The New York Mets‘ magical season came to an end over the weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers, dropping the National League Championship Series four games to two. The Mets, for what it’s worth, were not supposed to get this far earlier in the season.
Longtime Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen declared in early April the season was at “rock bottom” during a lightly attended game at Citi Field. By June, the team was 11 games under .500. Then, out of nowhere, Grimace happened and the Mets rode a wave of success to a Wild Card spot. They shocked the number-three seed Milwaukee Brewers and then knocked off a tough Philadelphia Phillies team in the NL Division Series.
Their successful run should not be discounted regardless of how ludicrous the “playoff pumpkin” sounds. The question for Steve Cohen and the team is, “How do we make 2025 even better than this Cinderella story?” These are three prospects the Mets should turn to in their farm system in 2025 for a shot at their first World Series title in nearly 40 years.
Three Prospects the Mets Could Use for a World Series Run in 2025
1) INF/OF Luisangel Acuña (#12 Organizational Prospect)
2024 (Triple-A): .258/.299/.654; 20 doubles; 6 triples; 7 home runs; 50 RBI; 32 BB to 96 K; 40 SB
MLB: 39 ABs; .308/.325/.966; 2 doubles; 1 triple; 3 home runs; 6 RBI; 1 BB to 6 K; 0 SB
The Mets offense did as much as you could hope for during their chase for the pennant. The team slashed a .261/.365/.749 line, all either at or slightly above average, while striking out 48 times against 53 hits. When you play against a super-team such as the Dodgers and put these kinds of offensive numbers up, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
However, there was one player notably absent from the lineup. Luisangel Acuña only had one at-bat the entire series and only three at-bats during the entire playoffs. It was expected, given that veterans Francisco Lindor and Jose Iglesias have more playing time.
It’s just a bit of a shame that Acuña could not get more playing time during the postseason.
Acuña did not have a productive season, putting up a career-worst in OBP, slugging, strikeout-to-walk ratio, and batting average. He seemingly went a more gap-power-oriented route in 2024, with his home runs shrinking while hitting more triples and stealing more bases.
As mentioned in our September article following his call-up, Acuña’s biggest asset was his speed and baserunning skills. Unfortunately, the Mets played it safe and didn’t allow him to steal that much. He was caught in his only attempt.
However, he did make the most of his hitting opportunities, clubbing three home runs and carrying a slugging percentage over .600 and an OPS over .900. There were concerns about his lagging play in Triple-A carrying over to the big leagues, but he answered these questions quite well.
There is definitely room for improvement for the 22-year-old infielder. Per Baseball Savant, he seems to grade above average in strikeout rate and bat speed. Acuña does need to lay off some of the more complex pitches to get his chase and whiff rates down.
We also expected to see Acuña at second base this year, until Lindor went down with an injury. The young infielder made the most of his opportunities, only committing one error in 12 games at shortstop. That 60 grade for fielding per MLB Pipeline seems a bit more justified now.
The Mets have a few infielders coming off the books in free agency, including Jose Iglesias and, potentially, Pete Alonso. If either one were to walk, or perhaps both, Acuna would see reps in the infield. If other players such as Jesse Winker or Harrison Bader walk, he will play the outfield. An opening is sure to come his way, so long as he impresses in spring training.
2) RHP Brandon Sproat (#40 Overall Prospect, #1 Organizational Prospect)
2024 (Three Teams): 7-4: 116.1 IP; 3.40 ERA; 87 hits and 42 BB (1.109 WHIP); 14 HR (1.2 HR/9); 131 K (10 K/9); .210 OBA
While the Mets offense held their own, their pitching staff completely fell apart in the NLCS. Never mind the big 10+ run games they surrendered, their overall stat lines are just ugly.
The team sported a disastrous 7.10 team ERA and 1.885 team WHIP. On top of that, they walked 42 batters in 52 innings, while striking out only 51 hitters. This was a far cry from the team that had a team ERA under 4.00 and 1.260 WHIP during the regular season.
Edwin Díaz was the lone shining spot on the staff, pitching 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts. Outside of Díaz, the team either performed below average at best or downright awful at worst.
Despite having only one year under his belt, it might be time to have Brandon Sproat in the bullpen.
Sproat, despite topping the Mets’ prospect list is a risky decision for 2025. There are more seasoned prospects such as Dom Hamel and Mike Vasil who could be valuable. The problem is that their more experienced prospects put up their worst years in their careers.
The 24-year-old right-hander had a strong 2024 campaign, showing off his ability to garner strikeouts and keep batting averages around .200. Thanks to his five-pitch arsenal that features a cutter and changeup, he is versatile enough just with his natural pitch selection.
In the seven games he started at Triple-A, however, his numbers ballooned in the wrong direction. He allowed a .313 opposing batting average and surrendered seven home runs in 28 innings. Worse, he walked 11 batters over 21 strikeouts. He needs a lot more time at the level before figuring out major-league batting.
It would have been easier to put Jonah Tong in this slot, but he’s only pitched nine innings of Double-A ball. Sproat might be the best MLB-ready pitcher out of the farm system with most of their arms collapsing this year. Don’t be surprised if Sproat doesn’t come up this year at all and the Mets bring in a sharp veteran arm.
3) SS Ronny Mauricio (#6 Organizational Prospect)
2024: Did Not Play (Torn ACL)
2023 (Triple-A): .292/.346/.506; 30 doubles; 3 triples; 23 home runs; 71 RBIs; 35 BB and 97 K; 24 SB
Please do not forget about Ronny Mauricio, Mets fans. He lost a season because of a freak accident on the basepaths in a December 2023 Dominican Winter League game, essentially ending his campaign before it was even thought about.
Remember, he was posting his best season in the Mets farm system in 2023. That year, he posted a career-high in batting average, OBP, OPS, doubles, walks and stolen bases. Mauricio was well on his way to the big leagues that year.
The Mets rewarded his efforts with a call-up late in the 2023 season. In 101 at-bats, he compiled an unimpressive .248/.296/.643 slash line, striking out 30% of the time. He did steal seven bases, but most of his numbers were simply average.
For five years, according to Baseball America, he was a Top 100 prospect, ranking as high as number 65 in 2021. A lot of scouts liked his baserunning and hitting skills, which were on full display last year.
Although Mauricio is hurt, he is still a Mets prospect to watch closely in 2025. He will most likely rehab with the team starting in Rookie ball before moving back up. Watch his speed, leg kick when batting, and how he runs. If he is able to play with little impediment, he should play for the Mets in 2025. Hope for the best.
Photo Credit: © Brad Penner-Imagn Images
