3) Michael Hobbs
The 25-year-old Hobbs was snagged from the Dodgers in the Rule 5 draft this past December, giving the Mets a low-risk chance to uncover some hidden potential. A 10th-round pick out of St. Mary’s College, the right-hander will start spring training on the active roster, where he’ll have a real shot to make an impression. With a low-to-mid-90s four-seamer and a sharp slider in his three-pitch toolkit, he’s got the ingredients to compete for a bullpen spot.
He put up some eye-catching numbers over four seasons in the Dodgers system: a 3.18 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, a 9.62 K/9 rate, and a stingy 0.76 HR/9, which is well below league average. Opponents managed just a .202 batting average and a .633 OPS against him—solid marks for any reliever. But, like a few others in the Mets’ bullpen mix, his Achilles' heel is his command. With a 5.16 BB/9, losing the strike zone has been a recurring issue, and it’s something he’ll need to clean up if he wants to stick around in the big leagues.
His 57.2 innings pitched with AA Tulsa last season—a solid workload for a reliever—could be his ticket to carving out a role in the Mets’ bullpen. What sets him apart is his knack for shutting down left-handed hitters and coming through in high-pressure spots. Lefties floundered against him, hitting a meager .173 with a 22.9% strikeout rate over 75 at-bats. When the stakes were high—runners on second and third—Hobbs stepped up, holding hitters to a .187 average and posting a 26.5% K rate in those situations. Add in a 52.7% groundball rate, and you’ve got a pitcher who could be the Mets version of “Wonderboy” this season. If he can harness his control, don’t be surprised if this Rule 5 pick becomes a crucial piece for the Amazins.