4 NY Mets players fans can’t help but compare A.J. Ewing to

It's been a couple of weeks since the New York Mets called up top prospect A.J. Ewing as part of a youth movement that the club hopes will provide a shot in the arm to a flailing roster. So far, the early returns have been mixed, though there have been more positives than negatives. We'll need to see more to truly determine who Ewing is as a big leaguer, but for now, there are a few different ways we can look at him to get some context.

Typically, when we think of player comps, we're looking at guys with similar skillsets to see how a player might perform. That has some value, but in the case of Ewing, we're going to try to look at this from a variety of different lenses, using different points of connection to evaluate what we might see from him in the future.

To that end, there are four players with Mets roots that we can compare the 21-year-old to in order to get a 360-degree view of how he stacks up against guys based on one similarity or another.

The No. 9 will have Mets fans connecting the dots between Brandon Nimmo and A.J. Ewing

As players, Nimmo and Ewing don't have a ton of similarities, though some exist. Instead, the connecting thread here is the jersey number both players have donned in Queens. Nimmo was a fan favorite and a productive member for the club for a long time, so that is the standard that we hope Ewing lives up to, even if the means by which his production comes is different.

On the field, there are two similarities that are important. A young Nimmo made his living by making contact at a solid clip and a strong strike zone recognition that allowed him to enjoy healthy walk rates and get on base at elite clips. Ewing's minor league numbers suggest the same sort of prowess. The youngster finished 2025 with a .315 average and .401 OBP that was strengthened by a 12.1% walk rate. In 2026, he hit .339 with a .447 OBP while walking 16.7% of the time.

Nimmo finished his Mets career with a 12% walk rate and .364 OBP. If the Mets get that from Ewing, they'll be ecstatic. Later in his career, the current Texas Ranger began hitting for more power. We're not sure if Ewing has that with him, but what he does have that Nimmo lacked was an extra gear on the bases that makes him a true speed demon. With that, he could have a ceiling as a top-tier leadoff man who bridges old school and new school philosophies.

Mets fans will always compare A.J. Ewing to Jett Williams in hopes that they gave up the right prospect

Ewing and Jett Williams will be the subject of comparison for years to come. Not only do both players have similar skillsets as smaller, speed-forward players with infield-outfield versatility, but those overlapping traits allowed New York to part with Williams to acquire Freddy Peralta.

If Ewing busts and Williams is a star, it will hurt, especially because they probably could have swung the deal with Ewing included rather than Williams.

Ewing won the race to the majors, but Williams is tearing it up in Triple-A in May and may force the Brewers' hand sooner rather than later. Once he arrives, the two will be linked for their entire careers.

Mets fans will compare A.J. Ewing to Carson Benge as peers

While Ewing will get some comparisons to Nimmo because of their number, Carson Benge is the actual Nimmo replacement. The 23-year-old got the head start by breaking camp with the big league club, but failed to explode onto the scene as Ewing did.

The pair will inevitably be compared moving forward, in part because fans will want to answer the question of who is the best youngster on the team. Benge also has a different skillset that is more in line with what Nimmo provided the club, which makes things interesting as to who will ultimately provide more value.

Benge has started to show signs of life after his slow start, which is a very welcome development, especially if New York wants to lean into a youth movement. However, if by the grace of the baseball gods the club goes on a tear and looks to buy at the deadline, one of these guys could be on the move, thanks to both having the ability to cover center field.

There are lots of different ways things could play out, and lots of different angles of comparison for these two as time goes on.

Mets fans will look to Drew Gilbert as an A.J. Ewing cautionary tale

Before it was Ewing, Benge, or Williams as the next promising young outfielder in the Mets' system, it was Drew Gilbert who laid the claim to that title. The cracks in Gilbert's facade began to show in 2024 when he struggled mightily upon arriving in Syracuse, slashing .215/.313/.393.

Though he rebounded somewhat with a .243/.347/.430 line last year before being shipped off to the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline, it wasn't enough to quell concerns. Since then, Gilbert has hit .190/.248/.350 over 39 big league games last season, and .224/.276/.337 through 34 contests as of May 24 this year.

He's the cautionary tale that proves the crapshoot prospects truly are. Any extended slump that Ewing endures will have fans evoking Gilbert's name, at least until he proves that he's the real deal.

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