Eli Serrano. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

While the Mets’ minor league pitching scuffled on Tuesday, the offense at most levels showed up. Binghamton hitters seem to be breaking out, Syracuse offense continues to shine, and the youngsters on the FCL Mets are starting to stack some wins.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (24-21) 9, Buffalo (23-23) 5

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-for-3, 2 R, BB
• 2B/1B Christian Arroyo: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI
• CF Cristian Pache: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB
• 1B Jared Young: 0-for-3

The Syracuse Mets offense had an incredible day, scoring nine runs on twelve hits and three walks. Ryan Clifford has been struggling of late but had a good game, roping a 110.2 miles per hour single, working a walk, and not striking out. Jared Young made his first Triple-A rehab appearance, and while he did not log a hit, two of his outs were hard-hit balls to the outfield. Young also played seven innings in the field today.

• RHP Jack Weisenburger: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• RHP Joey Gerber: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (W)
• LHP A.J. Minter: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (H)
• RHP Dylan Ross: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Anderson Severino: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

A.J. Minter looked strong in his rehab appearance, attacking the zone and running a 66.7% whiff rate. Minter’s velocity is still down, hovering between 92-93 miles per hour compared to the 94.4 miles per hour he averaged in 2025. Nate Lavender has continued to flash increased velocity and his plus movement makes his fastball play up. After a rough first appearance in Triple-A Dylan Ross has given up zero runs and only one hit while striking out nine. His velocity has not yet rebounded, topping out at 97.6 miles per hour. Anderson Severino was added to the 40-man roster earlier in the day to prevent him from opting out and pitched a scoreless inning.

Double-A

Binghamton (14-26) 10, Richmond (28-10) 7

Box Score

• 3B Jacob Reimer: 0-for-3, 2 R, BB
• LF Chris Suero: 1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB
• LF Eli Serrano III: 2-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI

The Binghamton offense is finally showing signs of life. Even with his hitless streak, Jacob Reimer has looked incredible in May and was productive today. Eli Serrano III, D’Andre Smith, Nick Lorusso, and JT Schwartz all crushed home runs in this game. Chris Suero looks like a three true outcomes player, but with his defensive versatility, he could be an interesting future fit. After a slump, Eli Serrano seems to be picking it back up.

• RHP Bryce Conley: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (W)
• RHP Jefry Yan: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (H)
• RHP Zach Peek: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (H)
• RHP Brian Metoyer: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (SV)

Bryce Conley struggled heavily in this start, increasing his season ERA from 3.75 to 6.61. Thankfully, the rest of the pitching staff gave up zero runs, securing the win. Brian Metoyer notched his third save and after struggling in Triple-A, Carlos Guzman rebounded in Binghamton with another scoreless outing.

High-A

Hudson Valley (19-20) 7, Brooklyn Cyclones (10-29) 3

Box Score

• DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 0-for-4
• LF John Bay: 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

The Brooklyn Cyclones offense continues to struggle, only getting two hits while walking five times. Four batters in the lineup today had an OPS under .600. It is a difficult ballpark to hit in, but eventually you have to wonder if a change is necessary either on the coaching staff or in the ballpark.

• RHP Jonathan Jimenez: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• RHP Adbert Alzolay: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• RHP Tanner Witt: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• RHP Dakota Hawkins: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• LHP Hoss Brewer: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Jonathan Jimenez continues to struggle, increasing his ERA to 8.33. He continues to struggle with his command. Adbert Alzolay continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery, but has yet to start racking up whiffs. Across the board, the Brooklyn pitching struggled to generate swing and miss, which largely contributed to the seven runs they gave up.

Single-A

Jupiter (23-17) 4, St. Lucie (16-24) 1

Box Score

• SS Elian Peña: 0-for-4
• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-for-4
• 1B Randy Guzman: 1-for-4

Elian Peña has struggled heavily in May, hitting only .167 with a .556 OPS. His season OPS has officially dropped below .800. His contact rates are still good, but he struggles to make hard contact or barrel the ball. Jeremy Rodriguez is repeating Single-A after struggling there last year and got his first hit of the season on a ground ball to the second baseman. Randy Guzman continues to hit the ball hard and has a season OPS of .829.

• LHP Conner Ware: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (L)
• RHP Zack Mack: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Josh Blum: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• RHP Miguel Mejias: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Conner Ware has struggled in his season so far, though he has been racking up strikeouts. None of his pitches grades well, and he has struggled to locate his pitches. Miguel Mejias has interesting stuff, throwing three different fastball shapes that all grade above average as well as a tight slider.

FCL Mets

FCL Mets (5-6) 6, FCL Astros (8-2) 5

Box Score

• 2B Vladi Gomez: 0-for-3, R
• SS Diover De Aza: 2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
• C Yovanny Rodriguez: 2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

Despite blowing the lead in the sixth inning, the FCL Mets offense bounced back to score three runs in the top of the seventh, with the double by Yovanny Rodriguez coming as the hammer at the end of the inning. Rodriguez, Gomez, and De Aza are all running an OPS over 1.000.

• RHP Jose Guevara: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• RHP Omar Victorino: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• LHP Jean Brito: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (W)

Guevara had a rocky start where he could not make it out of the sixth inning, and while Omar Victorino did not give up a hit, his three walks and wild pitch led to a run. Jean Brito did give up a run, but closed out the game to secure the win.

AJ Ewing. Photo by Herm Card

While Binghamton and Brooklyn continue to struggle, Syracuse now has a winning record after dominating Lehigh Valley today. A.J. Ewing made his Triple-A debut and immediately impressed, roping a triple in his first at-bat. Syracuse is an exciting team to watch and Ewing is now only one step away from the majors.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (14-13) 10, Lehigh Valley (16-12) 4

Box Score

• CF A.J. Ewing: 3-for-4, 3B, 2B, 2R, 2 RBI, BB
• CF Nick Morabito: 0-for-2, R, 2 BB
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI
• RF Cristian Pache: 3-for-4, HR, 3 R, RBI

The Syracuse bats came alive, scoring ten runs from eleven hits and four walks. A.J. Ewing dominated in his Triple-A debut with two hard-hit balls, smacking a 104.4 miles per hour triple and a 98.2 miles per hour double. After a rough first week, Ryan Clifford continued his hot April with his fifth home run, and while Nick Morabito did not get a hit, he showed off his eye by drawing two walks.

• LHP Brandon Waddell: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (W)
• RHP Joey Gerber: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (H)
• RHP Daniel Duarte: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Anderson Severino: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Brandon Waddell made his fourth appearance since returning from his shoulder injury and he still does not look one-hundred percent yet. He struggled to find the zone with his fastballs; his velocity is still down, and he did not generate many swings and misses. The one positive is that his movement profile has improved significantly from 2025, so if the command returns, he could take a step forward from last year. Joey Gerber made his first Syracuse rehab appearance and his secondary pitches continued to look strong. Anderson Severino showed off his strong slider and four-seam fastball combo and made a case to join the major league ball club.

Double-A

New Hampshire (11-8) 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (8-13) 0

Box Score

• 3B Jacob Reimer: 0-for-2, 2 BB
• LF Chris Suero: 0-for-2, 2 BB
• LF Eli Serrano III: 0-for-3, BB

The Binghamton lineup continues to struggle and today did not manage to even get one hit. Somehow, they worked ten walks and did not score once. The best thing I can say about the offense today is that Jacob had a hard-hit lineout.

• LHP Zach Thornton: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• LHP Gabriel Rodriguez: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Kevin Gowdy: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Ben Simon: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Zach Thornton struggled to throw strikes and generate whiffs following up one of his best starts with one of his worst. The rest of the pitching staff pitched well, with Ben Simon continuing to make the argument that he should be called up to Triple-A.

High-A

Frederick (11-10) 6, Brooklyn Cyclones (5-16) 2 

Box Score

• 2B Mitch Voit: 0-for-3, 1 R
• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-for-4, SB
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-for-3, RBI, SB

The Brooklyn lineup continues to struggle, amassing only four hits and two walks. They left seven on base and most of the lineup has an OPS in the 600s or worse. Brooklyn is a difficult stadium to hit in, especially this time of year, but this seems to go beyond that.

• RHP Noah Hall: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• RHP Garrett Stratton: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• LHP Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• LHP Gregori Louis: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Noah Hall was cruising through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth, being pulled before he could finish the inning. Nate Lavender has not logged eight innings since his surgery but has had mixed results. He is generating a whiff rate over 30% and filling the zone, but he is also giving up too much hard contact.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Here is what you need to know from Wednesday’s minor league action in the Mets system: A four-hit day for Jacob Reimer could hopefully be the start of an offensive breakout. Reimer is the No. 5 ranked Mets prospect on MLB Pipeline and is hopefully trending in the right direction. Elsewhere, Will Watson punched out six batters in his start on Wednesday and showed a little better control while walking just one batter. Elian Peña drew two more walks as he continues to show an impressive approach at the plate and maintains an OPS of .894 so far.

Triple-A

Worcester Red Sox (12-10) 7, Syracuse Mets (12-10) 6

Box Score

• LHP Brandon Waddell: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 ER, 3 K (6.75 ERA)
• RHP Jonathan Pintaro: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, K (2.51 ERA)
• LHP A.J. Minter: 1.0 IP, 3 H, ER (9.00 ERA)
• RHP Ryan Lambert: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 3 BB, ER, K (3.86 ERA)

Brandon Waddell gave up three runs over his three innings of work today for the Sy-Mets, and he was followed up by three scoreless innings from Jonathan Pintaro. A.J. Minter allowed a run in an inning of relief as he continues to build up towards his return to the MLB team.

• RF Nick Morabito: 0-2, 3 BB, R, K, 2 SB (5)
• DH Ji Hwan Bae: 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI
• 2B Jackson Cluff: 2-4, HR (3), 3 RBI, BB, 2 R

Ronny Mauricio went without a hit after his massive performance the day before, but he will be on his way up to the MLB squad by tomorrow. The big swing on the offensive side came from Jackson Cluff, who slugged a home run in the 6th.

Double-A

Erie SeaWolves (6-11) 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-10), 1

Box Score

• RHP Will Watson: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 ER, 6 K (4.96 ERA)
• LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, K (3.38 ERA)

Will Watson took the mound for the Rumble Ponies and struck out six batters before being pulled in the sixth inning. E.J. Exposito took him deep with two outs in the 2nd inning for the biggest blemish on his day. Zach Peek also gave up three runs in his inning of work.

• 3B Jacob Reimer: 4-4, 2B, R
• LF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB. K

Jacob Reimer did have a great day, however, with four hits on the day, including a double. Eli Serrano III drove in the only run on the day for the Rumble Ponies.

High-A

Hudson Valley Renegades (9-7) 4, Brooklyn Cyclones (4-12) 3

Box Score

• RHP Noah Hall: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 K (4.67 ERA)
• RHP Parker Carlson: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Cristofer Gomez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 2 K (1.17 ERA)

Kyle West took Bryce Jenkins deep in the bottom of the ninth as the Cyclones suffered a walk-off loss to the Renegades on Wednesday. Noah Hall started the game for the Cyclones and struggled with his command, walking four batters in three innings of work. His defense did him no favors, either, as he was charged with three runs in total, with two of them earned.

• 2B Mitch Voit: 0-3, BB, R, 2 SB (4)
• DH Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-3, 2 R, 2 K
• CF John Bay: 1-4, RBI, K

Another day with a hit and RBI for John Bay leaves his OPS at .933 so far this season. Of note, Mitch Voit stole two bases on the day, bringing his total up to four on the year.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (9-8) 5, Palm Beach Cardinals (12-5) 2

Box Score

• RHP Frank Camarillo: 5.0 IP, 5 H, BB, 2 ER, 5 K (4.41 ERA)
• LHP Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K (8.44 ERA)
• RHP Elwis Mijares: 2.0 IP, H, BB, 2 K (2.16 ERA)

The 13th round selection for the Mets in the 2025 draft, Frank Camarillo took the mound for St. Lucie on Wednesday and gave them five solid innings of work, giving up just two runs while striking out five. Nate Lavender continued getting himself into shape with two innings over a scoreless inning of work, and Elwis Mijares got the win after two scoreless innings in relief of those two. Tyler McLoughlin shut the door with a scoreless inning for his first save.

• SS Elian Peña: 1-3, 2 BB, R, K
• DH Julio Zayas: 2-4, 2B, RBI, K
• 3B Branny De Oleo: 1-4, RBI
• RF AJ Salgado: 1-3, RBI, R, 2 K

Five different batters drove in runs for St. Lucie, highlighted by a two-hit day for DH Julio Zayas

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It’s time for the first Mets Minors Weekly Report of the season! Each of the Mets’ four full-season minor league affiliates is now underway in their 2026 campaigns. 2025 was a resounding success for the Mets’ minor league affiliates, with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies and Brooklyn Cyclones each winning their respective league championships. We’ll see if that success continues in 2026.

Triple-A Syracuse

The Mets’ Triple-A squad has been in action for the longest amount of time so far, playing one three-game series and one six-game series. Syracuse took two of three games from the Worcester Red Sox before splitting a series with the Toledo Mud Hens to give them a 5-4 record through nine games.

Catcher Hayden Senger has been the biggest offensive surprise for Syracuse so far. Through five games, Senger is 7-for-17 with three home runs, seven RBIs, and five runs scored. Senger had just five home runs in 237 at-bats across Triple-A and the majors in 2025, so he’s already showing a major spike in power. He has a 1.474 OPS in the early going.

Nick Morabito has looked very comfortable in the first Triple-A action of his career. In seven games, he’s tied with the team lead with nine hits in 27 at-bats. He has a home run, two doubles, and two stolen bases. Morabito, our no. 13 prospect in the Mets’ system, will be turning 23 next month. Morabito sports an impressive .938 OPS.

Jackson Cluff has been another welcome addition to the Syracuse Mets after spending 2025 with the Nationals’ Triple-A squad. In nine games to start the season, Cluff is 6-for-23 with two home runs, two doubles, and a team-high six runs. The only major concern is a lopsided 9:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio to begin the year. Cluff owns a .901 OPS to begin the year.

Carl Edwards Jr., a veteran addition by the Mets this offseason, has made two starts for Syracuse so far and has fared nicely. Edwards Jr. has tossed a total of nine innings with three runs allowed and eight strikeouts. He owns a 3.00 ERA early on.

Jack Wenninger had a promising start in his first Triple-A start of his career. Our no. 7-ranked Mets prospect tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Wenninger was sensational in 2025, going 12-6 with a 2.92 ERA across a full season in Binghamton.

Austin Warren and Anderson Severino were the highlights out of the bullpen during the opening week of the season, with neither surrendering a run. Warren struck out six and allowed just a hit and a walk in five innings across four appearances, while Severino allowed two hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings across three appearances.

Double-A Binghamton

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies have played just two games so far, with one game in their opening three-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats being postponed due to weather. Binghamton is 1-1 with a 10-9 win and a 2-1 loss.

The sample size is very small, but there have been some impressive performances from the opening pair of games. Chris Suero is just 1-for-5, but he has the team’s only home run and an impressive five RBIs. He has also scored a pair of runs, tied for the team lead. Suero impressed with a .786 OPS across two levels in 2025 and a .920 OPS in 15 games during the Arizona Fall League.

A.J. Ewing has had arguably the best start on the team, however. Ewing has started the year 4-for-9 with a double, two walks, and two stolen bases. Ewing, our no. 4-ranked Mets prospect is coming off a breakout 2025 campaign and a very impressive spring training.

Eli Serrano is looking for a bounce back after a rough 2025 season, and he’s off to a good start. Serrano is 3-for-7 with two doubles and a triple. He has also walked three times and struck out just once.

Will Watson and Brendan Girton have each made starts for Binghamton. Watson went just three innings on Opening Day, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. Girton had a better go of it, allowing a run in 3 1/3 innings on no hits, four walks, and three strikeouts.

Several relievers have begun the season with scoreless outings. Matt Turner and Zach Peek each went two innings without allowing a run, while Carlos Guzman went 1 2/3 innings without allowing a run.

High-A Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Cyclones have also played just two games so far, with one of their three games against the Hudson Valley Renegades also being postponed due to weather. Brooklyn dropped both of their first two games, 3-1 and 8-1.

Offense was hard to come by in the first two games, but a couple of players stood out. John Bay went 2-for-3 with the team’s only home run. Bay had an excellent, albeit brief, 2025 season across two levels with the Mets, recording an .874 OPS in 27 games after signing as an undrafted free agent.

Antonio Jimenez, the Mets’ 2025 third-round pick, also recorded two hits in the first two games. He went 2-for-6 with a double, two walks, and a stolen base. These first two games were the first above the Low-A level for Jimenez.

Noah Hall and Wyatt Hudepohl each made a start for the Cyclones. Hall was neither stellar nor awful, allowing two runs in 4 2/3 innings on three hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Hudepohl, making his first appearance since 2024 after missing the entire 2025 season, struggled with six runs allowed in 3 1/3 innings. It was just the ninth career professional appearance for Hudepohl, who will look to stay healthy and find his footing this year.

Bryce Jenkins and Brett Banks both looked solid out of the bullpen. Jenkins tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings in his season debut, allowing a hit and striking out two. Banks, coming off an excellent 2025 season across three levels, threw 1 1/3 hitless innings, allowing just a walk and striking out three.

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets were fortunately able to get all three of their games in from their opening series, and they won two of them against the Palm Beach Cardinals.

Despite winning the series, the bats were not hot for St. Lucie. Arguably, the hottest bat was the most notable name on the team, Elian Peña. Making his stateside debut, Peña, our no. 10-ranked Mets prospect went 4-for-12 in the three games with two doubles, two walks, a stolen base, and an RBI. The Mets’ prized international prospect completely jumped the Florida Complex League after recording a .949 OPS in the Dominican Summer League in 2025. He won’t turn 19 until October.

Julio Zayas also had an impressive first week. After spending the last two years in the Florida Complex League, he started his Low-A career by going 5-for-13 with two doubles and two RBIs.

Cam Tilly, the Mets’ seventh-round pick in last summer’s draft, had a brilliant pro debut. The Auburn product tossed five hitless innings, allowing just one walk with six strikeouts. The other two starts in the series from Frank Camarillo (3.1 IP, 2 ER) and Nicolas Carreno (2.1 IP, ER) were more brief and not nearly as impressive as Tilly’s outing.

Out of the bullpen, Conner Ware also had an impressive professional debut. The Mets’ 15th-round pick from last summer went three scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk with four strikeouts.

Organizational Leaders

Batting (min. 10 plate appearances)

AVG – A.J. Ewing (BNG) – .444 (4-for-9)

OPS – Hayden Senger (SYR) – 1.474

HR – Hayden Senger (SYR) – 3

SB – Ronny Mauricio (SYR)/Cristian Pache (SYR) – 3

Pitching (min. 5 innings)

ERA – Cam Tilly (STLSYR) – 0.00

SO – Carl Edwards Jr. (SYR)/Jonathan Pintaro (SYR) – 8

WHIP – Cam Tilly (STL) – 0.20

Players of the Week

Offense – Hayden Senger, C Syracuse

Senger is an important player for the Mets. The de facto no. 3 catchers in the organization, he’s experienced the major leagues, and has plenty of experience in Triple-A. He’s never been an offensive threat, evidenced by his career .685 OPS across eight minor league seasons, but his bat has been on fire to start this season. If he can improve even slightly offensively, the Mets will begin to feel much better about their catcher depth.

Pitching – Cam Tilly, P St. Lucie

Cam Tilly recorded an ERA above 6.00 in his two collegiate seasons at Auburn. The Mets clearly saw something they liked enough to take him in the seventh round of the 2025 draft, and he already looks fantastic. Of course, it would be foolish to overreact to just one start, but if he can have a solid season in St. Lucie, the Mets will have another exciting pitching prospect who has developed nicely in their system.

Upcoming Schedule – April 7-12

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Buffalo
• Double-A Binghamton: vs. Somerset
• High-A Brooklyn: @ Jersey Shore
• Low-A St. Lucie: vs. Dunedin

Daiverson Gutierrez. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

It’s been a long road to get to this point for Cyclones’ right-hander Wyatt Hudepohl.

As the clock struck two on Coney Island, Hudepohl poured in an 89-mph fastball to Hudson Valley Renegades’ leadoff hitter Core Jackson, marking a triumphant, long-awaited return to professional ball after 686 days on the sideline.

After a sterling collegiate career, New York selected the right-hander in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, inking him to a signing bonus worth 635,000 dollars. Eight games into his professional career, Hudepohl experienced arm discomfort in the fourth inning of a May 2024 start and missed the ensuing year and a half recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

He joined the Mets’ AFL contingent at the onset of the 2025 campaign, but did not get into a game for the Scottdale Scorpions.

The left-handed Jackson greeted Hudepohl rudely, taking his full-count offering over the right field wall at 108 mph, despite the park factors at Maimondies Park hindering right field pop.

The inning got out of hand from there as Hudson Valley loaded up the bases, requiring Hudepohl to deal with immediate traffic. The 25-year-old hit Renegades’ backstop with a pitch to score a run, balked in another, and induced a run-scoring ground ball to score a fourth. The inning extended another three batters, during which Hudson Valley crossed home once more. All nine starters for Hudson Valley reached base in the inning.

Despite 33 pitches to kick off his outing, Hudepol settled in nicely, retiring the Renegades in order in the second and third innings by mixing in his secondaries well, inducing four whiffs. His splitter and sweeper worked well with his over-the-top arm slot, offerings surely optimized by the Mets’ highly-regarded pitching lab.

A second-inning two-out punch out of Kyle West marked his first strikeout since he punched out Cardinals first-rounder Chase Davis on May 18th, 2024. In the third, he retired the middle-third of the Rengeades on just five pitches. A Cole Gabrielson walk with one out in the fourth ended his day.

Overall, Hudepohl threw 57 pitches over three and a third frames, a step in the right direction after two injury-marred seasons. He’s expected to continue to build his pitch count with the Cyclones. Regardless of the box score, the day represented a success for the Hudepohl clan; the outing represented a culmination of a nearly two-year journey.

Despite the early hole, the Cyclones’ lineup had its opportunities, but weren’t able to capitalize. Brooklyn had Renegades starter Sean Paul Liñan on the ropes early. In the first with two outs, Brooklyn 3B Antonio Jimenez shot a seeing-eye single to right field. Daiverson Gutierrez followed him by taking a curveball off his front foot. Liñan buckled down, catching backstop Ronald Hernandez looking at an inside fastball.

The Cyclones threatened two innings later, spelling the end of Liñan’s day after just 55 pitches. Diego Mosquera moved into scoring position with a walk and a stolen base. Two batters later, Jimenez joined him on the bases via a hit-by-pitch. A strikeout by Gutierrez ended the rally.

Jimenez, the pride of the University of Central Florida, is a roll to kick off his stint in High-A, going two-for-six with a double and a hit-by-pitch. Brooklyn manager Eduardo Nunez confirmed that Jimenez is expected to bounce between both positions on the left-hand side of the infield. An interview with the Mets’ third-round pick is forthcoming.

Despite a dearth of available relievers, five relievers followed Hudepohl. Bryce Jenkins, fresh off his own AFL stint, was impressive in his inning and a third, permitting only a single baserunner on the strength of his mid-90s fastball and power slider. Brett Banks flashed 94 in his own scoreless inning and a third.

Nunez faced limited options due to several inter-organizational moves. Before Brooklyn’s Opening Day Game, the Syracuse Mets snagged Tanner Witt from the Cyclones’ roster. After Binghamton’s 13-inning thriller last night, Irving Cota joined the club, transferring two key arms away from Nunez’s staff.

The Cyclones next play on Easter Sunday. Joel Diaz is expected to get the ball for Brooklyn at 2:00 pm.

Triple-A Syracuse is now over a full week’s worth of games into their season, sitting exactly at .500, with Joander Suarez looking to finally push himself over the top and onto the Mets’ major league roster. Brendan Girton looked to make a strong season debut in Binghamton (Double-A) after a solid 2025, while the Cyclones were just hoping their offense would score a few more runs than they did on Friday. For St. Lucie (Single-A), Cam Tilly made his season debut after being drafted in 2025.

Joander Suarez, Photos by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Triple-A

Syracuse (4-4) 9, Toledo (3-5) 7

Box Score

• RHP Joander Suarez: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (9.00 ERA)
• RHP Joey Gerber: 1.1 IP, H, R, ER (8.10 ERA)
• RHP Mike Baumann: IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB (18.00 ERA)
• RHP Austin Warren: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (0.00 ERA)
• LHP Anderson Severino: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, K (0.00 ERA)

If you don’t like seeing pitchers give up runs, look away. Suarez struggled mightily in his start, allowing more base runners than he recorded outs. He gave way to Gerber and Baumann, who both struggled in their own rights. Baumann was the worst of the two, allowing two of his three base runners to score.

he staff was settled down by Warren, who is likely the first man up for the Mets’ bullpen if someone were to go down. He was followed by Severino, who turned in two scoreless innings of his own. The two combined for four scoreless innings with no base runners and five strikeouts.

• C Hayden Senger: 2-3, HR (3), BB, 2 RBI
• DH Nick Morabito: 1-5, HR (1), RBI
• SS Jackson Cluff: 1-3, HR (1), RBI
• 1B Jose Rojas: 2-4, 2B, RBI
• 2B Vidal Brujan: 2-4, RBI
• LF Jihwan Bae: 2-4

If you like seeing pitchers give up runs, this is the part of the box score for you. Syracuse smacked three homers on Saturday, with Senger hitting his third in just five games on the season. Morabito and Cuff smacked their first of the season each, while Morabito’s incredibly strong play continues into the second week of the season. He was a designated hitter for the second straight game and the third time on the young season.

With Juan Soto being removed from the Mets’ game on Friday with a calf issue, MJ Melendez‘s .717 OPS so far is more important to note than before.

Brendan Girton. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

New Hampshire (1-1) 2, Binghamton (1-1) 1

Box Score

• RHP Brendan Girton: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (2.70 ERA)
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Bryce Conley: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (3.00 ERA)

Brendan Girton was strong in his season debut, albeit with mediocre command. He was able to navigate his command issues well, only allowing one of his four base runners to score. He also received some help from his defense, as A.J. Ewing gunned down a runner at second base in the fourth to help limit a New Hampshire offensive threat

• LF Matt Rudick: 2-3, 2 2B (2.000 OPS)
• CF A.J. Ewing: 1-3, 2B, RBI (1.101 OPS)
• RF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, 3B (1.600 OPS)

Matt Rudick, the elder statesman of the Binghamton offense, smacked a pair of doubles in his first game of the season at 28 years old. A.J. Ewing and Eli Serrano followed up their solid play on Friday with more extra-base hits, but that was all there was to the Binghamton offense on Saturday.

Overall, the others in the lineup went 0-for-22 on the day. Top prospect Jacob Reimer is just 1-for-10 to start the 2026 season.

Mitch Voit. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

Hudson Valley (2-0) 8, Brooklyn (0-2) 1

Box Score

• RHP Wyatt Hudepohl: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, K (16.20 ERA)
• RHP Garrett Stratton: 1 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Brett Banks: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K

Wyatt Hudepohl struggled mightily in his season debut, but the bullpen behind him was solid. After the starter got shelled for six in his season debut, five Cyclones allowed just two runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking just two in relief. Banks and Jenkins each provided over an inning of scoreless work.

• SS Mitch Voit: 1-5, 2B (.333 OPS)
• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-3, BB (1.056 OPS)
• 2B Colin Houck: 1-3, BB (.393 OPS)

Once again, the Cyclones’ bats did not do much against Hudson Valley. They managed just three hits, but this time it was the duo of first-rounders in Voit and Houck, while last year’s second-rounder Jimenez is the only bat to record a hit in both games to start the year. His 2026 campaign is off to a nice start, but he’s been a lone bright spot.

Cam Tilly. (photo via Auburn)

Single-A

St. Lucie (2-1)  1, Palm Beach (1-2) 0

Box Score

• RHP Cam Tilly: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO
• LHP Conner Ware: 3.0 IP,1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO

Right-handed starter Cam Tilly threw five hitless innings for St. Lucie (Single-A) on Saturday. Tilly, a seventh-round pick in 2025, generated 11 whiffs to go along with only two hard-hit balls against. It was a sensational debut for the 21-year-old in his first professional outing.

St. Lucie only needed three pitchers to shutout Palm Beach. The other multi-inning eater was left-handed pitcher Conner Ware. Ware was a 15th-round pick out of Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2025. In his first professional outing, he struck out four over three one-hit innings.

• SS Elian Peña: 1-4 (.929 OPS)
• DH Julio Zayas: 1-4 (.923 OPS)
• LF Randy Guzman: 1-4, RBI (.398 OPS)

St. Lucie’s bats were largely silenced in their 1-0 win on Saturday. The lone run was scored in the fourth inning as Randy Guzman posted a two-out RBI.

18-year-old Elian Peña has begun his first full professional season with a hit in each of his first three games. He is 4-for-12 to begin the season.

A baseball season is a marathon—a slog. A group of games, over a period of six months, was measured by only a select handful of contests.

The first game – Opening Day – is always special. Every team has zero wins and zero losses. It’s a time for festivities, a time to look ahead to the promise of an upcoming season. Each club is a phoenix, ready to rise anew.

A marathon isn’t defined by a start, but it certainly has an impact. Dan Szymborski of Fangraphs recently published empirical research noting that teams with poor Aprils are less likely to reach the playoffs. A postseason berth isn’t marked down to zero by the end of the opening month, but any postseason hopes can certainly be dashed with a poor start. Granted, that conclusion is based on MLB’s playoff setup, but a promising start can serve as a sign of good things on the way.

Noah Hall led the Cyclones in the first mile of their 26-mile march of the 2026 Minor League Season, hurling 4.2 effective innings, but Brooklyn fell to Hudson Valley 3-1 in their home opener at Maimonides Park.

Despite the loss, Opening Day marked the new era of Mets baseball; New York’s two top picks from the 2025 draft made their debut with the Cyclones. SS Antonio Jimenez, the club’s third-rounder, tallied an extra-base hit, while their team’s first-rounder, 3B Mitch Voi,t was held silent over four at-bats. Daiverson Gutiérrez, one of the Mets’ recent IFA splashes, smacked a fifth-inning double in his High-A debut.

Entering the season, Voit was ranked as MMN’s 12th-ranked prospect. Meanwhile, Jimenez was listed 18th, and Gutiérrez was named among the honorable mentions.

Voit, Jimenez, and Gutiérrez are projected to anchor the Cyclones’ starting nine, at least until Elian Peña arrives. Manager Eduardo Nunez said it was hard not to be impressed by the Mets’ draft selections, given their draft pedigree, calling them both hard workers.

Voit’s impressive force plate data at the MLB Draft Combine drove his early draft selection, and his underlying offensive metrics portend future upside. In his cup-of-coffee with the St.Lucie Mets, the Big Ten product produced a .638 OPS, but chipped in 20 stolen bases. Brooklyn, fresh off a season tallying a franchise-record 257 stolen bases, figures to be a suitable home for the speedy Voit.

Renegades’ starting pitcher Pico Kohn treated Brooklyn’s lineup like putty, slinging 5.2 innings of one-run ball. Making his professional debut, the southpaw didn’t allow a hit until two outs in the third inning when Cyclones’ left-fielder John Bay took him deep. Bay, one of the 20 holdovers from Brooklyn’s 2025 roster, slashed .103/.333/.207 in limited time last year.

The Cyclones threatened throughout the game, but 17 strikeouts and a 0-for-8 mark with runners in scoring position proved to be their downfall.

Brooklyn’s best chance to tie the game came in the bottom of the sixth. Jimenez collected his first High-A with a resounding double with one out, celebrating at second with a loud cheer befitting his first hit on Coney Island, but was stranded. The shortstop’s double was one of Brooklyn’s four hits on the night.

In the early going, Cyclones’ starting pitcher Noah Hall matched Kohn, despite a lineup clock-full of lefties, eliciting six whiffs on the backings of his trademark cambio. He mitigated damage in the first and fourth innings despite ducks on the pond.

His arsenal, which he alluded to in an interview with MetsMinors.net, consisted of his high-spin change, a gyro slider, and a series of fastballs sitting in the low-90s. Over the offseason, he removed his sweeper from his repertoire, replacing it with his curveball.

The right-hander set a franchise record by making his third consecutive Opening Day start for the Cyclones. As a testament to his longevity with the club, Hall is at or near the top of several Brooklyn records, currently placing third in club history in starts and fourth in innings pitched.

Hall handed the ball to his new skipper, Eduardo Nunez, after 4.2 strong frames of two-run ball. Nunez, like the aforementioned Voit, Jimenez, and Guiterrez, made his Brooklyn debut on Opening Day in the managerial chair. The former Mets infielder took the job over from Gilbert Gomz after the latter received a much-deserved promotion to the big-league club to serve as their first-base coach.

Nunez credited his managerial role to Gomez, saying:

I was just waiting to have the opportunity…I learned a lot from him. I appreciated the way he went about his business. He was very responsible and organized

The Cyclones’ bullpen carousel performed admirably. After Hall departed, Nunez brought in Gregori Louis, a southpaw, to counter Hudson Valley’s lefty-heavy lineup. Louis danced in and out of trouble over his inning of work, managing to hold the Renegades scoreless. Parker Carlson, an undrafted free agent whom the Mets took a flyer on, popped 93 mph in his scoreless inning and a third. Bryce Jenkins and Hoss Brewer combined for a run over two innings.

Tomorrow, the Cyclones will start RHP Wyatt Hudepohl in Game 2 of their series with the Renegades. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm. The club’s full roster can be found here.

Noah Hall. Photo by Bella Dunning of the Brooklyn Cyclones

Nothing epitomizes Noah Hall’s career more than the roller coasters from the Coney Island Boardwalk that surround his home ballpark, Maimodes Ballpark.

In 2023, his last season with the USC Gamecocks, the right-hander was limited to seven starts due to a balky shoulder. Despite the setback, the Mets selected Hall in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

In 2024, the right-hander’s season was knocked off-course by a shoulder injury. When healthy, he pitched well for both the St.Lucie Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones, and even soaked up some innings with the Mets’ AFL contingent for the Scottdale Scorpions in the fall.

Fresh off two injury-marred campaigns, Hall’s primary goal for the 2025 season was just to stay healthy. It’s fair to say the 24-year-old did that and more, posting a 2.72 ERA/3.91 FIP over 21 starts, placing him among the leaders in the South Atlantic League in several categories.

Hall threw 4.1 effective frames in the Cyclones’ 13-1 drubbing of the Hub City Spartanburgers in Game 1 of the SAL Finals, a series that the Cyclones would go on to sweep. After his successful 2025 stint, Hall was named as Brooklyn’s Opening Day starter to kick off the Cyclones’ 2026 season.

After Hall’s postseason outing, I got a chance to speak with him about his season, his work with the Mets’ Player Development program, and his arsenal.

MMO: First of all, congratulations on your outstanding outing. How did it feel being out there on the mound?

Hall: I knew it was a playoff game, so I had to calm down. So I was trying not to let my emotions get the better of me. I was trying to stay calm. Honestly, I was just competing. I struggled a little bit in the beginning, but I just stayed with the pitches I had.

MMO: In 2023, before you were drafted by the Mets, you dealt with a back injury. Last year, your shoulder knocked you out of action for the majority of the season. Given the context of the two seasons prior, talk to me about the importance of the postseason outing.

Hall: It just put the cherry on top of it. I just finished my first season in two years. It just feels good to say I made every start.

Noah Hall gets a K with runners on the corners to keep Hub City off the board.

Brooklyn leads 4-1 as we head to the bottom of the 3rd at Maimonides Park. pic.twitter.com/pdC9Bddo52

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) September 14, 2025

MMO: Talk to me about the transition from college ball to professional baseball. What did you expect? What was different from your expectations?

Hall: Well, it’s different, but I didn’t expect much. I had to learn it as I went. I tried not to have too many expectations. I would say I needed to pay attention to everything with plenty of detail. I needed to pay attention to detail with my body, routine, arm care, and lifting.

In the game, the preparation changed, too. I had to learn to read people’s swings. Overall, I would say the biggest adjustment is dealing with in-game situations like game planning.

MMO: Has there been a lot of change in terms of the technology used at the collegiate level compared to the technology used in professional baseball?

Hall: Yeah, I’d say, obviously we had Trackman and all that stuff (in college). In St.Lucie, we had the pitching lab. I talked to the guys [Mets’ Player Development Staff] about my information, and I just think it’s really cool.

It seems like a lot, but when you’re searching for answers in baseball, it really gives you a more specific issue to focus on. The lab breaks your body down mechanically, and it counts everything, from the force that your ball comes out of your hand to the level of flexion in your elbow.

It just helps get down to the details of it. I feel like the technology is what takes you to the next level in this game.

MMO: Anything specifically that you learned during your time in the pitching lab that you brought into today’s start?

Hall: My main problem is just something I still deal with to this day. It’s a counter-reaction at the peak of my leg lift. I played infield a lot, so I just want to fly open with my hips instead of getting that coil at the top of my leg lift and then holding it.

MMO: Can you walk me through your high spin changeup? Do you have any other unique aspects of your arsenal?

Hall: The high spin changeup comes from me playing basketball. Kyrie Irving was one of my favorite players, and I like making cool layups. I threw my two best sweepers of the year today. I’m going to work on the sweeper in the offseason. [The Mets Player Development People] like to talk about my two-seam, my four-seam, and my cutter. All three of my fastballs play really well with my arm slot.

MMO: Is there anything you’re really trying to focus on in the off-season?

Hall: Just continue to use and do my routine that I found here. I feel like I found a good strength and conditioning program with a mobility program, recovery, and ice baths.

Coming into next year, I have a really good idea of what I need to work on. I need to continue to get stronger and continue to let my body recover from throwing a hundred innings for the first time in two years.

This offseason, I’ll also work on the mechanical stuff that I haven’t really had time to work on because it’s kind of hard during the season. I can’t go out there and worry about mechanics in-season. I feel like if I stop and get complacent, progress is taken away.

MMO: Are there any pitchers in the Majors that you try to replicate, either in your delivery or your arsenal?

Hall: I try to take pieces from the Goats. (Detroit Tigers Cy Young Award Winner Tarik) Skubal did a YouTube video on his whole routine and I took a lot from that.

My favorite pitcher of all time, though, is Pedro Martinez. I like his mentality. He wasn’t scared to go in. He wasn’t scared to throw a fastball, and he wasn’t scared to throw at somebody’s head to be like, I’m here.

I feel like that’s really what made him. Obviously, he threw hard and threw a nasty changeup. I also like Stroman, Scherzer, and McLean. They all have good changeups

MMO: Is there anyone’s specific changeup that you really like?

Hall: I learned my changeup by listening to Pedro talk about it on YouTube. I tried to make it my own pitch and figured out how to use it best to utilize it.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Interview link: https://soundcloud.com/matt-mancuso-139191659/noah-hall-interview

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Jonah Tong, the No. 46 prospect in baseball on MLB Pipeline, got roughed up in his second start to his Triple-A campaign in 2026. Tong only lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs (four earned) on four hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Control has been an issue at times in Tong’s minor league career, and this start was no different. Only 34 of his 60 pitches thrown were for strikes, and his average four-seam fastball velocity was down nearly two miles per hour from last year, which is not uncommon for this time of the year. Despite the rough start, Tong is still looking to develop his secondary pitches to prepare for an eventual call-up to the Mets.

This loss brought Syracuse to 3-3 before squaring off again with Toledo at 4:05 PM for Fizzy Friday & Fireworks day.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (3-3) 7, Toledo Mud Hens (2-4) 17

BOX SCORE

• DH Nick Morabito 2-for-4, BB, 2B, R (.818 OPS)
• SS Ronny Mauricio 3-for-5, 2B, RBI (.697 OPS)
• LF Ryan Clifford 2-for-5, 2 K (.572 OPS)
• C Hayden Senger 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R (1.257 OPS)
• 2B Vidal Bruján 2-for-2, 2B, BB, R, K (1.127 OPS)

Offense was not the issue for Syracuse, who was able to put together 13 hits and score seven runs. Five Syracuse Mets players collected multi-hits, most notably Hayden Senger, who added two home runs and three runs batted in, raising his 2026 OPS to 1.257. Ronny Mauricio continued to heat up, adding three hits and a double. Ryan Clifford, MMO no. 5 prospect, tallied his first multi-hit game of 2026. Clifford has had hits in five out of the first six games in Syracuse, however also struck out five out of the first six games as well.

• RHP Jonah Tong 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K (6.35 ERA)
• RHP Ryan Lambert 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K (13.50 ERA)
• RHP Alex Carrillo  1/3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB (27.00 ERA)
• RHP Dan Hammer 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Daniel Duarte 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (6.75 ERA)

It was not just Jonah Tong who struggled, most of the Syracuse pitching staff struggled. Seven Syracuse Met pitchers made an appearance, and only two of them did not give up any earned runs. Mets relief pitching prospect Ryan Lambert gave up two extra-base hits and a run before striking out the side in the fourth inning. Alex Carrillo, a familiar face to some Mets fans, let the game get out of hand in the fifth with a combination of loud contact and a pair of walks, surrendering four earned runs while only being able to record one out.

Single-A

St. Lucie Mets (0-1) 3, Palm Beach Cardinals (1-0) 6

BOX SCORE

• SS Elian Peña 2-for-4, 2B, BB, K (1.350 OPS)
• 1B Randy Guzman 0-for-4, BB, K (.200 OPS)
• DH Julio Zayas 2-for-5, 2R, 2K (1.000 OPS)
• LF AJ Salgado 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB (1.400 OPS)

The St. Lucie Mets opened their season with a 6-3 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals. This game marked the debut of 18-year-old shortstop prospect Elian Peña. Peña, MMO no. 8 prospect, notably bypassed the Complex League by being assigned directly to St. Lucie Mets in 2026. Peña tore up the DSL league in 2025, producing a .949 OPS, nine home runs, 33 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, and an equal number of walks and strikeouts. This talent was on direct display in the opener, as Peña went 2-for-4, added a well-struck double to right, and walked. Julio Zayas added a pair of hits and runs, and LF AJ Salgado hit the team’s first home run of the season.

• LHP Nicolas Carreno 2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2K (3.86 ERA)
• RHP Tyler McLoughlin 1 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (16.20 ERA)
• RHP Omar Victorino 3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 1 K (3.00 ERA)
• RHP Felix Cepeda 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER (0.00 ERA)

Opening day starter Nicolas Carreno was up to 96 miles per hour in his 2026 debut. Carreno made a brief appearance for St. Lucie last year, throwing six innings with a 1.50 ERA. Tyler McLoughlin, the Mets 10th round pick from the 2025 Amateur Draft out of the University of Georgia, made his debut in his first full professional season. McLoughlin, throwing from a nearly sidearm arm slot, looks to establish himself this year as a relief pitching prospect in the Mets farm system. Felix Cepeda, formerly of the Red Sox farm system, made his Mets debut, throwing a scoreless inning to start his season.

Elian Pena. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Coming off a strong spring training, youngster Elian Peña will headline the 2026 St. Lucie Mets Opening Day roster. The 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic, inked to a $5 million signing bonus in January 2025, slashed .292/.421/.528 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in 221 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League last year. He stole 21 bases in 25 tries. He walked the same number of times (36) that he struck out.

The team will be managed by Luis Rivera. One of the new coaches in the Mets system will be in Port St. Lucie, former big leaguer Jimmy Nelson as the assistant pitching coach.

Catchers

Francisco Toledo – The 20-year-old will be making his full season debut.

Julio Zayas – Another 20-year-old making his full season debut. He had a .769 OPS last season for the FCL Mets.

Chase Meggers – He was signed to a minor-league contract as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Oregon last July and went 16-for-58 (.276 batting average) in 19 games for St. Lucie.

Infielders

Elian Peña – He had two three-homer games in the DSL and showed smooth hands and good footwork at shortstop, per a scouting report on Baseball Savant. The evaluators believe he has “legitimate five-tool impact potential across the board.”

Eddinson Paulino – The 23-year-old hit 13 home runs in 360 plate appearances and posted a .626 OPS for Double-A New Hampshire (Blue Jays) last season. The Mets signed him as a minor-league free agent after Toronto opted not to put him on its 40-man roster.

Sam Robertson – He went 10-for-58 for St. Lucie after the Mets took him in the 17th round of the 2025 draft out of Northwest-Shoals (Alabama) Community College.

Kevin Villavicencio – The 22-year-old posted a .605 OPS in 83 games at St. Lucie last year and then a .590 OPS in 63 games in the Mexican Pacific Winter League.

Randy Guzman – He hit 10 homers in 75 games combined last year between St. Lucie and Rookie Ball. “He’s up there to hack,” per a Baseball Savant scouting report. “When he runs into a ball, he really runs into it with his strength.” His 90th percentile exit velocity at Low-A was higher than Konnor Griffin‘s in the same league. The Mets signed him for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic in September 2022.

Outfielders

Sam Biller – He went 4-for-17 at St. Lucie after the Mets signed him as an undrafted free agent in August. He hit 13 home runs and posted a .978 OPS in 58 games at the University of Connecticut last year.

Simon Juan – He hit .222/.290/.340 with seven homers and stole 17 bases in 98 games at St. Lucie last season.

AJ Salgado – He hit .312/.418/.581 with 12 home runs in 64 games at UCLA last year and the Mets signed him as an undrafted free agent. He then went 19-for-72 with a home run and six steals in 23 games at St. Lucie.

JT Benson – The 24-year-old will be making his affiliated ball debut.

Cam Tilly

Pitchers

RHP Luis Alvarez – The reliever struck out 30 and walked 15 in 23 1/3 innings (5.40 ERA) at St. Lucie last season

RHP Frank Camarillo – The 2025 13th round pick will be making his pro debut.

LHP Nicolas Carreno – The 19-year-old from Venezuela pitched to a 6.85 ERA in 22 1/3 innings at Rookie Ball last year, then gave up one earned run in six innings at St. Lucie.

RHP Felix Cepeda – The 25-year-old pitched for the Sioux City Explorers in the American Association last year.

RHP Joe Charles – The 25-year-old had 49 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings last year for Florida State University.

RHP Jose Chirinos – He posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 56 1/3 innings pitched at St. Lucie last season.

RHP Jorge De Leon – He struck out 27, but walked an alarming 24 in 18 2/3 innings pitched to a 6.27 ERA for St. Lucie last year.

RHP Ryan Dollar – The 2025 undrafted free agent signee will be making his pro debut.

RHP Joel Lara – The 19-year-old reliever from the Dominican Republic struck out 42 in 34 innings (3.71 ERA) at Rookie Ball and St. Lucie last year.

RHP Tyler McLoughlin – The 2025 10th round pick pitched in only two games last year.

RHP Ernesto Mercedes – He pitched to a 3.38 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 42 2/3 innings at St. Lucie last season.

RHP Elwis Mijares – The 20-year-old from Venezuela gave up four earned runs in 12 2/3 innings at Rookie Ball last season.

RHP Christian Rodriguez – The reliever struck out 41 and walked 31 in 40 2/3 innings pitched (4.20 ERA) combined at St. Lucie and in Rookie Ball.

RHP Joe Scarborough – The Mets took him in the 19th round of last year’s draft out of Jacksonville State University in Alabama, where he struck out 14 in 18 1/3 innings.

RHP Cam Tilly – The highest drafted player on the St. Lucie roster will be making his pro debut.

RHP Omar Victorino – He pitched to a 3.97 ERA in 65 2/3 innings combined last season at St. Lucie and in Rookie Ball. He struck out 52 and walked 40.

LHP Conner Ware – The 15th round pick from last year will also be making his pro debut.

RHP Caden Wooster – The Mets signed him as an undrafted free agent last year out of Santa Clara, where he pitched to a 7.24 ERA over 27 1/3 innings.

The St. Lucie Mets will kick off their season on Thursday vs the Palm Beach Cardinals in Jupiter.

Binghamton Roster

Brooklyn Roster