Mets' Top Pitching Prospect Dazzles in First Spring Training Start

He's seemingly picking up right where he left off last year

Apr 8, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A detail view of New York Mets hats and gloves during the game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

While the New York Mets overhauled their lineup this offseason, some questions remain about the expectations for the team's starting pitching staff, even after the acquisition of Freddy Peralta. But the team's top prospect may have put a few of those uncertainties to rest in his spring training debut.

Nolan McLean, New York's No. 1 prospect in 2025 and MLB Pipeline's No. 6 overall prospect for 2026, tossed a gem in the Mets' 5-0 spring training win over the Houston Astros on Thursday. The 24-year-old righty twirled four scoreless innings in his first start of the spring, only giving up one hit and one walk while striking out six. He threw 56 pitches in his outing and even reached 97.9 mph on his sinker, according to SportsNet New York (SNY).

Despite being one of the top prospects in baseball heading into the 2026 season, McLean made his major league debut last year and impressed, producing a 5-1 record with a 2.06 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings for New York. And if the Mets are going to have the successful campaign they likely envision for themselves this year, the 2023 third-round pick will undoubtedly be expected to be a key contributor this season.

What should Mets fans expect from Nolan McLean in 2026?

Sep 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

One of the biggest question marks surrounding McLean going into the 2026 season has nothing to do with his pitch arsenal or performance on the mound, but rather his workload. While the 24-year-old threw 161 innings last year across the minors and majors, that was a significant jump from his 109 innings pitched in 2024. And before that, the most he pitched in college was 30 innings for Oklahoma State University in 2023.

The Mets, like many professional organizations, have been known to keep an eye on the usage of their young pitchers, namely Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey. It remains to be seen if McLean will be put on an innings limit or face any restrictions this season, but that could also depend on how he and the team perform throughout 2026. McLean, alongside fellow Mets starter Clay Holmes, is expected to pitch for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, too.

Regardless of any workload hypotheticals, if the 6-foot-2 righty's first start of spring training is any indication of what's to come, McLean seems poised to have a breakout season in 2026.