Top Pitching Prospect Off To Historic Start With New York Mets

The New York Mets are just 6-13 in August and have fallen six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the National League East. But as they cling to a 1.5-game led over the Cincinnati Reds for the final wild card spot, the Mets' top pitching prospect could help them secure a playoff bid.

Nolan McLean, ranked No. 3 among Mets prospects and No. 37 overall in the MLB Pipeline rankings, has recorded two strong starts to begin his Major League career. He's also made some Mets history in the process.

McLean's 15 strikeouts are the second most by a Mets pitcher in their first two career outings, behind Matt Harvey's 18 strikeouts in 2012, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs.

Most strikeouts in first two career outings, Mets history:

2012 Matt Harvey: 18
2025 Nolan McLean: 15
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 23, 2025

If that statistic is any indication, McLean has put himself in good company. Harvey was a breakout star for the Mets in 2012, posting a 2.37 ERA across 10 starts as a rookie.

He carried that momentum in to 2013, earning the lone All-Star appearance of his career and finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting with a 2.27 ERA and 191 strikeouts across 178.1 innings. Harvey also helped the Mets reach the World Series in 2015, recording a 3.04 ERA in 26.2 innings and four starts during their playoff run.

Like Harvey, McLean, a fellow right-hander, has gotten off to an ideal start to his Major League career with the Mets. In Friday's 12-7 win over the Atlanta Braves, he earned his second win in as many starts with seven innings, four hits, two earned runs, zero walks and seven strikeouts. McLean made his debut on Aug. 16 against the Seattle Mariners, and held them scoreless across 5.1 innings with just two hits allowed.

McLean also became the first MLB pitcher to have a 2-0 record, a sub-1.50 ERA, a sub-.150 opponent batting average, 15-plus strikeouts and fewer than five walks over his first two career appearances since ERA became an official stat in both leagues in 1913, according to OptaSTATS.

Nolan McLean of the @Mets is the only MLB pitcher to have:

2-0 record
sub-1.50 ERA
sub-.150 opp BA
15+ strikeouts
fewer than 5 walks

...over his first 2 career appearances (since ERA became official in both leagues in 1913). pic.twitter.com/oeGECXUPtz
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 23, 2025

The Mets selected McLean in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State. And just two years later, he's playing a key role in the NL playoff race.

Related MLB stories