Nolan McLean likely will be falling off prospect lists everywhere this year as he’s poised for his first full season with the Mets following an impressive 2025 cameo.
But for now, the right-hander leads the way as one of six Mets prospects on Baseball America’s list of the top 100 prospects in the sport, which was released Wednesday.
McLean, 24, comes in at No. 8, followed by outfielder Carson Benge at No. 19; right-hander Jonah Tong at No. 44; middle infielder/center fielder Jett Williams at No. 71; right-hander Brandon Sproat at No. 81 and outfielder/second baseman A.J. Ewing at No. 83.
A third-round pick in 2023, McLean had a 2.06 ERA in eight big-league starts last year, recording 57 strikeouts in 48 innings and a 5-1 record while impressing with his deep arsenal and a fastball that can reach the high 90s.
His spot in the 2026 rotation seems secure, barring an unexpectedly poor spring training.
Tong and Sproat also had late-season stints with the Mets, though they didn’t create the same buzz that McLean did.
Nolan McLean during the 2025 season. Robert Sabo for NY Post
In five starts, the 22-year-old Tong had a 7.71 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18 ⅔ innings after raising his stock tremendously with a 1.59 ERA across 20 Double-A outings.
He was a seventh-round pick in 2022.
Sproat had a 4.79 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 20 ⅔ innings across four MLB starts after posting a 4.24 ERA in 26 Triple-A appearances.
Currently the Mets figure to have a rotation that includes David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes. They may still sign a starter in free agency and have been linked to Framber Valdez.
Benge’s path to earning a big-league roster spot got complicated Tuesday when the Mets acquired center fielder Luis Robert from the White Sox.
He could potentially grab the left-field job, especially with Cody Bellinger re-signing with the Yankees on Wednesday.
Carson Benge could be in the Mets’ outfield this year. MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 23-year-old, a first-round pick in 2024, hit .281 with an .857 OPS, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs and 22 stolen bases across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A last year in his first full pro season.
Williams, a 22-year-old first-round pick in 2022, hit .261 with an .828 OPS, 17 homers, 52 RBIs and 34 steals in 130 games across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.
Ewing, a 21-year-old 2023 fourth-round pick, hit .315 with an .830 OPS, three homers, 55 RBIS and 70 steals in 124 games across A-ball, High-A and Double-A last season.