3 NY Mets Rule 5 Draft targets to steal if they fall far enough

The New York Mets have not picked a player in the Rule 5 draft since 2023. The last player they selected was Justin Slaten, whom they later traded to the Boston Red Sox. However, with a bullpen that could use some depth, they may look to add a low-risk/high-ceiling arm in this year's Rule 5 draft to add to the active roster. Plenty of pitchers are going to be in this year's draft who are coming off strong seasons with respectable stuff that could play in the Major Leagues, with these three names in particular ones that should be on their radar.

1) RJ Petit

RJ Petit was a 14th-round pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2021. He has performed well throughout the minor leagues; however, it wasn't enough to convince the Tigers to put him on their 40-man roster this offseason. Last season, Petit pitched to a 2.44 ERA, 2.94 FIP, and 1.06 WHIP. He struck out just under 30% of batters with a 29.5% K%, and only walked opponents at an 8.2% rate over 66.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Petit is an imposing presence on the mound, as he is listed at 6'9", 300-LBS. He sits mid-90s with his four-seam fastball, with a slider that sits around 84 MPH, and an upper-80s change-up. The only downside is that Petit may not last long enough for the Mets to have an opportunity to take the right-hander.

2) Peyton Pallette

Peyton Pallette was selected much earlier in the draft, as the Chicago White Sox took him with their second-round pick in 2022. He entered the draft as a consensus top-50 member of his class; however, he didn't live up to the hype in his first few seasons. The White Sox moved him to the bullpen full-time in 2025, and he produced a 4.06 ERA, with a 3.43 FIP, and 1.12 WHIP over 64.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Pallette nearly struck out a third of batters with a 32.5% K%, and had a respectable 10.6% walk rate. Pallette utilizes a mid-90s four-seam fastball, with a low-80s curveball, a mid-to-upper-80s change-up, and a mid-80s slider. MLB Pipeline ranks Pallette as the White Sox's 14th-best prospect.

3) Brendan Beck

Another former second-round pick available in this year's draft is New York Yankees' prospect Brendan Beck. He was taken in the 2021 draft; however, a myriad of injuries have kept him off the field for multiple seasons. He first underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2021, which kept him out for all of 2022. Beck then underwent a follow-up procedure, which prevented him from taking the field in 2024. He finally got a chance to play a full season in 2025, and he put up some quality numbers.

The right-hander tallied an impressive 131.1 innings while working to the tune of a 3.36 ERA, 3.79 FIP, and 1.06 WHIP. Beck struck out 23.6% of batters and excelled at limiting free passes with a 6.9% walk rate. Beck only sits around 92 MPH with his fastball, but a move to the bullpen could help him gain a tick of velocity. His best pitch is his low-80s slider. Beck's second breaking ball is an upper-70s curveball, and he rounds his repertoire out with a low-80s change-up. Beck has displayed excellent command, which has helped his ordinary arsenal play up. In terms of prospect rankings, Beck is one of the better prospects available, as he is ranked as the Yankees' 11th-best prospect by Pipeline.