he was traded as part of the package for Tyler Rogers from the Giants. He was not great in the majors in 2026 pitching to a 4.45 ERA across 56 2/3 innings and is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Before the 2026 season, Jacob Reimer was ranked the 70th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus. He struggled heavily in the first month of the season but looked much better the weeks leading up to his injury in June. When he returned from the injury he looked better under the hood and slashed .280/.375/.434 (.809 OPS).

Nick Morabito, taken in the second round, has made his major-league debut though it did not go well failing to get a hit in 11 plate appearances and striking out nine times. He did not look great when he returned in September but it was an improvement and he may have done enough to stay on the 40-man roster this offseason.

12th-rounder Paul Gervase was traded for Tyler Zuber who the Mets later designated for assignment and has since bounced around. After a brief appearance with the Rays he was traded to the Dodgers and pitched a handful of innings in the majors for them. 14th-rounder Cameron Foster was also traded, this time for Gregory Soto in the 2026 season. Foster has struggled heavily in 2026 at Triple-A.

Tyler Stuart was taken in the sixth round and was traded for Jesse Winker. Winker played a large part in the Mets 2024 National League Championship Series run while Stuart has missed the entirety of the 2026 season with Tommy John surgery. Before that he was struggling in Triple-A with the Nationals.

You can see the full draft below:

• Round 1 – Kevin Parada – C
• Round 1 – Jett Williams – SS
• Round 2 – Blade Tidwell – RHP
• Round 2 – Nick Morabito – OF
• Round 3 – Brandon Sproat – P
• Round 4 – Jacob Reimer – 3B
• Round 5 – D’Andre Smith – 2B
• Round 6 – Tyler Stuart – P
• Round 7 – Jonah Tong – P
• Round 8 – Dylan Tebrake – P
• Round 9 – Chase Estep – 2B
• Round 10 – Zebulon Vermillion – RHP
• Round 11 – Rhylan Thomas – OF
• Round 12 – Paul Gervase – P
• Round 13 – Dylan Ross – P
• Round 14 – Cameron Foster – P
• Round 15 – Jackson Jaha – 3B
• Round 16 – Jimmy Loper – P
• Round 17 – Connor Brandon – P
• Round 18 – Chris Santiago – P
• Round 19 – Jackson Lovich – SS
• Round 20 – Eli Ankeney – P

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

One of the biggest question marks entering the season for the New York Mets’ farm system was how their pitching depth would fare with the impending prospect-status graduations of Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong. Names at the upper levels of the minor league system didn’t impress much, but that didn’t stop the lower levels of the farm system from producing talent and strong campaigns.

On the other side with their relief pitchers, the Mets saw successes up and down the farm system. Following their major trade deadline sell-off, the Mets promoted multiple of their best relievers from Triple-A, and their previously strong relief core barely missed a step during such a drastic transition. Relief success was far more common for the Mets than success from starting pitchers.

This is not a list of who the top prospects are or who is likely to see their stock rise the most heading into 2027, but rather a list that recognizes the best individual season at each position this season, regardless of prospect or draft status.

Emilio Obispo. Photo Credit: Ed Delany of Mets Minors

Starting Pitchers – Jonathan Santucci, Daviel Hurtado, Channing Austin, Nicolas Carreno, Emilio Obispo

The highest-rated prospect of this group, lefty Jonathan Santucci, became the second Mets starter in as many years to lead the minor leagues in strikeouts, following Jonah Tong in 2025. Over 27 starts in 2026, the 2024 second-round selection struck out 163 batters to go along with a 4.03 ERA between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. His eight Syracuse starts were a bit more of an adjustment, but Santucci was able to dominate Binghamton early and often. In 19 Double-A starts, he totaled a 3.57 ERA with an 11.91 K/9. After injury issues during his time at Duke, the Mets top pitching prospect has now started 50 games in two seasons since joining the organization.

Further down on the farm, another left-handed starter was able to begin breaking out in a major way. Daviel Hurtado followed up his strong 2025 with an even more impressive 2026 campaign: a 2.93 ERA, 9.31 K/9, and a 1.o3 WHIP in 86 innings between Single-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. Hurtado is one of the multiple prospects on this list who earned their spot with strong play, but did a ton for their prospect status in the meantime. He was able to do so in large part by ending his season on a high note: his ERA from August 1 through the end of the season sat under 3.00 after a mark of 5.14 in July. Hurtado first signed with the Mets as an international free agent in January of 2023, signing for a bonus of $640,000.

Channing Austin also signed with the Mets at a young age, but in a much different way than Hurtado did. Austin was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Mets in July of 2024, and he has impressed since his first day. His 2026 season was off to an incredible start before it ended in August after being placed on the injured list, which was a major blow after he had missed all of April, May, and most of June with the same fate. Nonetheless, his production on the mound was incredible: a 2.26 ERA over 15 starts with a 1.15 WHIP, and a 10.67 K/9; a jump of over two full strikeouts from his 2025 mark. If he can remain healthy in 2027, Austin could be a name that takes another major leap forward.

Nicolas Carreno completed exactly 100 innings of work this season, an impressive achievement for the 20-year-old lefty starter. Carreno was the return for lefty reliever Josh Walker, whom the Mets sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 2024 trading deadline, and he struggled to find his footing with the Mets until he returned to St. Lucie in the waning days of the 2025 season. In 13 career appearances in Single-A, he allowed just 10 runs, and continued his strong play up to Brooklyn, where he finished his 2026 campaign. Overall, he posted a 3.42 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and K/9 of 11.16, one of the best marks of any Mets’ left-handed pitcher in their minor league system. Walks remain an issue, considering his 5.58 BB/9 this year, but his overall numbers were simply too good to ignore. A strong campaign from Carreno next year could propel him into top prospect conversations.

Emilio Obispo claimed the final spot on this list after missing the entire 2025 season on the injured list. Between St. Lucie and Brooklyn, the Dominican righty posted a 2.58 ERA with 82 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP over 80 1/3 innings. Much like Carreno, this year’s workload was a new career high for Obispo, and he was able to get through the season without hitting the injured list, another major accomplishment. The Mets signed Obispo in May of 2024 for a bonus that went unreported, likely making it fairly minimal, which allowed him to fly under the radar as he entered the organization. Like most in the minors, Obispo saw time as a starter and in relief outings, but he dominated with a 2.28 ERA as a traditional starting pitcher. If he can replicate his 2026 success, he could skyrocket up minor league prospect rankings and secure a spot on this list for a second consecutive season.

Garrett Stratton. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Relievers – Garrett Stratton, Bryce Jenkins, Nate Lavender

Minor league relievers are always a tricky subject, but the Mets had a trio that stood out this season. Starting with lefty reliever Nate Lavender, who has likely all but secured a spot in the Mets’ 2027 bullpen, he impressed in the offensively friendly Triple-A run environment, parlayed that success into a promotion to Queens, and dominated down the stretch for now full-time manager Andy Green’s bullpen.

Lavender spent all of 2025 as a Rule 5 draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays  on the injured list as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, making it incredibly unclear what to expect from him as he returned to the Mets’ organization. In the minors, Lavender pitched to a 3.77 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, but what was most notable was his strikeout numbers. In 2024, his last season before leaving the Mets, he struck out 11.57 batters per nine innings, an impressive mark. Last season, that mark skyrocketed to 14.65, an increase of almost three full strikeouts per nine innings. He earned this spot before the calendar turned to August, and then pitched to a 1.66 ERA and a 0.78 WHIP in the big leagues over the final two months of the season. Look for Lavender to be a major piece of the Mets’ 2027 plans.

Speaking of 1.66 ERAs, that is the mark that righty Bryce Jenkins posted over the full season for Brooklyn and Binghamton. Like Lavender, Jenkins missed an entire season to injury before, as he was sidelined all of 2024 and only managed 12 innings in 2025, making 2026 his first full season back. Most impressively, he held opposing hitters to a 0.87 WHIP and a .147 batting average against, and allowed only three homers. His best stretch came in Brooklyn from the sceond week of June through the end of July, allowing just three runs over 20 innings with a 0.80 WHIP. After the first three seasons of his professional career were derailed by injury, Jenkins broke out in dominating fashion and is a name to watch heading into 2027.

Last but not least, Garrett Stratton might have had the best season of any Mets minor league reliever this past year. Over 64 innings, he worked to a 2.51 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, 12.11 K/9, and BB/9 of 2.78. The Mets took Stratton in the final round of the 2025 draft after he struggled through his collegiate career at Rice, and he found incredible success almost immediately. His season took its full form after being promoted to Double-A Binghamton, where he allowed just five earned runs in 23 games, finishing 13 of them with seven saves. In his time between Brooklyn and Binghamton, hitters posted a .587 OPS against Stratton, which translated to a 2.02 ERA from April 4 through September 4. He saw four games of action with Syracuse to end the season, which could put him on the doorstep of Queens in the spring.

Mitch Voit. Photo Credit: Binghamton Rumble Ponies

With the 2026 minor league season now behind us, the New York Mets saw impressive performances up and down the farm system from top names, newcomers, and breakout candidates. After an underperformance from the major league team, the Mets were baseball’s most aggressive sellers at the trade deadline, filling their minor league system with new talent to help improve their prospect group.

Across the system, there were plenty of strong seasons that deserve recognition and notoriety. The team at Mets Minors cast their ballots and compiled the 2026 All Mets-Minors team, recognizing the best season at each position across the Mets’ minor league system in 2026.

This is not a list of who the top prospects are or who is likely to see their stock rise the most heading into 2027, but rather a list that recognizes the best individual season at each position this season, regardless of prospect or draft status.

Catcher – Chris Suero

Chris Suero spent his entire age-22 season in Double-A Binghamton, posting a .741 OPS with 18 homers and a staggering 37 stolen bases; by far the most of any catcher in the Mets’ farm system. The Mets have not been able to develop a high-end catching prospect since Francisco Alvarez was regarded as one of the game’s elite prospects before the 2023 season. However, Suero has the best case to develop into a top-100 name out of any of the Mets’ current options.

He turned in more power (two more homers) and more patience (10 more walks) than he did in 2025, but high strikeouts and a lack of consistent contact still prove to be concerns. His best stretch of the season came in August; a 20-game stretch in which he posted an OPS of .914 with five homers and four doubles from the 2 through the 29. Of note, Suero also saw 10 games of defensive action in center field, a sign of growing versatility for the young prospect.

First Base – Corey Collins

A sixth-round selection in 2024, former Georgia Bulldog Corey Collins hit his stride in 2026. After just four homers and a .610 OPS in 69 games last year, he saw his production skyrocket to a .833 OPS with 18 homers this year between Binghamton and High-A Brooklyn. Like many others, he struggled to find consistent offense in the pitcher’s paradise that is Maimonides Park before eventually torching the Eastern League.

In his 43 games with the Rumble Ponies, Collins posted a slash-line of .250/.380/.522 (.902 OPS) with 10 homers and five doubles, becoming a staple in the heart of the order during Binghamton’s playoff push. As the spring months turned into summer and the days heated up, so did Collins’ bat. His July OPS of .945 was his best month of the season, beating out his eventual .906 OPS in August. Incredibly, both months were driven by different aspects of his game; he ran a .453 OBP in July, but smacked six of his 18 homers in August.

Collins was older than most prospects after playing the season at age 24, but he might have developed into a prospect to keep an eye on at just the right time. He split his time in Binghamton between first base and left field, showing increased versatility, much like Suero.

Second Base – Mitch Voit

Mitch Voit disappointed to begin his professional career after being the Mets’ lone first-round selection in 2025, but ended the season as one of the hottest-hitting prospects in all of baseball. When Voit was promoted from Brooklyn to Binghamton on July 26, he had just a .396 slugging percentage on the season, only 24 extra-base hits, and a .745 OPS. After his promotion to Binghamton, Voit was playing out of his mind.

The 2026 Mets’ Minor League Player of the Year posted a 1.095 OPS with 12 extra-base hits in his first 20 games with Binghamton, earning back-to-back Eastern League Player of the Week awards from July 29 through August 9. Overall, his Binghamton tenure ended with a .947 OPS and 15 extra-base hits, an incredible showing in 29 games played.

It was an incredible turnaround for Voit, who will be looking to parlay his strong end into a top-100 prospect ranking in 2026. His defense at second base remained incredibly strong, and his quick feet turned into 45 stolen bases for the season. If he can continue to grow into his power, a 20-homer, 40-stolen-base season is not out of the realm of possibility for his 2026 campaign.

Jefferson Rojas. Photo Credit: Syracuse Mets

Third Base – Jefferson Rojas

The Mets did not bring Jefferson Rojas into the organization until deadline day on August 3, and he turned out to be arguably the best offensive performer in the system upon his arrival. Immediately, the top prospect in the system, Rojas mashed 12 homers in just 35 games with the organization, and accompanied it with an OPS mark well over .925. Over the entire 2026 season, he hit 27 homers, stole 21 bases, and posted a .843 OPS in 126 total games. The most notable improvement in his game was his incredible jump in power. He entered the season with just 25 career homers total.

Rojas’ spot on this list is due in large part to a general lack of true third basemen in the Mets’ system, a position where Rojas appeared in 71 games. Other names under consideration included Nick Lorusso, but few Mets infield prospects played the majority of their time at the hot corner. He projects as the Mets’ long-term answer at the position, and considering that the Cubs did not pitch Clay Holmes in their lone playoff series paired with Rojas’ dominant August and September, he seems to be one of the best prospect returns of the deadline.

He should start next year with Triple-A Syracuse, and will be a factor in the Mets’ plans heading into next summer.

Shortstop – Elian Peña

The Mets signed Peña to a franchise record $5 million signing bonus in the January 2025 signing window, immediately making him one of the most highly-touted prospects that the Mets have ever had enter their farm system. In his first full season in the United States, Peña was one of the more impressive 18-year-olds in all of professional baseball. He spent almost the entire season with Single-A St. Lucie, posting a .785 OPS with eight homers and 28 stolen bases in Florida. He saw his final 20 games in Brooklyn with the Cyclones, where he struggled considerably.

Still, Peña’s strong defense, quick feet, and growing power have made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the Mets’ system. His selection to this team isn’t based on his prospect status, but it certainly did not hurt his case. A top prospect with a 30 stolen base campaign and a plus glove at a premium position makes him an immediate candidate for this list, while also boosting his prospect status. If Peña can continue to grow into his power, he could become a regular fixture on these lists.

Outfield – Aidan Smith, JT Benson, Cleiner Ramirez

The Mets didn’t see a great campaign from most of their upper-level outfield prospects. Ryan Clifford faltered for most of the season and no one broke out or took a step forward in Binghamton or Brooklyn, leaving their most important outfield prospect development to Cleiner Ramirez in the Dominican Summer League. In his first professional season, Ramirez posted a .819 OPS, smacked 18 extra-base hits, stole 18 bases, and showed solid defensive versatility with games started at shortstop, second base, and in center field. The Mets signed Ramirez for $1,372,500 earlier this year and saw immediate reasons for optimism regarding one of the best outfield prospects.

Over in the United States, JT Benson turned in the best full season of any Mets outfield prospect, and Aidan Smith dominated after being sent to the Mets from the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline. Benson, a former independent player who joined the Mets in March, posted a .789 OPS with 13 homers and 24 stolen bases as he progressed from St. Lucie through to Binghamton. As a former undrafted free agent, Benson’s rise was incredibly unexpected, and he also ended up being the best of any full-season Mets outfielder.

Nick Lorusso, Photo by Rick Nelson

Utility – Nick Lorusso

Nick Lorusso could have landed himself on this list through most of these positions considering his versatility. After a rough start to the season, Lorusso turned in one of the best seasons in the entire minor league system this year as he mashed 22 homers, posted a .777 OPS, and even stole 14 bases in the process. After posting an OPS under .700 the first two months of the year, he turned in an absurd 1.014 mark in June, followed by a .826 OPS in July. Over those two months, Lorusso hit half of his homer total for the season.

Defensively, he was able to handle the entire infield aside from shortstop. He likely projects as more of a corner infielder than as a second baseman, but his ability to play 20 games at the spot was more than enough to add another element to his game. What kind of prospect he is entering the 2027 campaign remains to be seen, but his 2026 production was both undeniable and a major surprise.

Lorusso entered the season with just 19 homers and an OPS under .700 for his career, but raised both of those career marks to 41 homers and a .738 OPS after his impressive season. Expect him to be a name of high interest in spring training in Port St. Lucie.

Designated Hitter – Randy Guzman

Guzman, whose primary position is in the right-handed batter’s box, had arguably the best pure offensive season for the Mets this past year. Over exactly 250 at-bats, Guzman slugged 13 homers, drove in 49 runs, and posted a .874 OPS between St. Lucie and Brooklyn. Guzman missed exactly a month from June 6 through July 6, but did not let that stop his offensive production. He has now completed two consecutive seasons of at least 250 at-bats with a .500 slugging percentage or better, and has hit 10-plus homers for the second consecutive season as well.

Defensively, Guzman saw action all over the field: left field, right field, first base, and even a game at third base. However, Guzman profiles more as a designated hitter and did not see time at one position in more than 20 games. As he moves further up the minor league system, expect his time to become more limited to first base and a corner outfield, but better pitching and hitting will force him into a less defensively minded profile moving forward.

Irving Cota. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Several of the New York Mets prospects who are apart of the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League saw work on Saturday.

Notably, Peyton Prescott, 22, started the game and threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball. He allowed only one hit, walked one, and struck out two. Through 7 1/3 innings of work thus far this fall he has a 3.68 ERA and six strikeouts. However, he has also walked five.

Prescott was a fifth-round pick in 2025. He had to finish recovery from pre-draft Tommy John surgery and only tossed one inning for St. Lucie (Single-A) this season.

Following Prescott, Irving Cota, 22, was the only other Mets pitcher on the roster to throw. He tossed 3 1/3 innings, and had a rare off-day in doing so. He allowed five hits, one of which was a homer, resulting in two runs. He did strike out two and didn’t walk a batter. Despite the tough showing, his AFL ERA is still a respectable 3.27.

Cota was sensational across 24 2/3 innings for Brooklyn (High-A) posting a 0.73 ERA in 2026. He struggled in Binghamton, however.

The lone Mets hitter to play Saturday was was Bruin Agbayani. He played second base and went 1-for-4. He drove in one of Surpise’s five runs in the victory. His performance overall this fall has been lackluster, as he’s only hitting .118 with a .444 OPS across 34 at-bats.

Agbayani continues to work his way back from injury. He was limited to only three games with St. Lucie (Single-A) following his acquisition from Minnesota.

Surprise defeated Salt River 5-3 and moved to 10-6 on the AFL season.

Cole Mathis. Photo Credit: Brooklyn Cyclones

Cole Mathis connected for two hits, Boston Baro walked three times and Bruin Agbayani scored three runs and stole a base Thursday as the Surprise Saguaros (6-3) rolled to a 17-8 victory over the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. (Box score)

Mathis went 2-for-5 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. The 23-year-old first baseman acquired from the Cubs for David Peterson is 4-for-20 with a homer in five AFL games. MMO’s Mike Mayer has Mathis at No. 16 in his Met prospect rankings.

Baro, who went 0-for-2 with an RBI, run scored and a strikeout, is 1-for-12 in five games. Agbayani went 0-for-3 with an RBI, two walks and a strikeout. He is 1-for-19 with a double and eight strikeouts in six games.

Brendan Girton, a 2024 10th-round pick out of the University of Oklahoma, entered in the seventh inning with Surprise leading 16-6 and struck out the side in order. It was his third scoreless appearance covering 2 1/3 innings. Girton pitched to a 6.72 ERA this year over 83 innings at Double-A Binghamton.

Calvin Ziegler gave up two earned runs on two hits and a walk in the ninth. He has allowed five earned runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old threw only 13 1/3 innings this year after missing all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery.

Luke Gabrysh. (Photo credits: Clearwater Thrashers)

Baseball America listed new Mets prospect Luke Gabrysh with the best slider in the minor leagues per their stuff+ model in a recent breakdown of all minor league breaking balls. They gave him a 132 stuff+ on the pitch, just over Peyton Olejnik at 130. Mets prospect Cristofer Gomez came in at number 16 with a 119 stuff+ slider.

On Gabrysh’s slider they wrote, “The Mets acquired Luke Gabrysh at the deadline from the rival Phillies, and he had a difficult season, due almost entirely to an unsightly home run problem. Outside of his 22.7% home-run-to-flyball rate, Gabrysh’s numbers didn’t look bad, though: a 19.2% K-BB%, 46.1% groundball rate and 13.8% swinging-strike rate. His slider is a high-spin sweeper sitting in the low 80s with 17.6 inches of horizontal movement on average and a spin rate in the 2,700-2,800 rpm range. The pitch generated a 16.3% swinging-strike rate this season and a .250 xwOBA.”

The most interesting thing of note here is the horizontal movement. In 2025, Gabrysh threw a slider which averaged 11 inches of horizontal movement and in spring training before the 2026 season he averaged 12 inches. 17.6 inches is a massive jump in movement, which should make this new slider more effective at generating chase and more difficult for right-handed hitters to barrel up. This pitch also now has even further horizontal movement separation from his cutter which moves 3 inches glove side.

Doing this without a drop in velocity or spin rate is also impressive. From the data Baseball America provided, if the iVB is similar to 2025, comparable sliders can be found from Zach Wheeler and Will Warren. Double-A pitch data is not publicly available so it is not clear if these changes to his slider came from before or after the trade, but the Mets have shown success at developing and enhancing that pitch under Eric Jagers’ pitch development. Christian Scott, Kodai Senga, and Cam Tilly are examples of pitchers who developed or enhanced their sliders/sweepers with the Mets in recent years.

The Mets acquired Gabrysh from the Phillies in a trade which sent Brooks Raley to Philadelphia. Raley did not make the Phillies playoff roster.

Carson Benge. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

When Juan Soto was asked after the regular season finale why New York Mets fans should be confident the team can turn things around next year he said, “Carson Benge.”

MLB Pipeline named the 23-year-old outfielder to its All-Rookie Team late Tuesday, with A.J. Ewing and Nolan McLean earning Second Team honors.

Benge started slow, he was slashing .179/.235/.263 on May 2, but the Mets let their 2024 first-round pick ride it out and he showed that their faith was warranted. A five-game hitting streak started the next day and he was off. He finished the year hitting .282/.346/.430 with 20 homers and 22 stolen bases.

He is the first Met rookie with a 20-20 season and 18th in MLB history, joining a club that includes Tommie Agee, Carlos Beltrán, Bobby Witt Jr. and Mike Trout. He is a Rookie of the Year candidate.

A pitcher in college, he showed a great arm, too, leading the league with assists from right field with 10. SNY broadcaster Ron Darling said during the season that his throws reminded him of Dwight Evans, a Red Sox right-fielder known for his arm who won eight Gold Gloves.

Ewing wasn’t in the Mets’ original 2026 plans, but an injury to Luis Robert Jr. opened the door and he was called up on May 12. The 22-year-old hit .252/.324/.376 with 11 homers and 25 stolen bases. It seems like the Mets have two-thirds of their outfield set for awhile.

McLean debuted with eight strong starts in 2025, but maintained rookie status this season and delivered again. He went 12-10 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He struck out 194 and walked 70 in 179 2/3 innings. The strikeouts and innings pitched totals both ranked 14th in baseball.

McLean was the first Met rookie to start 31 games since Jae Weong Seo in 2003. Before that, it was Darling and Dwight Gooden in 1984.

To see the full All-Rookie teams, click here. Selections were based on 2026 MLB performance, not future projections.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

After a minor-league season largely spent working back from injury, both Boston Baro and Calvin Ziegler appeared in their first Arizona Fall League games October 4. Baro roped a 99.7 mph single to drive in a runner while Ziegler threw a scoreless inning in relief.

Boston Baro was taken in the eighth round of the 2023 draft as an over-slot high school signing. He is an athletic defender with a good hit tool and limited power that could develop into a utility player some day.

Unfortunately, since being drafted Baro has largely struggled in the minors with his best season taking place in 2024, mustering only a .748 OPS. He struggled heavily in 2025 and was injured for most of 2026. Ideally, Baro will be able to utilize the AFL to springboard into a healthy 2027 season.

Calvin Ziegler was taken in the second round of the 2021 draft and has only pitched a full season once, which was in 2022. Since then he has been injured each season including a torn quad and Tommy John surgery but has persevered. He came back at the end of 2026 and his stuff looked better than his results. He did not strike anyone out in his sole inning of relief but his velocity was there. The best thing to come out of the AFL would be for Ziegler to end it healthy and ready for 2027.

Ziegler joins Peyton Prescott and Irving Cota in a successful first pitching performance in the AFL while Baro joins Cole Mathis in getting his first AFL hit. So far the Mets’ prospects, playing for the Surprise Saguaros, have won both of their AFL games.