New York Mets 2023 Top 30 Prospect Wraps: Nolan McLean
InsideTheMets.com will review each of the New York Mets’ Top 30 prospects, as ranked by MLB.com at the end of the 2023 season.
No. 23: RHP/DH Nolan McLean, Florida Complex League Mets (Rookie), St. Lucie Mets (Class A)
Statistics for 2023: (eight games) slashed .125/.375/.313/.688 with one home run, three RBI, 11 strikeouts, seven walks and five runs scored. Also stole a base. (two games as pitcher, all at St. Lucie): 0-0, 2.70 ERA (two games, one start), 3.1 innings, one hit, one run (earned), two strikeouts and two walks. .100 opponent batting average, 0.90 WHIP.
With FCL Mets (three games) slashed .143/.455/.571/1.026 with one home run, two RBI, five strikeouts, four walks and three runs scored. Stole one base.
With St. Lucie (five games) slashed .111/.308/.111/.419 with one RBI, six strikeouts, three walks and two runs scored.
Season Transactions: Assigned to FCL Mets on Aug. 8. Promoted to St. Lucie on Aug. 31.
Season Summary: Given that McLean was drafted in the third round in July, he wasn’t going to get much time to play, given the organizational onboarding that occurs with draft picks. He got a taste of what is to come with his eight games combined at rookie league and at St. Lucie. But he definitely struggled with his small exposure to professional pitching. Meanwhile, as a pitcher he showed off a solid arm and navigated professional hitting well.
Road Through the Organization: The Mets selected him in the third round out of Oklahoma State and paid him a $747,600 bonus. But McLean turned down a seven-figure bonus when he was drafted in 2020 and went to OSU because he hoped to play quarterback for the Cowboys. He never played for football coach Mike Gundy, but with the Cowboys baseball team he emerged as a pitcher and designated hitter. He was also drafted in 2022 by Baltimore in the third round, but the O’s declined to sign him due to the results of his post-draft MRI. MLB.com scouts like his chances of becoming a pitcher over a designated hitter, but this assumes the Mets want to commit to letting him pitch full-time. His fastball can hit 98 miles per hour.
What’s next: He’s probably not the next Shohei Ohtani, but the Mets allowed him to explore both options this season and will probably allow him to do so in 2024, at least until one wins out. MLB.com writes that McLean’s path may be as a pitcher, but McLean reportedly prefers to hit. He’ll probably start at St. Lucie in 2024 and be allowed to do both. He has a high-level fastball but needs consistent complementary pitches. He has raw power as a hitter but needs to cut down on strikeouts. He’s a project.
2023 New York Mets Top 30 Prospect Wraps:
No. 30: Kade Morris | No. 29 Coleman Crow | No. 28 Nick Morabito | No. 27 Matt Rudick | No. 26: Joel Diaz | No. 25: Raimon Gomez | No. 24: Diego Mosquera |
