3 Prospects Mets Must Audition Before the Season Is Over

The Mets' newly replenished farm system features several prospects who should see time in the major leagues before the 2026 season is over.

New York Mets minor-league pitcher Jonathan Santucci could be one of the players who find themselves in the big leagues before this season ends. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The second half of the 2026 season has to be all about evaluation for the New York Mets. What do you have that could help you out in 2027 and beyond? This is the question David Stearns, Andy Green, and the rest of the Mets' decision-makers will try to answer by October.

That means we're going to see some prospects potentially get a chance to be on the big league roster, especially with rosters expanding in September. The Mets have already called up a number of prospects, including Nate Lavender and Jefry Yan, to fill in for the pieces they traded away at the deadline.

It's up to Lavender, Yan, and every other prospect who gets a chance with the major league team to treat these next few months like an audition. To prove they can contribute next season and beyond. Here are three more prospects the Mets must audition before the season is up.

3. Zach Franklin, RHP

Franklin is a newcomer, joining the Mets along with Gabe Davis in the trade that sent Huascar Brazobán to the White Sox. He currently ranks outside of the Mets' top 30 prospects, but he's arguably closer to a chance at the majors than any of the other prospects the Mets acquired at the deadline.

The 27-year-old righty excelled in both 2024 and 2025, albeit against much younger competition. He's taken a step back this year. In his first full year in Triple-A, he posted a 4.37 ERA at the time of the trade deadline. His biggest weakness has been giving up too many home runs, allowing 12 in just shy of 50 innings.

Franklin possesses swing-and-miss stuff, though, possessing a career 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors. His 2026 rate is just a tick below that (11.7). He also has great control of the strike zone, allowing less than three walks per nine innings this season.

Franklin's upside is limited because of his age and lack of velocity, but he's an interesting bullpen arm who should absolutely see time with the major league squad before September ends. At worst, the 27-year-old finally gets a taste of the big leagues and can compete for a bullpen role next season.

2. Nick Morabito, OF

Morabito got a (very) brief introduction to the major leagues earlier this season, going 0-for-11 with nine strikeouts in five games. He was sent down after that brutal stretch and has been with Triple-A Syracuse since. It might be worth giving Morabito another look, though, especially with Luis Robert Jr.'s future with the Mets uncertain.

Contact and speed are Morabito's calling cards, as he possesses a career batting average in the .280s and has stolen nearly 150 bases in just the last three minor league seasons. He won't hit for much power, as the 10 home runs this season are already a career high.

His lack of slugging ability is what limits his upside, as Morabito has recorded a sub-.750 OPS both this season and last season despite his contact and on-base ability. But contact and speed can play at any level, and the Mets are hoping Morabito can translate his tools to the major league level.

There's a decent chance that, if called up, Morabito continues to struggle. That's not important, though. What's important is exposing Morabito to big-league pitching and getting experience under his belt. And it wouldn't hurt to pick the brains of Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, a pair of outfield prospects who have done well in the majors this year.

1. Jonathan Santucci, LHP

Santucci may very well be the next pitching prospect in line to be called up to the major leagues. The Mets' current rotation, headlined by Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton, is already very young. But Scott is just coming back from Tommy John surgery, and Thornton's sample size is very limited. The Mets' 2027 rotation is wide open for competition.

The Mets' second-round pick in the 2024 draft, Santucci, had an excellent debut professional season in 2025. He's taken a small step back in 2026, but he's on the doorstep of the majors after a recent promotion to Triple-A.

Santucci owns four pitches, but he relies mostly on his fastball and slider, which are his two best. He generates a lot of strikeouts, punching out over 12 per nine innings this season, and he also limits the long ball. He's allowed just four home runs in 94 2/3 innings this season.

The 23-year-old lefty has just two starts at Triple-A under his belt, but so did Jonah Tong when the Mets called him up to the big leagues for the first time a season ago. The Mets need all the arms they can get, and auditioning Santucci before the season is over could give them insight into whether or not he can help the team in 2027.