Here are some of the News and Headlines around Major League Baseball courtesy from our friends at SportSpyder.

All right, this piece should have been written a year, so we could have the nice round number of 25, instead of the awkward 26. Click Link Below to Read Article. http://dlvr.it/TPJ1Rn

 The Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft is scheduled this year for Thursday, December 11th - the last day of the Winter Meetings.  Mets have until November 18th to add players to the 40 Man Roster to protect them from the draft. The full list of Mets 2025 Rule 5 eligibles are below.  Here are some of the more interesting ones: OF Nick Morabito.  Coming off a great stint in the Arizona Fall League, Nick has a good chance of being added to the 40-man roster to stay out of the draft.  In Arizona Nick hit .362/.450/.464, 25 hits, 17 runs and 16 stolen bases in 17 games.  It seemed like every time up he was beating out a grounder for an infield single, then stealing 2nd and later scoring.  Beating out ground balls gave Nick an insane .453 Batting Average Balls in Play.  Granted, it is a small sample size but he has had high BABIP numbers in the past - .390 in 119 games for Brooklyn and St. Lucie in 2024. 2022 1st Round Draft pick, Catcher Kevin Parada, is no longer a top ten Mets Prospect.  He slashed .245/.319/.407 with 11 homers and 57 RBIs while splitting time between Syracuse and Binghamton.  On the Syracuse roster, he'd have to be added to a team's 40 man roster if selected. RHP Saul Garcia went 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA for Brooklyn and Binghamton in 2025,  He had 76 Ks in 47.2 innings.  In September, Baseball America had him on their list of 10 best performing fastballs in 2025. They noted: "Pitching from a lower release height, Garcia sits 94-96 mph with more than 2500 rpm of spin on average."  If he doesn't get added to the 40-Man or the Syracuse Roster to keep him out of the minor league portion, there is a good chance he will be selected. Calvin Ziegler: Was another former top ten prospect in 2023 but after just two games with Brooklyn in 2024, needed Tommy John surgery.  He missed all of 2025.   In addition, players not added to the 38-Man AAA Roster will be eligible for the minor league portion of the draft.   Here is the full list of eligible Rule 5 players: Pitchers: Luis Alvarez; Eli Ankeney; Juan Arnaud; Felipe De La Cruz; Jorge De Leon; Joel Díaz; Estarlin Escalante; Saul Garcia; Jordan Geber; Cristofer Gomez; Joe Jacques; Wilson Lopez; Gregori Louis; Trey McLoughlin; Estarling Mercado; Nate Lavender, Douglas Orellana; Layonel Ovalles; Luis R. Rodriguez; Jorge Rodriguez; TJ Shook; Dylan Tebrake; Zebulon Vermillion; Calvin Ziegler; Catchers: José Aular; Ronald Hernandez; Kevin Parada; Vincent Perozo;   Infielders: Jefrey De Los Santos; Diego Mosquera; JT Schwartz; D'Andre Smith; Kevin Villavicencio; Wyatt Young;   Outfielders: Yohairo Cuevas; Nick Morabito; Matt Rudick; All the recently signed minor league free agents will also be eligible such as Joe Jacques; Jose Rojas, Jackson Cluff, Joander Suarez, Jefry Yan, Carlos Guzman, Brian Metoyer and Onix Vega.  Since they are all currently on the Syracuse Mets Roster, they will need be added to an MLB Roster if drafted.

  Thomas Nestico       @TJStats My Top 10 Right Fielders of 2025 Matt Eddy                        @MattEddyBA In the post below, you can see all the late-season callups in 2025 who (A) retain rookie status for 2026, and (B) finished the season as Top 100 Prospects. It's so difficult for pitchers to win ROY. It requires health, durability and not too many blow-up starts It also takes dominant stuff, which McLean and Yesavage have demonstrated in MLB games Also: Rookie starters had 40.2 fWAR in 2025, the 7th best total of 30-team era I don't know which Top 100 Prospects will make Opening Day rosters and remain in MLB for the entire 2026 season, but I can make educated guesses about  Rookie of the Year favorites and thus PPI favorites. Curt Schilling                   @gehrig38 Today it's 'standing tall' vs 'extension', one is extremely stressful the other is not. Someone has made these guys believe max effort 'whip' is the best way to max velocity, it is NOT. Extension and FINISH generate max backspin and velocity AND you can command the fastball. The new way is why pitchers no longer command the FB INSIDE the zone. They can throw strikes, but they cannot repeat fastball location within a 6-8" box, if they could Skenes would punch out 400                         Pitch Profiler              @pitchprofiler                         Curt has no data to back this up.                         The best way to throw is the way your body moves most    efficiently. Comparing two guys without knowing anything about how they move is pointless. Trying to get a guy to move in a way that his body doesn’t find efficient is a recipe for disaster. Bleacher Report                        @BleacherReport Top 100 MLB Prospect Rankings for the Offseason  92. OF Edward Florentino, PIT  58. IF Alex Freeland, LAD  27. SS George Lombard Jr., NYY  9. RHP Nolan McLean, NYM  1. SS Kevin McGonigle, DET      MACK - McLean has rocketed up the top prospects lists, mainly due to his dominating demonstration last fall for the Mets. May be a true gem here.   Michael Baron                            @michaelgbaron Mets signed INF Jose Rojas and INF Jackson Cluff to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training. Jose Rojas    RF/3B/2B  5-10    200    LHH    36th rd. 2016   Vanguard U. (CA) Turns 33 in February MLB Career -   -1.8-WAR, 224-AB, .188 2025 – AAA/NYY -   517-PA, 108-K 32-HR, 105-RBI, .287/.379/.599/.978     MACK - this kind of dominating AAA bat could translate into a possible Mets platooned DH next season. Low K-rate for a boomer like this. Too bad he doesn’t play first. Jackson Cluff     Turns 29 next month    SS/2B/3B    LHH    5-11    180 6th round 2019 – Nats – THE Brigham Young U. (UT) 2025 – AAA/WSH – 383-PA, 110-K, 12-HR, 40-RBI, .242/.349/.422/.771 MACK – looks to me to be a filler AAAA utility infielder for AAA-Syracuse

  Jeff McNeil and his spot on the 2026 Mets CLICK HERE The Mets will go into the 2026 season with high expectations to get back to playing competitive baseball. While the most significant issue entering the season will be how the pitching staff is adjusted, there are other holes that need to be filled on the roster. Outside of Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso (who is currently a free agent), the Mets infield was a rotating cast of characters. While Baty began to establish himself a third base more consistently, second base still is a question mark entering 2026. McNeil played 72 games there last season, second to Luisangel Acuna. Neither McNeil, Acuna, or Mauricio played especially well at the position, so it is unknown how they will move towards David Stearn’s intended run prevention ideology. While McNeil didn’t play great second base, the value that he brings to the roster is that he is capable of playing nearly anywhere that you stick him competently. In addition to second base, McNeil also got reps at first base and all of the outfield positions last year. With the Mets looking towards contending in 2026, having a utility player that you can stick nearly anywhere is certainly an asset. If you were to emulate the current champion Los Angeles Dodgers, McNeil could certainly plug into a Kike Hernandez-style role of the utility player that could slide into a position and give the manager flexibility.  X  -  Mets Negotiate to Retain Díaz and Alonso After Opt-Outs Following the 2025 season, New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz and first baseman Pete Alonso have opted out of their contracts, prompting the team to initiate negotiations with preliminary offers. Díaz, the 2025 Reliever of the Year with 40 saves and a 1.75 ERA, faces interest from the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees, while Alonso, who hit 38 home runs and drove in 126 RBIs, draws attention from the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros. Mets officials, including special assistant Carlos Beltrán, prioritize re-signing both players to strengthen their playoff contention amid a competitive free agency market. Bleacher Report                        @BleacherReport Top 100 MLB Prospect Rankings for the Offseason  92. OF Edward Florentino, PIT  58. IF Alex Freeland, LAD  27. SS George Lombard Jr., NYY  9. RHP Nolan McLean, NYM  1. SS Kevin McGonigle, DET      MACK - McLean has rocketed up the top prospects lists, mainly due to his dominating demonstration last fall for the Mets. May be a true gem here.   Michael Baron                            @michaelgbaron Mets signed INF Jose Rojas and INF Jackson Cluff to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training. Jose Rojas    RF/3B/2B  5-10    200    LHH    36th rd. 2016   Vanguard U. (CA) Turns 33 in February MLB Career -   -1.8-WAR, 224-AB, .188 2025 – AAA/NYY -   517-PA, 108-K 32-HR, 105-RBI, .287/.379/.599/.978     MACK - this kind of dominating AAA bat could translate into a possible Mets platooned DH next season. Low K-rate for a boomer like this. Too bad he doesn’t play first. Jackson Cluff     Turns 29 next month    SS/2B/3B    LHH    5-11    180 6th round 2019 – Nats – THE Brigham Young U. (UT) 2025 – AAA/WSH – 383-PA, 110-K, 12-HR, 40-RBI, .242/.349/.422/.771 MACK – looks to me to be a filler AAAA utility infielder for AAA-Syracuse Jim Koenigsberger            @Jimfrombaseball "I was born and raised in New York, born in the Bronx, grew up in Washington Heights. Our school was about 20 city blocks from the Polo Grounds. School in those days let out at 2:30 and the games at the Polo Grounds started at 3:15—of course they had to be played during the day at that time. I was a member of two city clubs, the 'Catholic Youth Organization' and the 'Police Athletic League', and because I was a member, I got to the games three times every week for nothing. You could go and sit in the grandstand and that’s where I fell in love with the game and followed my idol, who was a player named Mel Ott. Now on weekends to sit in the bleachers, it cost 55 cents. Used to be you could bring a soda pop bottle back to the store for what they called a “deposit” and you’d get five cents back. So, if I saved up enough bottles during the week, I could go for “free” to the game on Saturday and sit in the bleachers. So that’s really where I grew up--literally and figuratively." Vin Scully Scully also admitted that as, "a little red-headed kid", he did his best to imitate the great Mel Ott's  swing, including his large right leg kick but, "something happened when I swung the bat, that did not do what Mel Ott did."

By the time the conga lines hit the third-base line, the flags were waving like a United Nations parade on double espresso, and the temperature dipped to a wind-chill-enhanced 47 degrees, Citi Field felt less like early-winter Queens and more like a giant Caribbean block party sponsored by LIDOM, the LBPRC, and maybe a little by the New York Mets themselves. And yes — this was absolutely a Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico showdown. But make no mistake: it also had a tremendous New York Mets...

Welcome back to Sunday School: Forgotten Faces of Flushing, our weekly rummage through the Mets’ attic, where we dust off the bubble-gum cards and game-used jerseys of the guys who made you squint and go, “Wait… didn’t he play for us?” Last week, we looked back at Brent Gaff — the Indiana right-hander who quietly became a dependable arm in the early ’80s Mets bullpen and now builds some of the finest fishing rods this side of the Midwest. This week, we stay closer to home — and for me, this...

  I promised all of you that, as soon as the season ended, I would breakout and post my current Top 30 prospects. This is performance based, not players that came to the Mets full of promise but have only produced butterscotch pudding. A perfect example of a player that didn’t make this list is catcher Ronald Hernandez. I still like the guy, but based on what he did in 2025, I don’t like him “top 30 guy”. Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Jonah Tong (maybe) are not on this list. They have graduated. I will post them in each of my weekly Observations and In Focus posts… one player at a time… beginning with #30. Today, we move to #11: 11.    RP     Dylan Ross  2025:          A+/AA/AAA –        49-APPS, 2-0, 2.17, 1.15, 19-GF, 7-SV, 54-IP, 80-K, 33-BB Dylan Ross is a 25-year-old right-handed relief pitcher for the New York Mets organization, known for his overpowering fastball and swing-and-miss breaking stuff. Standing at an imposing 6'5" and weighing 251 pounds, he's a physical presence on the mound with a high-three-quarters arm slot that generates elite velocity. Born on September 1, 2000, in Statesboro, Georgia, Ross has quickly risen through the Mets' farm system after a challenging path marked by injuries, culminating in his major league call-up in late September 2025. Ross began pitching at Eastern Kentucky University in the 2020 season (shortened by COVID-19), where he made three relief appearances with a 2.25 ERA over four innings. He transferred to Northwest Florida State College (a junior college) in 2021, posting a strong 6-2 record with a 3.88 ERA in 12 starts, including two complete games, 77 strikeouts, and just 28 walks in 60.1 innings.  This performance earned him All-Panhandle Conference Second Team honors. In 2022, Ross moved to the University of Georgia, where he went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for the rest of the year and the entire 2023 season (including a UCL revision). Draft and Pro Debut: Despite the injuries, the Mets selected him in the 13th round (389th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Georgia, signing him for $125,000.  He didn't pitch professionally until a brief September 2024 debut in the minors. 2025 Breakout: Ross exploded onto the scene, starting in High-A Brooklyn (10 appearances, 23 strikeouts in 11⅔ innings, allowing just 5 hits), earning promotions to Double-A Binghamton (11 appearances, 18 strikeouts) and Triple-A Syracuse by June. His pitches generate elite whiff rates, with opponents struggling to make contact (e.g., just 11 hits across his early 2025 minor league outings). Four-Seam Fastball Hard, explosive heater with significant ride and life up in the zone; his primary pitch for overpowering hitters. 97-102 mph (peaks at 102 mph in 2025) High usage (~50-60%); generates weak contact and sets up breaking stuff. Flirts with triple-digit velocity, making it a true separator. Splitter Devastating off-speed pitch with sharp drop, variable movement (some cut, others with run/sink), and late tumble; mimics his fastball out of the hand for tunneling. 86-90 mph Key swing-and-miss offering (49.4% whiff rate in minors); thrown ~25-30% of the time. Often described as his "best secondary" for inducing chases below the zone. Slider Tight, late-breaking slider with gyro spin for horizontal snap; complements the splitter by attacking right-handed hitters inside. 85-88 mph ~20% usage; elite 67.3% whiff rate at Triple-A Syracuse in 2025. High-spin version creates awkward angles and empty swings. Ross occasionally mixes in a curveball or changeup in lower-leverage spots, but his core three pitches form a "fantastic arsenal" that has fueled his rapid ascent. Scouts project him as a high-leverage reliever (think 7th/8th inning fireman). Mets Prospect Group               @bkfan09 Mets 2026 IFA Class.. Dayron Oramas   Juan Soto Advocates for Mets to Re-Sign Pete Alonso, Starlin Marte CLICK HERE Juan Soto hopes the New York Mets bring back some of the other notable bats in the lineup. The slugger advocated for the team to re-sign both Pete Alonso and Starling Marte on Thursday, per Laura Albanese of Newsday. "I hope we can have more times to come and more fun together," he said of Alonso. As for Marte, he said, "You need a guy that helps you the most through those tough times and tries to bring the team back to where it's supposed to be." MACK – So says the guy already under contract for a gazillion bucks. Look Juan, I don’t think Mets fans care about the level of “fun” you have had with Pete.  Kyle Tucker https://fansided.com/mlb/kyle-tucker-desperation-index-teams-need-him-most-giants-dodgers-cubs The New York Mets have the richest owner in the league and are coming off an embarrassing season, so it's only natural to expect them to be in on the best free agent available. As fun as it'd be, does it really make sense? How exactly does Tucker fit? They just signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal. As much as they should consider DHing him, they won't do that in year two of his deal. Brandon Nimmo is entering the fourth year of an eight-year, $162 million deal. His defense is rapidly declining, but he, too, won't be an everyday DH, nor should he be playing any center field to accommodate Tucker. The Mets could trade Nimmo, but doing so is easier said than done with his contract, and he has a no-trade clause. Even if they found a deal of their liking, Nimmo would probably nix it. Odds are, he'll be the Mets' Opening Day left fielder. With both corner outfield spots filled, should they desperately be throwing money at Tucker? The Mets need to spend Steve Cohen's money on positions of need, primarily center field, first base and especially pitching, before pursuing Tucker. The corner outfield is one area where they're set.  Jeff McNeil CLICK HERE Though there are no indications the New York Mets are actively shopping Jeff McNeil, multiple teams have expressed interest in the club’s longtime versatile veteran as a trade acquisition, league sources said. In other words, if the Mets decide to deal McNeil, a market seemingly exists. McNeil, 33, is set to make $15.75 million in 2026. The Mets hold a club option on him for the following season at the same figure. If McNeil is traded, he’ll receive a one-time, $500,000 assignment bonus. It’s unknown what a potential return for McNeil could look like. Despite some early interest, his contract situation presents challenges. Also, McNeil underwent a minor procedure for thoracic outlet syndrome after last season, as the New York Post first reported. He is expected to be a full participant in spring training. McNeil’s OPS stood at .799 at the end of August, before he slumped through most of September and finished with a .746 mark. The New York Post also reported McNeil as a trade candidate.

Here are the top Stories from every Major League team courtesy from our friends at SportSpyder. Note - this page updates throughout the day - come back later today for the latest news.

Written by Dalton Allison Click Link Below to Read Article. http://dlvr.it/TPHP2W

Here are some of the News and Headlines around Major League Baseball courtesy from our friends at SportSpyder.

  2026 MLB Draft – Top 50 College Prospects https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb-draft/mlb-draft-top-college-prospects/#entry-135444 11. Liam Peterson – RHP HT/WT: 6’5/220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | School: Florida | Hometown: Palm Harbor, FL | Projected Age: 21.1 Once a highly-touted arm out of high school, Peterson has blossomed into a powerful arm at the University of Florida, where he projects to be the Friday guy once again in 2026 Peterson’s delivery has had its warts, but he toned down the effort and wildness in 2025, reining in his limbs and finding a more compact nature to his operation. His size, athleticism, and arm speed stand out on film, as he pitches downhill with power and has whip to his arm from an over-the-top slot. Peterson likes to work north-south with his arsenal, which is led by a big mid-90s fastball with excellent extension. It’s a cut/ride behemoth upstairs with upwards of twenty inches of carry at times, while flashing some running life down in the zone. He’s already been up to 99 MPH this past spring, and it’s not impossible to see triple digits in short order. His primary secondary is a mid-80s slider with teeth, showcasing the ability to manipulate the pitch shape. Sometimes he’ll throw it with more tilt, but more often than not, you’ll see Peterson keep it short to the plate with depth. His mid-80s change-up tunnels off the heater well and dives to the dirt in a hurry. He’ll tinker with a bigger bender in the upper-70s that he used a lot in 2024, though Peterson has kept the pitch in his back pocket in 2025 and uses it to steal strikes. He’s grown into more command this spring, though scouts want to see a bit more show up in 2026. There’s considerable upside here with a deep arsenal, size, and more strikes on the way.   12. Sawyer Strosnider – OF HT/WT: 6’2/200 | Bat/Throw: L/L | School: Texas Christian | Hometown: Brock, TX | Projected Age: 21 After enduring a sluggish start to his collegiate career, Strosnider became one of, if not the best, freshmen in the entire country, cruising to thirty-four extra-base hits with an OPS of 1.070 in fifty-six games. Strosnider has added ~20 pounds of muscle to his frame since making it to Texas Christian, but he has not lost an ounce of athleticism on the field. He’s a dynamic athlete with noteworthy twitch and loud tools across his card. It’s a loud left-handed swing with tons of bat speed, leverage, and barrel feel that leads to potential plus power in the future. He’s already surpassed the 110 MPH barrier with ease, reaching a maximum of 112.3 MPH this past spring, and his athletic testing suggests more is in the tank. His best contact quality comes to the pull-side, though he’s shown the ability to pummel the baseball to the opposite field. The hit tool itself is not too shabby, either. His approach needs tweaking, as it’s aggressive and he’ll chase pitches often, but he can obliterate offerings in the zone like few others can. If he can find ways to limit chases and stay within the zone more often, the sky is the limit offensively. In the field, he’s got the athleticism and speed to handle center, but with Chase Brunson in the fray, he’ll be handling right field for the Horned Frogs. He makes great reads in the outfield and has solid closing speed, and someone should give him a shot in center as a professional. If he adds more muscle to his frame and loses athleticism, he’ll be a great fit in right field. Strosnider’s exciting profile will generate a ton of attention this spring, and he may end up being the highest Texas Christian player drafted in the 2026 class.   13. Eric Becker – SS,2B HT/WT: 6’3/190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | School: Virginia | Hometown: Thiells, NY | Projected Age: 21.2 The older brother of 2025 Mariners second-rounder Nicky, there’s a non-zero chance that Eric could be drafted earlier in 2026. After spending some time in the transfer portal, he will return to Charlottesville in 2026, where he has been a centerpiece for the Cavaliers over the past two years. He’s a big-bodied left-handed hitter with significant bat speed and thump. The current projection labels him as a power-over-hit guy, though Becker’s hit tool has evolved since getting to campus. Becker began to employ more of a gap-to-gap approach in 2025 with heavy emphasis to the opposite field. Becker’s in-zone rates are promising, but there has been an inability to adjust to pitches out of the zone, especially off-speed, due to stiffness in his lower half. He’ll need to loosen up moving forward, as well as pull the baseball in the air more consistently. With that said, there’s leverage present in his swing that has generated solid power numbers thus far, and his barrel feel and hard hit rates are promising. There should be more power on the way, as well. Above-average power potential is likely, as well as boasting an average hit tool. He’s a good athlete in the dirt and has manned shortstop to date, though his footwork can get clunky and he’ll rush himself at times. He does have good enough arm strength and can transition over to third base in the future. Overall, Becker is projected to be one of the more impactful bats in the ACC in 2026.   14. Lucas Moore – OF HT/WT: 6’0/180 | Bat/Throw: L/R | School: Louisville | Hometown: Cincinnati, OH | Projected Age: 21.2 Moore broke out in a huge way for Louisville in 2025, becoming a valuable table-setter for a team that ultimately made its way to Omaha for the first time since 2019. That table-setting prowess will translate to the professional level, but he’s more than just that: he’s a chaos-starter. He’s every bit of a pest. It all starts with the hit tool, and it’s an excellent one, indeed. Moore posted a contact rate of 88% and an in-zone rate of 93%, including a 7% whiff on fastballs altogether. He doesn’t whiff, he doesn’t chase, and he uses the whole field to his advantage. It’s a compact left-handed stroke with a slappy nature to it, and while power will never be a part of his game, he’ll turn on the jets and burn down the line with double-plus speed. He’s an aggressive baserunner who knows how and when to utilize his speed, stealing fifty-three bases on fifty-four chances in 2025. You don’t find too many guys like this often. Moore’s extra-base numbers will be led primarily by his legs, but he’s shown the ability to drive the ball pull-side. Defensively, he’s a near-lock to stay in center long-term. His speed allows him to cover plenty of ground, plus he gets great jumps and runs routes well. It’s high-level instincts with a glove that has the chance to be above-average or plus in the future. There’s a lot of Sal Frelick in this profile, and he could move quickly through an organization like Frelick did.   15. Gabe Gaeckle – RHP HT/WT: 6’0/190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | School: Arkansas | Hometown: Aptos, CA | Projected Age: 21.9 Gaeckle burst onto the scene at the 2022 PG National showcase with a loud one-two punch, but elected to enroll at Arkansas after being picked in the twentieth round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. He was an excellent reliever in 2024 and 2025, but endured some hardships in a starting capacity early in 2025. With that said, Gaeckle’s pure stuff is amongst the best in the country. Gaeckle powers his way down the mound with explosivity, utilizing his lower half very well with his drop-and-drive mechanics and flashing loud arm speed. The fastball has already tickled triple-digits, getting up to 99 MPH at his peak and routinely sitting in the mid-90s, though he’ll lose some velocity across lengthier outings. The pitch explodes out of his hand, and he’ll create flat approach angles on offerings on the top rail or above it, but he’ll find himself leaving too much over the plate.  At its best, it’s a cut/ride monster with huge spin rates that guys struggle to touch. If he can consistently find more value in 2026, the heater will find another gear.  His best offering is an upper-80s slider with two-plane tilt and nasty bite, commanding it away from righties with some depth and sweep. It’s his best chase pitch, and guys flail at it routinely. His low-80s curveball can jump out of his hand slightly, but there’s significant depth at its best, displaying true hammer qualities.  His upper-80s power change has found life in college, featuring a big tumble and fade, although it has been reserved for left-handed hitters to date.  Given his size, physicality, and past medicals, Gaeckle does have some obstacles ahead of him. However, the upside is too loud to ignore, and gaining more sta rting experience and success will be key in 2026. If it doesn’t work out as a starter, he’ll be a dynamic late-inning reliever, but he’s an arm that you let start until he proves he can’t.

  The Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft is scheduled this year for Thursday, December 11th - the last day of the Winter Meetings.  Mets have until November 18th to add players to the 40 Man Roster to protect them from the draft. The full list of Mets 2025 Rule 5 eligibles are below.  Here are some of the more interesting ones: OF Nick Morabito.  Coming off a great stint in the Arizona Fall League, Nick has a good chance of being added to the 40-man roster to stay out of the draft.  In Arizona Nick hit .362/.450/.464, 25 hits, 17 runs and 16 stolen bases in 17 games.  It seemed like every time up he was beating out a grounder for an infield single, then stealing 2nd and later scoring.  Beating out ground balls gave Nick an insane .453 Batting Average Balls in Play.  Granted, it is a small sample size but he has had high BABIP numbers in the past - .390 in 119 games for Brooklyn and St. Lucie in 2024. 2022 1st Round Draft pick, Catcher Kevin Parada, is no longer a top ten Mets Prospect.  He slashed .245/.319/.407 with 11 homers and 57 RBIs while splitting time between Syracuse and Binghamton.  On the Syracuse roster, he'd have to be added to a team's 40 man roster if selected. RHP Saul Garcia went 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA for Brooklyn and Binghamton in 2025,  He had 76 Ks in 47.2 innings.  In September, Baseball America had him on their list of 10 best performing fastballs in 2025. They noted: "Pitching from a lower release height, Garcia sits 94-96 mph with more than 2500 rpm of spin on average."  If he doesn't get added to the 40-Man or the Syracuse Roster to keep him out of the minor league portion, there is a good chance he will be selected. Calvin Ziegler: Was another former top ten prospect in 2023 but after just two games with Brooklyn in 2024, needed Tommy John surgery.  He missed all of 2025.   In addition, players not added to the 38-Man AAA Roster will be eligible for the minor league portion of the draft.   Here is the full list of eligible Rule 5 players: Pitchers: Luis Alvarez; Eli Ankeney; Juan Arnaud; Felipe De La Cruz; Jorge De Leon; Joel Díaz; Estarlin Escalante; Saul Garcia; Jordan Geber; Cristofer Gomez; Wilson Lopez; Gregori Louis; Trey McLoughlin; Estarling Mercado; Nate Lavender, Douglas Orellana; Layonel Ovalles; Luis R. Rodriguez; Jorge Rodriguez; TJ Shook; Dylan Tebrake; Zebulon Vermillion; Calvin Ziegler; Catchers: José Aular; Ronald Hernandez; Kevin Parada; Vincent Perozo;   Infielders: Jefrey De Los Santos; Diego Mosquera; JT Schwartz; D'Andre Smith; Kevin Villavicencio; Wyatt Young;   Outfielders: Yohairo Cuevas; Nick Morabito; Matt Rudick; All the recently signed minor league free agents will also be eligible such as Jose Rojas, Jackson Cluff, Joander Suarez, Jefry Yan, Carlos Guzman, Brian Metoyer and Onix Vega.  Since they are all currently on the Syracuse Mets Roster, they will need be added to an MLB Roster if drafted. Rule 5 Draft details: Per MLB.com: "Players first signed at age 18 must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn't stay on the 25-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $50,000." There are two portions, the Major League portion and the Minor League portion.  In the Major League portion, each Major League team gets one pick from the pool of unprotected players.  Teams can place players on their AAA Roster to exempt them from the Minor League portion.  Once selected, those players do not need to be retained on a team's MLB roster.  Dodger Blue: "Teams with a full 38-man Triple-A roster are not permitted to make any picks. Each player taken in the Minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft requires a $24,500 payment to be made to the original team."

The Mets began 1996 with great anticipation. They ended it with another year of disappointment.                In-between saw one of their players hit for the cycle, another break the record for home runs by a catcher and a managerial change that probably came too late.                “We expect to be there,” general manager Joe McIlvaine said when asked about the postseason, just as spring training was about to begin.                “I’d be disappointed if we didn’t do well,” manager Dallas...

  So, here are ten dudes who barely missed my of my minors top 30…  And even a few more. Part of my philosophy in a top 30 ranking determination, when it comes to just drafted pitchers who have not pitched, is to wait and see how they do in their rookie campaign - in this case in 2026.  Frankly, I’ve seen too many pitchers get drafted who end up needing surgery before they even start throwing innings. So, there’s plenty of time in 2026, God willing, to rank a few guys that I stuck in 31 through 40 as pitchers. And other wannabes with bats, too. Anyway, given that, here’s my 31 through 40. 31. IF/OF D’Andre Smith He had a very fine bounce back year in 2025, hitting .282/.345/.417, mostly in AA, with 31 of 34 in steals. As I wrote this on October 29, the Mets’ 2022 fifth rounder was just 5 for 27 in Arizona Fall ball, but was also on base 7 more times via BB/HBP, and added 6 steals in 6 tries. His .353 OBP there was nothing to sneeze at. I listed him at # 31 and not higher, frankly, because I wanted to highlight him as first in today’s article, so you would not miss him.  Ridiculous logic on my part, I know. I sense he gets overlooked a lot.  He shouldn’t. He just looks HUNGRY! He could make his MLB debut in 2026 if the circumstances fall his way. 32. OF Edward Lantigua Lantigua has much competition from some DSL hitters not named Peña or Yovanny, but I like him at # 31.  He may vault well up into the top 30 in 2026.  Playing in the FCL as an 18 year old, the 6’1”, 175 OF got in 49 games and hit .288/.433/.399.  What, exactly, is not to like?  33. C Ronald Hernandez I should have him higher, really, since he has a bona fide chance to be a back up MLB catcher in a few years. He hit .224 as a 21 year old in Brooklyn, but was 23 of 28 in steals in just 393 PAs, and had an OBP of .318.  Oddly, he hit .250 in Brooklyn, but just .199 on the road.  He hit just .180 in June and July, but rebounded to hit .261 in August. His 86 Ks were surprisingly high.  Power is modest. But I bet he rebounds with a better performance, in AA, next year.  My advice? Hit like Keith Hernandez. 34. INF Trey Snyder Trey Snyder is 19, 6’1”, 200. The St Lucie righty hitting 5th rounder hit just .220/.336/.288.  So far, just Buddy Harrelson level power. But Snyder added 72 walks and racked up 41 of 49 in steals in 115 games in his first full season - as such, this makes a solid first season for Snyder.   Clearly, much power must be added, but I liked the steals and walks enough to have him just outside my Top 30.  He fanned 96 times in 512 PAs, a good ratio.  He played 2B, 3B, SS, and CF, making his normal share of errors, but I imagine that in 2026 at age 20, the errors will substantially lessen.  Brooklyn next year will be his likely next challenge.  This off season, his first challenge should be hanging out profusely in the weight room.   Buddy Harrelson power doesn’t cut it in today’s game. 35. C Julio Zayas So far, so good. He hit .284/.400/.369 in 48 games in the FCL at age 19. 5”11, 190 hitter. A fine season.  Projection: St Lucie in 2026, and a heavier workload. Any other year, he is in my Top 30. 36. RHP Peter Kussow Kussow was a fourth round pick out of high school.  Over slot. He did not pitch in any games yet. 55 rated FB and slider. Stay healthy, and why not top 20 next year? 37. RHP Douglas Orellana Orellana is a 23 year old righty who had (according to Frank Sinatra) a very good year, going 4-1, 2.96, and fanning 63 in 52 IP.  Great in AA, but 2-1, 5.30 in Syracuse AAA ball. Most of that was one bad outing in late August (0.1 innings, 4 runs).  Any other year, he is in my Top 30. He likely gets Mets innings at some point in 2026. 38. LHP Franklin Gomez A 20 y/o lefty, 3-3, 2.76 ERA. One bad outing in late August (6 runs in 1.2 IP) rocketed the season ERA up. Now, finally, 2 guys from the DSL at co-number 38.  DSL hitters jumping to stateside often reveals an inability to keep up, so I hesitate to rank them too high until they strut their stuff in tougher stateside ball: 38a. C Josmir Reyes had 34 BBs vs. a crazy low 15 Ks, a .300 BA & .426 OBP. 38b. SS Yunior Amparo hit .312/.428/.475, with 16 steals. Moving on… 40.  RHP BRIAN METOYER: - except he is now a free agent, so I add Joel Diaz here instead. Jon Pintaro’s fellow 28 year old (and about to turn 29), 6’3” Brian Metoyer, had had many years negatively impacted by injury and erratic control. But his 2025 was SPECIAL:  33 outings, 1.70 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 59 Ks in 42 IP.  He had one bad outing in July, where he allowed 4 earned runs in one third of an inning, or his ERA would have been microscopic.   If he seems too old, consider that effective Mets reliever Huascar Brazoban made his major league debut at age 33!  And he’s done well. I put Metoyer at # 40 for another reason….he’s a former 40th rounder. Joel Diaz?  His ERA in Brooklyn was relatively high…at 3.80, which was the ERA of the 7th highest ranked (out of 12) South Atlantic League teams.  His ERA in super-pitcher friendly Cyclones Park was 2.98, but on the road, a mediocre 4.47.  Good control is a plus, 8 Ks per 9 is not.   Diaz feels like a younger (21) version of Joander Suarez, who I no longer rank in my top 40 because Suarez is solid in AA but stumbles big-time when he gets to AAA (10.53 ERA in 20 AAA innings).  Joel Diaz could be a future pen arm IMO.  How much that will turn out to be, yea and verily, I knoweth not. And, the Mets just got TJS survivor Nate Lavender back. I wasn’t about to rewrite him into this article, other than to say he is at least a Top 40 prospect. Why?  225 minor league innings in his career - 322 Ks. The former 14th-round pick had internal brace surgery in May 2024.  He did not pitch in 2025.   BRACE YOURSELF…NATE IS BACK! OK…FORTY DOWN….TEN TO GO.  NEXT ARTICLE. BET YOU CANNOT WAIT. Hey, I am not done… ONCE UPON A TIME IN METSVILLE - A CAUTIONARY TALE… The Mets are considering trading Kodai Senga, whose extended health issues essentially sabotaged their last two playoff runs. But sometimes, guys can turn their struggles around, and do so fiercely. One familiar guy once went 11-35 over a span of two Mets years, despite a 3.62 ERA.   It was good they didn’t throw up their hands in exasperation and trade him.   The next season, his ERA dropped only a smidgeon to 3.38, but he didn’t lose 3 of every 4 decisions.  Rather, he went 20-13. His name? Jerry Koosman. So, re: trading Kodai?  Two straight bad years.  However… Proceed with caution. ARIZONA AGONY Scottsdale was eliminated Thursday, 9-4.  Our Scottie lads, Messrs. Morabito and Suero, combined to go 0 for 8, with 3 Ks, but the other squad’s catcher, named Alfredo Duno, had an entire career in one night, hitting 3 HRs and driving in 6.  Amazingly, in 47 regular season Arizona game at bats, Duno hit just .213 with no HRs.  Baseball is full of surprises, huh? STANEK STUNNING, SERIOUS STATEMENT I saw this on Facebook. If true, and it doesn’t feel like something the writer made up, whaddya think?   “I get death threats all the time”  Ryne Stanek slams MLB gambling partnerships amid player safety concerns. “Mets pitcher Ryne Stanek has voiced his frustration with MLB’s growing relationship with gambling companies, revealing he receives “death threats all the time” due to betting-related anger from fans.  Speaking candidly about the pressures athletes face, Stanek criticized MLB for promoting betting partnerships while leaving players vulnerable to harassment and potential danger. He emphasized that while gambling has boosted league revenue, it’s also intensified fan hostility toward players when bets go wrong.  Stanek’s remarks shed light on a growing concern across professional sports—where legalized betting and player accessibility on social media create dangerous intersections. As leagues profit from gambling sponsorships, players like Stanek are demanding better protection and accountability.  His statements have sparked a broader debate over the balance between business interests and athlete safety in the age of widespread sports wagering.”

One thing that has changed in the minds of Mets fans during the Steve Cohen era is their perception of how money can and should be spent to try to climb into the postseason.  The best laid plans of mice and men don’t always provide the results you had expected.  Take 2025 as a classic example. What’s interesting to see in the various media outlets and in conversation with fellow fans is the attitude that since Cohen has money to spend and having watched the Steinbrenner family for many years buy pennants accompanied by the Dodgers now doing the same it has become the mindset for Mets aficionados to expect the club to slug it out with the big boys.  As a result, everyone is already salivating over the prospect of seeing folks like Cody Bellinger, Kyle Tucker, Dylan Cease, Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Munetaka Murakami and various others wearing orange and blue.  Of course, for many of us having grown up during the DeRoulet and Wilpon eras the Mets were more strategic and hopeful that identifying undervalued or second tier players could somehow make the Mets into legitimate contenders.  We saw some good names arrive and saw others who withered away after entering the Mets locker room.  Those years were indeed painful but there is some value in not simply buying the best of the best but rather in assembling a long term solution that doesn’t cripple your payroll for years to come. Consequently, instead of getting into long term bidding wars for the top of the free agent starting pitcher class it may instead make more sense for the Mets to look to the trade market to find players who are already under long term deals or about to become free agents in the near future in order to reinforce what was the 18th best pitching staff in baseball last year.  Where I learned math that was in the bottom 50% of all teams. Towards that end three trades keep coming up again and again.  The first is Luis Castillo of the Mariners who is in the midst of a big dollar contract but starting to slip a little bit against the unhittable stuff he displayed earlier in his career.  His 2025 numbers were certainly better than what any Met this side of Nolan McLean provided — he went 11-8 with a 3.54 ERA with his strikeout numbers down to less than one per inning pitched.  He’s a solid pitcher for sure but going into his age 33 season you’re securing his talents for $24 million per year for 2026 and 2027 with a $25 million option for 2028.  One rumor had him available for a combo of Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio which doesn’t seem like a lot of talent to sacrifice but it is bringing on $74 million in payroll for a pitcher starting to decline. The next one is a bit more interesting and likely available for the right package.  Former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins took awhile to work his way back into normal form after his Tommy John surgery, but in the second half of the year he started looking like the ace he’d always been.  For  the period of 2020 to 2022 prior to suregery he went 26-26 with a 2.74 ERA and a WHIP of just over 1.000 while striking out nearly 4 times as many as he walked.  He was gone for 2024 and working back through rehab in 2025.  He’s earning $17 million in 2026 and has an option at $21 million for 2027.  What it would take to obtain him is a great unknown, but at age 30 for the upcoming season he should be a good option. Arguably the best bargain if available is current Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta who David Stearns knows well from his years heading up the program in Wisconsin.  In 2025 Peralta had his best ever season going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA while fanning 204 batters in just over 176 innings pitched.  For this effort he makes the very modest salary of just $8 million.  He will be a free agent in 2027, so picking him up this year if Milwaukee would make a trade carries a great deal of risk, but between the salary and his young age it would seem to be a very interesting transaction for the Mets to make. 

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