Mets Star Pitcher Tops MLB Pipeline Prospects List

With just under three weeks until the New York Mets begin reporting to Port St. Lucie for Spring Training, four of the team’s prospects were recognized on a prestigious preseason list.

Each year, MLB Pipeline releases its Top 100 prospects list before the season begins. Last season, the Mets had three representatives: Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, and Jonah Tong. Fans are well aware of the impact that both McLean and Tong made at the end of the year to bolster a depleted, injury-riddled rotation.

The new Top 100 Prospects list is out!

Dig in: https://t.co/E71LOyW7cB pic.twitter.com/Pa2NmKzQxr
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 24, 2026

This year, all three of those Mets prospects are back on the list, joined by outfielder A.J. Ewing, proving that the future is still bright in Queens. The strong Mets presence is even more impressive when considering the team dealt two of their top-5 prospects (Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat) to the Brewers for Freddy Peralta earlier this month.

Nolan McLean once again tops the list for the Mets as the sixth-ranked prospect in MLB. This also makes him the top-ranked pitching prospect for the second consecutive year. McLean’s top ranking should come as no surprise: in 48 innings last season, he posted a 2.06 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with 57 strikeouts. At times, the movement on McLean’s pitches made him nearly unhittable, and he enters 2026 as a lock for the team’s starting rotation.

Carson Benge enters the season ranked 16th on the list, up from his rank of 21st entering last year. Benge has the opportunity to win the starting left-field job at Spring Training with only Tyrone Taylor currently in the way. After the trade for Luis Robert Jr., president of baseball operations David Stearns said the organization is "happy" with the current group of players, which means Benge will likely have every opportunity to make the big league team this spring.

The 23-year-old is now the top position player prospect in the Mets’ organization and was also ranked the fourth-best outfield prospect in the league by MLB Pipeline. Benge slashed .281/.385/.472 across three minor league levels last year, and is already at Port St. Lucie after training with former MLB slugger Matt Holliday and his sons Ethan and Jackson. He smashed 15 home runs on 124 hits in 116 games and added 22 stolen bases.

Just two years after being drafted, @Mets right-hander Nolan McLean went 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA in his first 8 big league starts and was one of the best pitchers in baseball down the stretch.

The former two-way star is MLB’s top pitching prospect at No. 6 on the new Top 100:… pic.twitter.com/6U02FmawcN
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 24, 2026

Tong showed flashes of his potential last season, but struggled with control during his five starts with the team. He is the 48th-ranked prospect on the list and has a chance to win a spot at the back-end of the rotation at Spring Training. But with Peralta added to the group, the Mets find themselves with plenty of options for the rotation, which means Tong could ultimately end up in the bullpen or back at Triple-A Syracuse to start the year.

This is A.J. Ewing’s first time on the Top 100 prospects list after a breakout year at Double-A Binghamton. Ewing slashed .315/.401/.429 last season, with 153 hits and a staggering 70 stolen bases in just 124 games. The 21-year-old is likely still a couple of years away from the big leagues, but his inclusion on this list shows how much his stock has risen.

All four players also appeared on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list earlier this month. McLean was ranked 8th, Benge 19th, Tong 44th, and Ewing 83rd.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Recommended Articles: