New York Mets Promote Top Prospect Nolan McLean Amid Frankie Montas Struggles

The Mets are finally calling up top prospect Nolan McLean after moving Frankie Montas to the bullpen.

Mar 15, 2024; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

New York Mets fans can finally exhale. Nolan McLean has got the call to the big leagues.

McLean will be called up Saturday when the Mets take on the Mariners at Citi Field to make his MLB debut.

The top Mets pitching prospect has dazzled in the minor leagues this season and the team waited a big longer than many expected to give him a chance. The Mets opted to move struggling starter Frankie Montas to the bullpen. Paul Blackburn will also move to the bullpen as he returns from a shoulder injury.

McLean is the No. 3 ranked prospect in the Mets farm system and 37th overall in MLB. The 24-year-old righty started the season at double-A Binghamton and quickly made the move on up to triple-A Syracuse after throwing to a 1.37 ERA over five starts and 26.1 innings pitched.

McLean has been incredibly consistent at the triple-A level with a 2.78 ERA over 13 starts and 16 games pitched, throwing 87.1 innings and striking out 97. McLean has give up more than three runs in just two of those starts. He's given up two earned runs or less in 14 of the 16 games pitched.

Among 76 minor league pitchers with 100+ innings pitched this season, Nolan McLean ranks:

3rd in GB% (54.7)
7th in K% (27.2)
7th in ERA (2.45) https://t.co/0w3vQ8GYYP

— Mathew Brownstein (@MBrownstein89) August 13, 2025

As you see from that tweet, McLean ranks amongst the best of the best in the minor leagues with pitchers that have gone 100+ innings. Fans have been waiting for both McLean and the other Mets top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat to get the promotion to Queens. Sproat could be the next in line very soon with the struggles this year from Montas and Blackburn.

Clay Holmes could end up shifting to the bullpen before the regular season ends as well. Holmes had a terrific first half for the Mets, but clearly has looked gassed in the second half, struggling to get through five innings in his first year as a starter since he was a rookie in 2018 when he made four starts. The Mets will need to make some key decision on Holmes, the rotation and the bullpen in the coming weeks as they try and hold on to a playoff spot.

For now, McLean gets the call against a very good Seattle Mariners lineup in front of the home fans at Citi Field on Juan Soto bobblehead day Saturday at 4:10pm. With McLean already at a career-high so far of 113.2 innings, we'll see just how many starts and how many innings he gets in the big leagues. But after a long wait to get his chance, he now gets it and against a playoff team, at home and amidst a tight playoff race.

No pressure.

Fantasy Baseball Impact:

With so much uncertainty of how deep into the game McLean will go, it's likely not worth the waiver wire pickup. Mets starters have failed to get through six innings outside of David Peterson, so it would be surprising to see McLean get through six. Going up against a tremendous Mariners high-powered offense in his debut will also be a difficult task. If you're dealing with injuries or want a spot start, he could be worth scooping up.