Inside The Mets

Six Mets Minor League Position Players To Watch Ahead Of 2025 Season

The Mets have worked hard to rebuild their farm system over the past few years. Which minor league position players are the most intriguing to keep an eye on during the 2025 season?
Mike Phillips|
Feb 23, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jett Williams (90) catches a ground ball and retires Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (not pictured) during the third inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Feb 23, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jett Williams (90) catches a ground ball and retires Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (not pictured) during the third inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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New York Mets

The New York Mets have done a lot of work over the past few years to revitalize their farm system.

With owner Steve Cohen vowing to turn his franchise into the East Coast version of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a good minor league pipeline becomes essential to produce cost-effective young talent to plug holes in the lineup.

A lot of heavy lifting was done at the 2023 trade deadline, when Cohen absorbed a ton of salary to allow former general manager Billy Eppler to maximize the prospect return on a fire sale. New president of baseball operations David Stearns has also begun to put his imprint on the system with a solid 2024 draft and some intriguing international free agent pickups, like shortstop Elian Peña.

While Peña is acclimating to the system, the Mets saw some of their top position players participate in their Spring Breakout game on Sunday against the Washington Nationals. 11 of the Mets' Top 15 prospects according to MLB.com are position players (although two are Luisangel Acuña and the rehabbing Ronny Mauricio, both of whom have made their big-league debuts), which could be a big help as the team's current lineup is a very expensive group for the next several years.

Read More: Ronny Mauricio won't start the season on time

Which position player prospects have the most potential worth tracking in 2025? Let's look at six candidates who will be on the radar of the organization over the course of the year.

1. SS Jett Williams

No position player has more star potential than Williams, the Mets' second first-round pick from the 2022 draft. Although he is undersized at 5'6", Williams has an elite hitting tool, an advanced eye at the plate, power potential, and plenty of speed, as evidenced by this stolen base in the Spring Breakout game.

Injuries limited Williams' playing time in 2024, but he made up for some of those at bats in the Arizona Fall League and is projected to start the 2025 season with Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets have exposed Williams to center field and second base in addition to shortstop (his natural position), but his bat will likely determine when he is able to force his way to the majors. MLB.com ranks Williams as the Mets' second-best prospect, behind only starting pitcher Brandon Sproat.

2. OF Carson Benge

Stearns' first draft pick with the Mets was Benge, who was a two-way player collegiately but will focus just on hitting as a professional. With a sweet lefty swing and plenty of pop, Benge had a strong debut with Single-A St. Lucie last summer, hitting .273 with two home runs, eight RBI, and an .856 OPS. The Spring Breakout game was also a good spotlight for Benge, who hit an opposite-field double early in the contest.

The Mets feel that Benge has the speed necessary to handle center field and the arm to do well anywhere in the outfield, although he would offer better value if he can stick in center. Expect Benge to begin 2025 with either St. Lucie or High-A Brooklyn, where his potential could explode now that he is working exclusively as a hitter. MLB.com has Benge rated as the team's third-best prospect.

3. OF Ryan Clifford

Acquired as part of the Justin Verlander trade, Clifford could be a long-term solution at first base for the Mets if Pete Alonso doesn't stick around beyond this season. The calling card for Clifford is power, which he has in spades, but he does have work to do against lefty pitching and against off-speed stuff. That power was on full display in the Spring Breakout game, when he cranked a two-run homer in the fifth.

2024 saw Clifford struggle in Brooklyn, where the winds on Coney Island can dampen power, but he improved once the Mets bumped him up to Binghamton. Clifford will likely start 2025 at the Double-A level so he can work on cutting down his strikeout rate, which has made him a bit of a three true outcomes type, but there is plenty of time to put things together at age 21. MLB.com has Clifford rated fourth on the Mets' Top 30 list.

4. SS/3B Jesus Baez

The start of 2025 will be a bit delayed for Baez, as he rehabs from knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus that ended his 2024 season in June; this is a shame since he showcased elite exit velocity with Single-A St. Lucie. Despite a 5'10" frame, Baez has a ton of pop thanks to a smooth batting stance that he can adjust when there are two strikes in the count.

With only eight games under his belt at Brooklyn, expect the Mets to start Baez off there once he is fully ready to go. Like many prospects in the system, Baez is a natural shortstop but his build and lack of foot speed makes third base a likelier long-term home. MLB.com has Baez at No. 8 on the Mets' Top 30 list.

5. OF Drew Gilbert

The other key piece of the Verlander trade, Gilbert appeared to be on the fast track to Flushing before injuries decimated his 2024 season. An uninspiring return to action late and a middling performance in the Arizona Fall League caused Gilbert's stock to drop on prospect rankings, leaving him at No. 11 on the Mets' Top 30 list according to MLB.com.

The Mets are slow-playing Gilbert after hamstring issues plagued him last year; he is likely destined to go to Triple-A Syracuse again once cleared to start his season. The addition of Juan Soto likely blocked Gilbert's path to Flushing as a corner outfielder, but he will need to get his speed back to make it as a big-league center fielder.

6. SS Jeremy Rodriguez

A little bit of a mystery to casual fans, Rodriguez was the return in the Tommy Pham trade at the 2023 deadline. Rodriguez is very young (he won't turn 19 until July) but demonstrates elite command of the strike zone for his age, along with a strong hit tool and room for growth in the power department as he develops more physically.

A strong arm would be Rodriguez's best asset defensively, where he is currently a shortstop but could end up at either second or third in the long run. After playing in the complex league last year, the Mets could start Rodriguez at Single-A St. Lucie this year. Rodriguez currently ranks 12th on MLB.com's list of the Mets' Top 30 prospects.

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Mike Phillips
MIKE PHILLIPS

Mike Phillips is a contributor to the Mets On SI site. Mike has been covering the Mets since 2011 for various websites, including Metstradamus and Kiners Korner. Mike has a Masters Degree from Iona University in Sports Communications and Media and also has experience covering the NFL and college basketball on FanSided. Mike also hosts his own New York sports based podcast. You can follow Mike on Twitter/X and Instagram: @MPhillips331.

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