Three Mets prospects who could find themselves in the rotation this season

Sam McWilliams – Mets number 16 prospect per MLB.com

The Mets went out and signed a guy this winter to become their number 16 prospect. An uncommon occurrence because free agents aren’t usually of this ilk, Sam McWilliams is one of the most interesting additions to the franchise from this past winter. He has zero MLB experience yet managed to snag a major league contract.

The Mets seem to really like the guy and I think we will get to see why this year. It might not be as a starter, though. McWilliams could end up as a more immediate solution to any bullpen woes they could face. I would say he’s ahead of Szapucki on a major league promotion simply because he’s already getting paid big league bucks.

Depending on how he performs, McWilliams might even rank higher than some of the veterans the Mets signed this winter to fill out the Triple-A depth chart. He had only an outside chance of making it onto the Opening Day roster. With options left on him, the Mets took advantage and will test-fly him in Syracuse first—unless they need him before the season down/up there begins.

McWilliams is a candidate to not only have a few starts this year but to also potentially fight for a spot on the 2022 roster. The franchise’s commitment to signing him this winter shows they have a willingness to see what he can do. It might not be immediate, but I strongly believe we’ll see McWilliams start for the Mets at some point this year.

Hopefully, it’s not for long because that only means someone else ahead of him on the depth chart has gone down.