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As if the last part of our list wasn’t fun enough, we begin to see a major influx of tools as we enter our top 18 prospects. After adding the likes of Isaiah and Guanipa back in 2023, the Braves made serious changes to what kind of players they were looking to add which is why we are beginning to see an influx of position prospects beginning to make the list. Speed, and overall approach stand out the most with this group of teenager, but there is a lot more to like about them including their untapped power potential. Owen, Cody, Isaiah, Conor, and Luis possess the tools that make you excited about watching minor league baseball. With proper development you’re looking at five position players that have the tools to be impact major leaguers whether that be with Atlanta, or via a trade with another organization. We are also entering the part of the list where things start to get REALLY fun. So pour yourself a glass of water, do some reading, and let’s hear your thoughts on the list below.

19-24 | 25-30 | Honorable Mentions

18. Blake Burkhalter – RHP

How he got to the Braves: 2022 2nd round compensation pick (76th overall)

It’s been an eventful winter for Blake Burkhalter. First he was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft, and went unpicked by the 29 other teams. Then it seems like his Triple-A move to the pen is a move that is going to stick for him on a more permanent basis. Last year he spent the season split between Columbus and Gwinnett and starting and relieving, posting a 3.13 ERA and 1.28 WHIP as a starter in Columbus. With Gwinnett he made two starts and 16 relief appearances, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP – though a 3.86 ERA and 1.33 WHIP as a reliever. After he struck out 65 in 72 innings with Columbus, he struck out 23 over 31 innings in Gwinnett – though it worth noting that he struck out 16 over 21 relief innings. Burkhalter has a fastball up to 98 MPH and cutter that can miss bats, plus a slider and change that are more average, and has above average command. In a relief role he will be able to rely more heavily on the fastball and cutter combo that are his better pitches. He is likely to start back in Gwinnett considering he isn’t on the 40-man roster, but is likely to see Atlanta at some point this season. Although he was a college closer his upside is probably more of a 7th/8th inning guy.

17. Owen Carey – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2024 15th round pick (461st overall)

In terms of players in Atlanta’s system with significant helium to their status, Carey has to be near the top of anyone’s top prospects list. 

While he was a late-round pick in his respective draft class, the Braves felt confident enough in Carey’s abilities by handing him a signing bonus of $150,000. So far, Carey has made good on that investment.

On the surface, Carey’s numbers weren’t exactly eye popping in his first professional season. Across 469 at-bats, Carey posted a .675 OPS for low-A Augusta, to go along with four homers and 63 RBI. However, considering he was nearly 2 and a half  years younger than the competition, those numbers actually stand out as fairly solid for the young outfielder.

What is more encouraging for Carey, is that he showed tremendous plate discipline during his stint with the GreenJackets. Carey struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances for Augusta, and while he didn’t walk much – only 7.2% of the time – there’s still plenty to like with what Carey did while with the GreenJackets.

The main thing you want to see from Carey moving forward, is for him to get some lift on the ball, as he hit the ball on the ground in roughly half his at-bats for the year. If he can do that as he builds more muscle and taps into a bit more power, Carey could be a legitimate top-10 talent in the system by the time the season comes to a close.

It will be fascinating to see where Carey’s bat takes him in 2026. He’s likely slated to repeat at Augusta, at least to begin the season, as he gets back up to last year’s speed. From there, he should have a relatively quick bump to Rome where he and fellow teen outfielder Eric Hartman could suit up together at high-A before the all-star break.

16. Cody Miller – SS/3B/OF

How he got to the Braves: 2025 3rd round pick (96th overall)

The Braves surprised many when they drafted East Tennessee State shortstop Cody Miller in the third round in July and proceeded to sign him for an underslot bonus of $297.5k. Miller was way under the radar leading up to the draft, but his 2025 saw him rise the rankings of the Braves. After hitting just two home runs in each of his first two college seasons, Miller blasted 18 last spring with a slash of .331/.430/.623, and also added 27 steals while drawing 28 walks to his 35 strikeouts. He followed that up by heading to the Cape Cod League and slashing .261/.333/.439 with three more homers there against better competition than he faced at ETSU. Miller wasn’t just taking advantage of lesser competition, as he fared quite well against power conference teams as well last spring. He was drafted as a speed and hit tool guy, who has a little bit of pop, and also some defensive versatility. After signing he went to Augusta and hit .372/.417/.488 with a homer in 10 games before quickly being promoted to Rome. His time in Rome saw him play in 16 games and hit .297/.357/.422 with a homer. Combined he hit .327/.381/.449 with two homers, five doubles, a triple, 10 steals, and eight walks to 32 strikeouts over 118 plate appearances. He is likely to head back to Rome, but could push his way to Columbus quickly – even out of camp, and has played second, third, short, and left within the last year and has the speed to get a look in center as well. He has a Trea Turner-like skill set in that he should be able to make good contact, elite speed, and could be able to punch out 15-20 homers a year, though the first real test for him will be Double-A against upper level pitching

IT'S MILLER TIME AT AUGUSTA!!!! pic.twitter.com/APylTWbtx5

— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) August 2, 2025

15. Isaiah Drake – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2023 5th round pick (162nd overall)

Headed into 2025, there was no prospect who needed to have an above-average year more so than Isaiah Drake. Coming off back-to-back seasons in which he posted a sub-.600 OPS, Drake needed to find an offensive switch, and it needed to happen sooner rather than later.

Needless to say, he found it.

Drake posted his best season yet at the plate, which culminated in a late season promotion to Rome, where he continued to show his offensive strides. In 84 games with Augusta before his promotion, Drake slashed .260/.341/.364 with five homers and 47 RBI. He also managed to swipe 35 bags while only getting caught 9 times.

With Rome, Drake suited up for 32 games in which he hit .303 with an OPS of .682. He also swatted one homer and drove in 12 runs. The biggest detriment to his game has been his inability to cut down on the strikeouts – in which he did so 23 times in 122 at-bats for Rome.

Drake’s skillset is well-documented; He’s a quick-twitch outfielder with exceptional speed and athleticism. The only thing lacking in his game thus far had been his offensive profile, which appears to have possibly made a turn for the better. However, it’s too small a sample size to determine that aspect for certain, so we’ll need to see Drake carry that into the 2026 season.

Drake appears slated to spend a majority, if not all, of the upcoming season with Rome as he continues to refine his approach at the plate. He doesn’t have to hit for a ton of power, as he can let the rest of his tools do a lions share of the talking. If he can tap into a little bit of power while keeping his batting consistent, Drake could be a sneaky guy to move up into the upper minors this season considering the sheer lack of depth the Braves have when it comes to outfield prospects.

Isaiah Drake gets us on the board in the 5th! pic.twitter.com/Fzxrhuutqa

— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) June 6, 2025

14. Conor Essenburg – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2025 5th round pick (157th overall)

One of the biggest wildcards on the list, Braves 2025 fifth round draft pick Conor Essenburg finds himself all the way up at No. 14 overall on our list. With Essenburg comes pure projection – a surprisingly polished prep bat with strong exit velocities, and power projection that can make every Braves fan happy. He was a two way player that can touch the low-to-mid 90s on the mound, but it’s the potential with the bat that the Braves are interested in as they selected him as an outfielder during the draft. As with any prep player the question is will the hit tool translate – so that is something to keep an eye on this year as he makes his professional debut, likely in the FCL. But as is, Conor immediately becomes one of the highest upside outfield prospects in the system which is a group that is rapidly growing with power potential, a solid hit tool, average speed, and a big arm. Look for him to slot into that right fielder spot, though if the size and power continue to grow there is a tiny risk he profiles more as a first baseman. That said, there’s no reason to go down that route now because he has not shown any of that risk.

3-1 count & Conor Essenburg does not miss his pitch.

The 2025 OF/LHP touches every bit of this to the pull-side for the monster 3-run 💣

105 EV, 388ft onto field 16 👀

Monster juice in the barrel for the #Super60 participant & @UKBaseball commit.@PrepBaseballIL@ShooterHuntpic.twitter.com/92aetvRJp5

— Ian Smith (@IanSmittyGA) April 1, 2025

13. Luis Guanipa – OF

How he got to the Braves: 2023 international free agent

The Braves signed Luis Guanipa as their top international free agent three years ago for $2.5M. He was seen as a potential five-tool talent and backed that up in his pro debut. In the DSL in 2023 he hit .238/.361/.384 with four homers and 20 steals over 46 games. That was enough to shoot him up the rankings ahead of 2024, but unfortunately that ended up being a lost year for him due to injuries. He hit a combined .219/.286/.291 with two homers and 10 steals over 52 combined games between Augusta and the FCL after a late start to his season and then an additional injury layoff. The hope was that he would be healthy again and bounce back in 2025, but injuries hit again and limited him to just 35 games combined between Augusta and the FCL. He hit just .262/.345/.325 with just one homer and two steals – however he did show some growth during the season. He had monthly OPS marks of .182 and .636 in April and June, but .708 and .830 in July and August as he seemed to hit a lot better – however it needs to be noted that all of these months are small sample sizes, between 11 and 66 plate appearances. Guanipa when healthy still has shown five-tool ability, though will need to do a better job of translating his raw power into games. He is still just barely 20 years old and has the time to repeat Augusta and work with a strong coaching staff there again

With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.

Today we are looking at second baseman Marcus Semien.

Former second baseman Marcus Semien, I guess I should say.

Marcus Semien being traded felt like…not the end of an era, necessarily, but definitely the end of a particular chapter in the book of the Texas Rangers.

51 months ago, the Texas Rangers were coming off a disastrous season. The team had committed to an (arguably) long overdue rebuild after a disappointing 2020 season. The 2021 team was bad, reaching 100 losses for the first time since the first two years the franchise was in Arlington. Joey Gallo, a year and a half away from free agency and playing like a superstar, was traded to the Yankees at the deadline after rejecting a contract extension as the Rangers took on a “no half measures” approach. Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy were shipped off to Philadelphia at the break. Things appeared bleak, to say the least.

At the end of season press conference, Jon Daniels and Chris Young told fans that the rebuild was over, and the team was committed to going big in the free agent market that winter. Payroll would be going up, the Rangers were looking to get much better, quickly, and they were going to spend money to accomplish that. It was a very strong free agent class, headed by five stellar shortstops, and the Rangers were going big game hunting.

The reaction was predictable. There was scoffing. There was mockery. There were predictions that the Rangers would miss out on the top players, say they made competitive offers and were really trying, and then add some third-tier free agents and call it a day. Folks pointed to the pursuit of Anthony Rendon after the 2019 season, a player the Rangers prioritized, and how they fell woefully short to the offer made by Arte Moreno and the Angels. That was proof the Rangers might talk a big game, but when push came to shove they would fall short.

Then, on the afternoon of November 28, 2021, news broke that the Texas Rangers were landing Marcus Semien, one of the big five shortstops, on a 7 year, $175 million deal.

The baseball world was shook. Rangers fans were floored. The skeptics had to eat their words. The Rangers went big, on a long-term contract for a guy with two top-three MVP finishes in the previous three years.

The rebuild was over, and the Rangers were committed to winning again.

A day later, news broke that the Rangers were signing Corey Seager to a 10 year, $325 million deal. In a two day period, a team that had just lost 102 games committed a half-billion dollars to two of the best free agents available. And they still weren’t done, agreeing to terms with free agent pitcher Jon Gray on a four year deal. All three players were officially signed right before the owners locked out the players, resulting in an especially frustrating period where our celebration over the new acquisitions was muted due to the uncertainty of the coming 2022 season.

Seager, of course, was the prize addition, and so far appears to be one of the best signings in Texas Rangers history. He’s who we think of first when we think about the big moves that offseason that kickstarted the return to contention, ultimately culminating in a World Series title in 2023, the first in franchise history.

But it all started with Marcus Semien.

And now, Semien is gone, traded with three years left on his deal, to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo. Gray is gone, a free agent, his career in question because of ongoing health issues. Corey Seager is still here, of course, and hopefully isn’t going anywhere. But both the roster and the dynamics of this club are much different now.

Marcus Semien’s final season with the Rangers was much like his first and third seasons with the team. He was excellent defensively, not so excellent offensively. He won a Gold Glove, and gets a good chunk of credit for the Rangers’ team Gold Glove award in 2025. He also put up a 97 OPS+ and an 89 wRC+, which isn’t ideal.

Semien slashed .230/.305/.364 in 2025, and regardless of circumstances, that’s not what you want. He did have a noticeable home/road split, slashing .217/.303/.314 at home and .242/.308/.410 on the road. He also missed the final six weeks of the season, and one could possibly surmise that his overall slash line would have looked better had he not missed that time, since over the course of his career, his OPS by month goes up in orderly fashion, lowest in April, second lowest in May, and so on. He has a career 815 OPS in the month of September, 59 points better than his career OPS, and his 65 career homers in the final month of the season is 19 more than his second highest month (August, natch).

Looking at Semien’s offensive profile, you can see how he would be particularly affected by the Shed in 2025, and the way the ball just flat didn’t travel well there. Semien hits the ball in the air a lot, particularly to the pull side — in his four seasons with the Rangers, he had just two opposite field home runs. However, he’s never hit the ball particularly hard — his hard hit rate was right at his career average in 2025, but was just good enough to be in the 17th percentile in 2025, per Statcast.

Hitting the ball in the air but not particularly hard is how you end up with a .251 BABIP, which is what Semien sported in 2025. It was tied for fourth lowest among 145 qualifying hitters in 2025, behind Eugenio Suarez, Josh Bell, and Cal Raleigh, and tied with Sal Perez. And if the ball isn’t carrying, that exacerbates the power problem, since you aren’t picking up doubles as much either. Semien’s 16 doubles in 2025 were the lowest in a full season in his career, and even if you extrapolate it out to 160 games like he usually plays, it would be the lowest total. His ISO of .134 was the second lowest of his career, behind only 2018, when he had a .133 ISO.

Marcus Semien is still a good player. In 127 games, he put up 2.1 fWAR and 3.3 bWAR. At the age of 35, he is obviously in the decline phase of his career, but a 2-4 win second baseman has value, and I don’t think there’s any question he will work to get as much as he can out of himself for the remainder of his contract.

He’ll just be doing it with the Mets, instead of the Rangers, going forward.

Previously:

Gerson Garabito

Tyler Mahle

Kyle Higashioka

Adolis Garcia

Luis Curvelo

Alejandro Osuna

Blaine Crim

Jake Burger

Jacob Webb

Nick Ahmed

Jon Gray

Carl Edwards Jr.

Josh Jung

Leody Taveras

Dustin Harris

Marc Church

Luke Jackson

Danny Coulombe

Wyatt Langford

Dylan Moore

Michael Helman

Evan Carter

Cole Winn

Rowdy Tellez

Dane Dunning

With Monday’s big trade news, the Mariners accomplished one of their major off-season goals, shoring up the infield with the acquisition of Brendan Donovan. That leaves just one item on the off-season shopping list: a reliever to help bolster the bullpen. Obviously, we love us a Pile Guy™, and the staff has already started laying claim to some of our fave breakout picks: Nick is an Alex Hoppe-Hoper, ZAM has a crush on Cooper Criswell, and John just never got over a guy named Robinson (Ortiz, in this case). Personally, I am still licking my wounds after going all-in on Adonis Medina last season and am slow to trust again. But relying on a waiver-wire-castoff reliever to be a steadying force in the bullpen is a risky proposition, despite the success the Mariners have had with that in the past. Commenter AJPDX listed out a few names to consider for free agent relievers in the Moose Tracks yesterday, so I thought we’d take a closer look at some of them today.

AJPDX’s original list was Danny Coulombe, Justin Wilson, Andrew Chafin, Evan Phillips, José Leclerc, Paul Sewald, Michael Kopech, Nick Martinez. I have a hard time seeing the Mariners adding a third lefty to the bullpen, so I think we can scratch Coulombe, Wilson, and Chafin (sorry to his site doppelganger Connor, who has always wanted the Mariners to sign Chafin).

Having scratched those guys, Nick Martinez is probably the most intriguing name left on the list to me, but I agree with AJPDX’s thought that Martinez probably wants another shot at starting—and given that after Framber Valdez signs he’ll be the best starter remaining by WAR, I think someone will give him a shot to do so.

Next are the injury guys. José Leclerc, who the A’s gave $10M to last season, had season-ending rotator cuff surgery in July. He could be ready for spring training, but is likely not on a regular ramp-up schedule. Evan Phillips had TJ in June and won’t be ready until after the All-Star Break; he also reportedly prefers a straight one-year deal rather than the two-year deal some pitchers have signed post-TJ, making him a tough fit. Paul Sewald is coming off injury and is 36. Michael Kopech also has a lengthy injury history, including last season, and has had problems commanding the zone his whole career, but he offers the highest upside out of this group.

Beyond those guys, the list of available options is…not. Most everyone left has signed or retired. The steadiest hand left might be Luke Jackson, who was with the team last season.

At this point, the Mariners have built a pile and their in-house options likely outstrip anything left on the market. A minor trade is always a possibility as teams finalize their rosters prior to spring training, and feels likelier to me if they’re adding anyone than signing one of the leftover relievers. If you have a favorite target, please toss it in the comments – or if you’re willing to throw your lot in with one of the pitching pile guys, say so. This is a safe space.

Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen is still a free agent going into the final days leading up to spring training.

McCutcheon, 39, is still looking to play this season and would like to return to the Pirates where he has played for each of the past three seasons. However, the Pirates have yet to offer him a contract. The Athletic insider Ken Rosenthal explains why that may be the case.

“The offseason is not yet over. The Pirates’ estimated $95 million payroll is only $8 million above last season’s final number, a total deflated by trades of David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes and several veterans on one-year deals. As the team’s pursuit of Suárez demonstrated, Cherington still wants to add another hitter. If he does not, the spectre of McCutchen will hang over Don Kelly’s first spring training as manager. Not exactly the vibe the Pirates are seeking,“ Rosenthal wrote.

“Perhaps this all was unavoidable for a proud player and often bumbling franchise. But if the Pirates had been more straightforward with McCutchen, they at least would have made clear that they offered him no guarantees beyond 2025. They held internal discussions about relating those intentions to McCutchen, sources said. But they decided against taking a direct approach, perhaps out of fear of confrontation.”

Many Pirates fans, and McCutchen included, hope that he can play in black and gold this season, but the longer he is off the roster, the less likely it seems that will be the case. McCutchen shared his thoughts on the matter in a social media post last month.

“If this is my last year, it would have been nice to meet the fans one last time as a player. Talk to them about my appreciation for them over the years,” McCutchen tweeted.

“Shake that little kids hand or hug the fan that’s been a fan since Clemente. You see, this is bigger than baseball! Bigger than looking at a 40 man roster and cherry picking numbers that fit your agenda or prove why your opinion matters. The fans deserved at the very least to get that opportunity. Idk what the future holds for me at the present moment, but what I do know is though I am 39, on the backend of my career, I still work everyday to be better than I was the year before. If there wasnt [sic] a burning desire to continue this journey, I would be home surrounded by my family, in which no one would judge or be surprised. But not yet. There’s more work to do and Im not done, no matter what label to you try to stamp on me. Rip the jersey off of me.”

Pirates pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton for spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

The people have spoken and Alfonsin Rosario is our No. 16 Cleveland Guardians prospect for 2026. Rosario squeaked through with 31.3% of the vote, just beating out Juneiker Caceres (28.3%) followed by an intriguing trio of Yorman Gomez (11.1%), Andrew Walters (10.1%) and Austin Peterson (9.1%).

Rosario was a sixth round draft pick by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the P27 Academy in Lexington, South Carolina.

After a cup of coffee in the Complex League the year he was drafted, he was sent straight to full-season Single-A in 2024, where he showcased a unique blend of power and speed, blasting 16 home runs and stealing 20 bases in 109 games, good for a 131 wRC+ in his age-20 season, although he struck out 32.2% of the time.

Cleveland acquired Rosario from the Cubs in a trade for reliever Eli Morgan in the offseason, and Rosario debuted at High-A Lake County to begin the 2025 campaign. While there, he was one of the top offensive performers in the entire Cleveland system, slashing .268/.362/.490 with 16 home runs and 12 steals in 82 games, good for a 139 wRC+. He maintained a decent 10.5% walk rate while dropping his strikeout rate over 7 percentage points at the new level.

Rosario finished the 2025 season with 33 games at Double-A Akron, where he still was above average, but his contact rates dropped, slashing .211/.303/.391. The walk rate stayed steady, but he reverted to his 2024 strikeout rates and his power numbers dipped a bit with five home runs in that timespan.

Rosario is one of the rare right-handed outfield prospects in Cleveland’s system. He posts elite exit velocities, similar to Johnathon Rodriguez and Jhonkensy Noel, but has better speed and athleticism. He can run well, has immense power potential and has a cannon for a throwing arm, but contact will make or break him as a prospect. If he can keep his strikeout rate at a reasonable level, he could definitely be a MLB contributor at some point in the next year. Look for him to repeat 2026 at Double-A, but he could be promoted quickly if he gets off to a hot start.

Now, it’s time to determine who is number 17 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:

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Juneiker Caceres, OF (Age 18)
2025 (CPX) 160 PA, .289/.419/.469, 3 HR, 5 SB, 16.9 BB%, 11.3 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (A): 130 PA, .250/.331/.345, 1 HR, 2 SB, 6.9 BB%, 13.1 K%, 103 wRC+

Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.

Alfonsin Rosario, OF (Age 21)
2025 (A+) 354 PA, .268/.362/.490, 16 HR, 12 SB, 10.8 BB%, 25.1 K%, 139 wRC+
2025 (AA): 145 PA, .211/.303/.391, 5 HR, 2 SB, 10.3 BB%, 33.1 K%, 105 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.

Jacob Cozart, C (Age 23)
2025 (A+) 308 PA, .229/.344/.364, 7 HR, 0 SB, 13.3 BB%, 21.1K%, 106 wRC+
2025 (AA) 94 PA, .256/.330/.390, 2 HR, 0 SB, 8.5 BB%, 25.5K%, 113 wRC+

Selected as a defense-first catcher with some pop in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Cozart had above-average offensive seasons at both High-A and Double-A in 2025.

Dauri Fernandez, SS (Age 18)
2025 (ACL) 176 PA, .333/.398/.558, 6 HR, 16 SB, 9.1 BB%, 12.5 K%, 147 wRC+
2025 (A): 24 PA, .273/.250/.318, 0 HR, 2 SB, 0 BB%, 12.5 K%, 57 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.

Franklin Gomez, LHP (Age 20)
w/ Mets 2025 (A): 14 G, 82.0 IP, 1.85 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 21.4 K%, 11.7 BB%, 1.09 WHIP
w/ Mets 2025 (A+): 6 GS, 48.2 IP, 1.70 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 23.4 K%, 9.9 BB%, 1.83 WHIP

Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.

Yorman Gomez, RHP (Age 23)
2025 (A+): 17 G, 76.0 IP, 2.84 ERA, 2.92 FIP, 27.3 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.11 WHIP
2025 (AA): 10 G, 45.2 IP, 3.15 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 28.0 K%, 9.5 BB%, 1.25 WHIP

Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.

Josh Hartle, LHP (Age 22)
2025 (A+): 22 GS, 103.1 IP, 2.35 ERA, 3.06 FIP, 24.0 K%, 8.9 BB%, 1.05 WHIP
2025 (AA): 2 GS, 10.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 16.3 K%, 4.7 BB%, 1.50 WHIP

Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.

Austin Peterson, RHP (Age 26)
2025 (AA): 11 GS, 55.0 IP, 1.47 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 23.9 K%, 4.9 BB%, 0.84 WHIP
2025 (AAA): 15 GS, 90.2 IP, 4.27 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 20.2 K%, 7.8 BB%, 1.37 WHIP

Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.

Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18)
2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+

One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.

Andrew Walters, RHP (Age 25)
2025 (AAA): 12 G, 12.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 1.91 FIP, 46.0 K%, 18.0 BB%, 1.17 WHIP
2025 (MLB): 2 G, 1.1 IP, 13.50 ERA, 9.89 FIP, 33.3 K%, 0.0 BB%, 1.50 WHIP

Walters maintains his rookie status due to limited MLB appearances because of an injury in 2025. If he returns at 100%, he’ll once again be a factor in the back end of Cleveland’s vaunted bullpen.

Our list so far:
1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF
2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B
3. Parker Messick, LHP
4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF
5. Angel Genao, SH SS
6. Braylon Doughty, RHP
7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C
8. Khal Stephen, RHP
9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B
10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF
11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF
12. Daniel Espino, RHP
13. George Valera, LHH OF
14. Jace LaViolette, LHH OF
15. Joey Oakie, RHP
16. Alfonsin Rosario, RHH OF

While we’ve only just begun the month of February, Major League Baseball’s 2026 spring training is fast approaching. Teams are gearing up for what is set to be another interesting season with plenty of ups and downs for every player and club.

The New York Yankees are no different. GM Brian Cashman and company feel strongly that their depth through the infield and, of course, the outfield—with MVP Aaron Judge back in right alongside Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, who both re-signed—will be strong enough to keep them in contention with an American League East division that looks poised to be run through north of the American border in Toronto.

One of the key areas of focus heading into the new season isn’t the bats, though. Instead, it’s the pitching. The Yankees will be down Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón until later in the first half, and Clarke Schmidt is also returning from Tommy John surgery that will keep him out for the forseeable future, but the piece of the puzzle that feels hardest to place is the bullpen, which had its fair share of ups and downs through the 2025 regular season and into the playoffs. It lost a few names over the offseason to make things even more interesting. And I’m not so confident things will be as peachy keen as Cashman and manager Aaron Boone believe.

Last season, the Yankees’ relievers finished with an fWAR of 2.8, only good for 21st in MLB, and while some of their numbers like expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP) were strong (third-best in MLB), their ERA was not nearly up to the standard necessary to take them all the way to a championship, finishing 23rd at 4.37. They also had the fourth-worst walk rate of all relief corps, issuing free passes to 9.2 percent of opposing hitters.

The Yankees lost two of their big-name players to the crosstown New York Mets, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. And while Weaver was far more in favor with Yankees fans than Williams was (although last season was harder for Weaver than his pennant-winning 2024), those are still two arms who pitched plenty of innings for the Yankees that they won’t have access to anymore. Williams, despite his blowups from time to time on the mound, posted the highest fWAR amongst all Yankees relievers (1.4) and the fourth-most among all Yankees pitchers, although Cam Schlittler and Clarke Schmidt were poised to pass him had they played more games. By season’s end, Williams was honestly in a pretty good spot setting up for closer David Bednar.

The Bombers were, of course, right in the middle of Trade Deadline action, acquiring a few names that will still be around in 2026, including Bednar, who was fantastic in high-leverage situations after coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Camilo Doval also came over and had a less-than-ideal 22 games with the Yankees, pitching to the tune of a 4.82 ERA. The former Giants All-Star seemed to flash his old form in late September and early October, but he’s also become known for inconsistency in recent years. Just like the sometimes-dangerous Fernando Cruz, it will always be hard to know which Doval is going to show up on a given night. Then there’s Jake Bird, who garnered the most disappointing reaction of the three and the most disappointing results easily, pitching in three games and in only two innings of work, finished with a 27.00 ERA before being sent down to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre and struggling in the minors.

Then, of course, there are other names such as Tim Hill, who had his club option picked up, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn, both of whom the Yankees re-signed, Cade Winquest, who was selected in the Rule 5 Draft, and Angel Chivilli, who was traded to New York via the Rockies for a prospect.

All of these players will have a serious shot at earning high-leverage innings. However, while these pitchers may have ranging levels of upside, they aren’t names that scream “World Series-caliber bullpen” to me. Instead, it screams: “Matt Blake is going to have his work cut out for him, and if there are any issues whatsoever, the Yankees will be in a world of hurt.”

Having one reclamation project or a pitcher who has intriguing underlying numbers but needs a little bit of guidance in bringing back a pitch to help him reach his full potential is one thing. However, this bullpen feels as if there are about four or five of those for Blake to work with. One could fairly argue that Bednar is the only safe bet in this entire bunch; if you believe in Hill’s moxie (which is also fair), then maybe there are two. And at least a couple of the other arms are going to have to not just be able to fill in during high-leverage situations, but they’re going to need to do that consistently. If they should falter, Yankees fans will be certain to make their voices heard that the offseason decision to not even add one more trustworthy arm was poor.

The Yankees’ pitching coaches have a daunting task ahead of them in 2026 to try to make some sense out of this odd bullpen. While there are still some names who could make a sizeable impact for the team, the majority haven’t gained the trust of the fans—and rightfully so, given previous performances with other teams or in pinstripes. While there could be some room for bullpen optimism heading into 2026, the Yankees’ relief corps has yet to give me any reason for it.

Well, well, well. Looks like we got a project here, folks.

Matthew Fisher – 42
Jean Cabrera – 19
Cade Obermueller – 14
Carson DeMartini – 12
Keaton Anthony – 10
Yoniel Curat – 7
Griffin Burkholder – 6
Mavis Graves – 3
Romeli Espinosa – 3
Alex McFarlane – 2

It’s kind of fun to be a bit giddy about Fisher. The team went over slot to sign him, something that a lot of people predraft were pegging some team to do. The Phillies haven’t gone over slot for a lot of people, so the fact that they deemed Fisher worthy means they see something in him worth the money. Having not pitched a professional inning yet means there is more imagination here than fact, but based on some of the scouting reports here, the Phillies might have found a decent prospect that they can bring along slowly.

Fisher is one to watch.

2025 stats

Has yet to make his professional debut

Fangraphs scouting report

He was 19 on draft day and is a bigger, heavier athlete than most high school pitchers, but Fisher is very limber and athletic, and has a gorgeous arm action, with the cut/ride fastball/curveball combo that lots of modern scouting departments covet.

Though Fisher’s body lacks the usual projection, his fastball still experienced a velo bump late in high school. He was more 88-92 mph during his showcase summer, then was 92-95 in his pre-draft spring. Fisher’s fastball is the kind that thrives when located at the top of the zone, spinning in at 2,500 rpm and averaging 17 inches of induced vertical break, with natural cut at times. He’s a natural supinator with a big two-planed curveball in the 78-82 mph range that spins at roughly 2,900 rpm, giving him the foundation to be able to add multiple breaking balls and maybe a kick change as he develops.

With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.

Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!

In last offseason's analysis of the Mets' payroll situation, we pointed out how the team -- fresh off a run to the NLCS and with tons of money coming off the books -- was uniquely positioned to be aggressive, including the potential to make a serious run at Juan Soto.

The Mets were indeed aggressive and they landed Soto, changing the complexion of the payroll for the next 15 seasons.

This time around, the club was regrouping after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, as they went from the best team in baseball in June to one that missed the postseason entirely.

Colored by David Stearns' stated refusal to "run it back," the 2025-26 offseason featured seismic change.

With the dust having settled, gone are fan favorites and key lineup cogs Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil.

Also gone is closer Edwin Diaz, who wanted to return but wound up with the Dodgers in Los Angeles, with Devin Williams set to take Diaz's closer role.

The way the offseason unfolded, with most of the Mets' key departures happening early and many of their big imports arriving late, there was a sense of uncertainty in the air for quite some time.

But with three enormous moves in late January -- Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta -- Stearns executed his plan to near perfection. 

With a large chunk of the pitching staff already at spring training in Port St. Lucie ahead of next week's reporting date and Opening Day next month at Citi Field, here's how the payroll situation looks for 2026 and beyond...

SALARY COMMITTED FOR 2026

The Mets entered the offseason with roughly $223 million committed for 2026, per Cot's Contracts -- a number that included the $18 million estimated for player benefits, as well as money owed to arbitration-eligible players, zero-to-three players in both the majors and minors who are under team control, and the bonus pool for pre-arbitration players.

As things currently stand, the Mets' projected 40-man payroll for CBT purposes is $376.6 million. That includes $17 million still owed this season to Frankie Montas, who has been released.

For reference, New York ended last season with a 40-man payroll of $346.6 million.

Typically, the payroll expands during the season as teams add players via trade and the waiver wire. 

Now off the books are the contracts of Alonso and Diaz (who both opted out before signing elsewhere). Also mostly cleared is the contract of Nimmo, who has five years and 97.25 million left on his contract (New York is paying $6 million of Nimmo's salary for 2026). The Mets will be covering $5.75 million of McNeil's remaining salary, and will pay his $2 million buyout for 2027 if the Athletics don't exercise his team option. 

Other big obligations also off the books: Starling Marte (who made $20.75 million in 2025), Jesse Winker ($7.5 million), Ryne Stanek ($4.5 million), Griffin Canning ($4.25 million), and last season's four major trade deadline acquisitions -- Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, Cedric Mullins, and Gregory Soto.

It's possible the Mets bring Marte back on a much smaller contract than the one that just expired.

Here are the major offseason additions and their cost against the CBP payroll for 2026:

Bo Bichette: $42 million
Marcus Semien: $24 million
Luis Robert Jr.: $22 million
Jorge Polanco: $20 million
Devin Williams: $15 million
Luke Weaver: $11 million
Freddy Peralta: $8 million

WHAT ABOUT EXTENSIONS FOR UNDER-CONTROL PLAYERS?

The name that jumps out here is Peralta, who is set for free agency after the season.

In order to acquire Peralta, the Mets dealt Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to the Brewers -- a steep but fair price.

Speaking shortly after the trade, Peralta weighed in on the possibility of signing an extension.

"I just got here. I think that I got to share time with my teammates, think about different ideas," Peralta explained. "Learn about everybody -- coaches, the organization in general. And then we can see."

The above scenario -- feeling things out a bit before potentially discussing an extension -- is something that worked out with the Mets and Francisco Lindor in the not-too-distant past.

The Mets acquired Lindor from Cleveland on Jan. 7, 2021 and ultimately signed him to a 10-year, $341 million extension on the eve of Opening Day ahead of what was Steve Cohen's first season of ownership.

There is another player who stands out when it comes to a potential extension.

It's Francisco Alvarez.

An extension for Alvarez is probably something it would make more sense to explore during the season, though, if he begins the year in similar fashion to the way he ended 2025 -- when he slashed .276/.360/.561 with eight homers, nine doubles, and one triple in 41 games from July 21 through the end of the season. He also needs to continue to hone his defense.

Alvarez, who excelled after returning from the minors last season, also showed his toughness while playing through injuries to both of his hands down the stretch.

THE PAYROLL SITUATION IN 2027 AND BEYOND

Here are the Mets' projected 40-man roster salary obligations from 2027 to 2030, via Cot's:

2027: $266.94 million
2028: $186.77 million
2029: $106.26 million
2030: $106.26 million

As things currently stand, there will be a large drop in salary commitments after the 2027 season, and another big drop after the 2028 season.

It's important to note that the salary figures for 2027 and 2028 include the contract of Bichette at $42 million annually. Bichette has opt-outs after 2026 and 2027.

Not included for 2027 is potential money owed to Robert, with the Mets holding a team option for the 2027 season worth $20 million. 

While the Mets have an enormous payroll for 2026 and are well above the highest luxury tax threshold of $304 million, they're starting to merge their high-priced veteran core with inexpensive starting rotation options (Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott) and an emerging group of young position player prospects.

Those players include outfielder Carson Benge, who could be the Opening Day left fielder. That group also features  outfielder A.J. Ewing, and infielders Jacob Reimer and Ryan Clifford. 

The Mets could also get a jolt in the bullpen this season from prospects including Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert.

The stated vision of Stearns and Cohen is to build a sustainable winner that relies heavily on player development while having the wherewithal to bolster the team via free agency and the trade market -- outbidding other interested teams along the way.

That's something the Mets put into action this offseason, especially while using their deep farm system to land Peralta and their financial might to swipe Bichette from the Phillies' grasp. 

The Mets, despite the step back on the field in 2025, continue to get closer to their ultimate vision, with them now having one of the best farm systems in baseball (despite trading Williams and Sproat) and a strong big league nucleus that has been remade. 

A standout on the baseball diamond as well as the gridiron, Nolan McLean was a two-sport star while attending the eponymously named Garner High School in Garner, North Carolina. As a football player, he lettered three years and threw for 6809 yards for 62 touchdowns. He was a three year letterman in baseball as well, dominating on both sides of the ball. As a batter, he hit a cumulative .381/.589/.719 in 53 games with 11 doubles, 0 triples, 12 home runs, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and drew 64 walks to 28 strikeouts. As a pitcher, he posted a cumulative 2.05 ERA in 54.2 innings over 26 games with 38 hits allowed, 25 walks, and 88 strikeouts. His senior season was mostly a wash because of the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the baseball season, leading to him honor his commitment to Oklahoma State University. There was a chance that, had the season not been cancelled prematurely, McLean be drafted by a professional team in a high enough round to have made it worthwhile for him, but because of the uncertainty of the pandemic and the extremely abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft, he elected to signal to teams that he would be attending college and went undrafted.

Unlike many prep players who go to college, McLean did not abandon football to focus only on baseball. In the fall of 2020, he made the Oklahoma State football team as a walk-on as the third-string quarterback. He did not appear in any official games for the 8-3 Cowboys, who went on to win the 2020 Cheez-It Bowl, beating the Miami Hurricanes 37-34. When the football season ended, his focus returned back to baseball. He appeared in 39 games for Oklahoma State, missing some time from a back injury, and hit .263/.410/.526 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 1 stolen base in 2 attempts, and drew 27 walks to 50 strikeouts, playing all over the infield and outfield. Additionally, he appeared in a pair of games on the mound, giving up 4 earned runs in 2.0 innings with 2 hits allowed, 4 walks, and 3 strikeouts. That summer, he played for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Collegiate Baseball League and hit .261/.469/.522 in 8 games with 2 home runs, 0 stolen bases, and 9 walks to 12 strikeouts.

When the summer ended and fall began, McLean decided to hang up his football pads permanently. Rather than play football and possibly reaggravate his back, he decided to focus on baseball. As a draft-eligible sophomore due to his age, focusing on baseball would give him the best opportunity to go pro. His new focus on baseball paid off in 2022, as he excelled as a hitter and also got to show off his ability to pitch. Splitting time between second and third base, spending most of it third, McLean hit .285/.397/.595 with 16 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 4 attempts, and drew 37 walks to 107 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 23 games and posted a 4.97 ERA in 25.1 innings with 20 hits allowed, 13 walks, and 39 strikeouts. The Baltimore Orioles liked what they saw and selected him with their third-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, the 81st overall pick, designating him a pitcher. The two sides were unable to come to an agreement after Baltimore seeing some post-draft physical MRI results they were concerned about and McLean ended up being the highest selected played in the 2022 MLB Draft to go unsigned, and one of two third round selections to not sign with a team, along with New York Mets third round pick Brandon Sproat.

After an unexpectedly free summer, McLean returned to Oklahoma State University for his junior year, his primary defensive position now moved from the infield to the outfield. He appeared in 43 games, missing time in April after crashing into the outfield wall attempting to make a play and injuring his MCL, and hit .250/.379/.532 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 6 attempts, and 27 walks to 57 strikeouts. On the mound, he appeared in 14 games, making 3 starts late in the season, and posted a 3.30 ERA in 30.0 innings, with 30 hits allowed, 17 walks, and 34 strikeouts. The Mets selected him in the 2023 MLB Draft with their third round selection, the 91st pick overall, and the two sides agreed to a $747,600 signing bonus, exactly the MLB-assigned slot value. As opposed to the Orioles, who designated McLean a pitcher when they drafted him, the Mets designated him a two-way player and used him as such. He split the rest of the summer with the FCL Mets and the St. Lucie Mets, appearing in 8 total games as a hitter and two as a pitcher. At the plate, he hit a cumulative .125/.375/.313 with 1 home run, 1 stolen base, and 7 walks to 11 strikeouts. On the mound, he threw 1.1 innings total, allowing one earned run on 1 hit and 2 walks, with 2 strikeouts.

That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked McLean the Mets’ 25 prospect on the 2024 Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Prospects list. Assigned to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones, the organization continued using him as a two-way pitcher, and McLean quickly began racking up strikeouts. He remained in Coney Island until the end of May and posted a 2.57 ERA in 28.0 innings over 7 starts with 20 hits allowed, 10 walks, and 36 strikeouts while hitting .224/.297/.552 in 63 at-bats, drawing 6 walks and striking out 38 times. Highlighting why the Mets were developing the right-hander as a two-way hitter, an astounding 12 of McLean’s 15 hits went for extra bases, resulting in a Barry Bonds-ian .328 ISO.

At the end of May, McLean was promoted to Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies and was sluggish to get out of the gate early on. After roughly a month of play, the decision was made to end the two-way player experiment and for McLean to focus only on pitching. The right-hander settled down after a rough month to begin his Double-A career and ended up having a solid season on the mound. In 81.2 innings over 18 starts, he posted a 4.19 ERA, allowing 76 hits, walking 32, and striking out 80.

Based on his upside as a pitcher, made clearer thanks to impressive pitch metric data and in-person looks from scouts and evaluators, McLean gained a lot of helium that off-season and was ranked 5 on the Amazin’ Avenue Top 25 Mets Prospects List for the 2025 season. The right-hander began his season with the Rumble Ponies but was promoted after a month that saw him post a 1.37 ERA in 26.1 innings over 5 starts with 20 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 30 strikeouts. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in mid-May and barely missed a beat against the tougher competition in a more hitting-friendly league. The right-hander appeared in 16 games for the Syracuse Mets, starting 13 of them, and posted a 2.78 ERA in 87.1 innings, giving up 58 hits, walking 38, and striking out 97. Altogether, between Binghamton and Syracuse combined, McLean posted a 2.45 ERA in 113.2 innings, allowing 78 hits, walking 50, and striking out 127.

In mid-August, with the Mets’ playoff chances beginning to fade as a compromised starting rotation and beleaguered bullpen became highly problematic, the decision was made to call McLean up to the Mets, leapfrogging fellow top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong. His name had been bandied about for a few weeks as a potential bullpen aid, but with the organization fortifying the bullpen at the trade deadline, the organization elected to call the 23-year-old up to strengthen the starting rotation instead. Frankie Montas was shifted to the bullpen and McLean took his place, giving him the opportunity to show what he could do over a handful of starts, not just one singular spot start.

McLean’s audition went better than anybody could have predicted. In his first start on August 16th, he threw 5.1 shutout innings against the Seattle Mariners, allowing 2 hits, walking 4, and striking out 8. In his next start on August 22nd, against the Atlanta Braves, he allowed two runs over 7.0 innings, giving up 4 hits, walking none, and striking out 7. In his next start, against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 27th, McLean threw 8 shutout innings, allowing four hits, walking none, and striking out 6. The right-hander was just as good as the calendar flipped to September and ended up making 5 starts, posting a 2.93 ERA in 27.2 innings with 24 hits allowed, 12 walks, and 36 strikeouts. All in all, McLean stayed just under the rookie limits, throwing 48.0 innings at the big league level, and posted a 2.06 ERA in his 8 starts, allowing 34 hits, walking 16, and striking out 57.

The 6’2”, 215-pound McLean has a sturdy, durable pitching frame. He throws from a low-three-quarters arm slot, his release point magnified even further with his extension off the mound from his drop-and-drive delivery. The ball explodes out of his hand, heightened by its lower approach angle. McLean also stands on the far third base side of the rubber, making the ball more difficult to pick up mid-flight because, thanks to his arm slot, it is much further to the side than most other pitchers.

The right-hander throws three fastballs, a four-seamer, a sinker, and a cutter, a sweeping slider, a curveball, and a changeup.

While in Triple-A, he threw his sweeping slider 28% of the time, his sinker 23% of the time, his four-seam fastball 21% of the time, his cutter 11% of the time, his curveball 9% of the time, and his change-up 8% of the time. In his MLB cup-of-coffee, he threw his sinker 28% of the time, his sweeping slider 26% of the time, his curveball 16% of the time, his four-seam fastball 13% of the time, and his change-up and cutter both 9% of the time. Against major leaguers, the ratios of those pitches more or less stayed the same against left-handers and right-handers, throwing fewer sinkers and sliders against lefties and more changeups, cutters, and curves.

McLean’s four-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s, ranging 92-98 MPH, averaging 95 MPH. Thanks to his arm slot, the pitch has a fairly flat approach angle, but with an average spin rate that measured 2,270 RPM in Syracuse and 2,310 in Queens, the pitch does not have much life to it. While the right-hander has had no real issues getting swings-and-misses with the pitch, posting a 22.4% Whiff% with it in Triple-A and a 37.1% Whiff% in the majors, the pitch is better suited as a set-up pitch rather than a go-to strikeout pitch.

McLean’s sinker is in a similar boat. Sitting in the same velocity band, averaging 94.5 MPH, the pitch also has below-average spin rates for a sinker and is not a big strikeout pitch for the right-hander. Triple-A batters hit .165/.250/.253 against it and MLB hitters hit .193/.281/.316 against it, but they swung-and-missed at a 22.0% and 18.7% rate, respectively. The pitch is effective at getting outs, inducing a great deal of groundballs, but not necessarily swings-and-misses.

When the right-hander needs strikeouts, he turns to his breaking balls: the right-hander throws a plus sweeper and a plus curveball, both of which have elite pitch characteristics.

McLean’s sweeping slider averaged 85 MPH last season, sitting anywhere between 81 to 89 MPH. The pitch features 2,435-3,230 RPM of spin, giving it 37.8 inches of vertical movement and 16.8 inches of horizontal movement. The right-hander commands the pitch well despite the amount of movement it has and is one of the most adroit pitchers in baseball today in regards to pounding the strike zone with a sweeping slider. Coupled with McLean’s arm slot and the side angle that the pitch is coming in from in relation to the plate, the pitch is a true plus breaker that is one of the best in Major League Baseball today. Ironically, in his 48 innings at the major league level, big league batters had no problem with the pitch, hitting it to the tune of a .361/.425/.528 batting average against with a 20.3% Whiff%; in a larger sample of his work in Syracuse, batters hit .185/.250/.326 with a 30.2% Whiff%.

Sitting in the high-70s and featuring spin rates ranging from 2,915 to 3,510 RPM, McLean’s curveball featured an average of 57.6 inches of vertical drop and 18.7 inches of horizontal movement, making it a plus pitch as well. In Triple-A, batters hit a paltry .121/.194/.212 against it with a 48.4% Whiff% and in the majors, batters hit .074/.107/.074 against it with an even 50% Whiff%. Unlike his sweeping slider, McLean’s command of the pitch is fleeting. The pitch was still extremely effective, as hitters chased it out of the zone with regularity, but the right-hander only managed a 17.9% Zone% with it.

To mitigate whatever advantages left-handers might have, McLean also throws a cutter and change-up. His cutter sits in the high-80s-to-low-90s and features slight glove-side hop. It is McLean’s weakest pitch overall, hit the hardest and for the highest batting average against, but it also sets up his sweeper and/or change-up.

His changeup was only recently developed, a “kick” changeup en vogue among Mets pitching developmental staff of late.  Prior to the 2025 season, McLean had always been experimenting with a changeup, using different grips and figuring out what worked best for him, but the changeups he threw generally were little more than change of pace offerings, as opposed to consistent swing-and-miss pitches. His new kick grip has improved his command the mid-to-high-80s offering and has also given it more bite the pitch has, increasing its vertical drop and giving the pitch an elite 38.8 inches of tumble to go along with its above-average 13.4 inches of arm-side movement.

Far from an issue, McLean’s control and command wavered earlier in his career. At this point, while his walk rate is still a bit inflated and his command of certain pitches in his arsenal are better than others, it is only a conceptual weakness.