Here's what David Stearns said about NY Mets pitching development 1 year ago

Front offices love to sell a vision, especially one that takes time to fully come together. Most of those plans get picked apart long before they ever have a chance to prove anything. The New York Mets heard plenty of that noise when David Stearns made it clear that building a steady pipeline of starting pitching was the priority, not a quick fix designed to win headlines.

That idea never promised instant gratification, which is usually where patience starts to wear thin. Even Stearns, who laid out the plan himself, likely understood it would take time before anything meaningful showed up. Now, with young arms not just developing but advancing faster than expected, this is starting to look like one of those rare cases where the results might arrive ahead of schedule.

Mets fans are seeing David Stearns’ pitching plan come together faster than expected

A year ago, David Stearns made it clear what this was supposed to look like, saying “a long-term successful rotation depends upon our ability to develop really quality starters” and that “that is where our focus is.” At the time, that sounded like a patient plan. Now, it is not just lining up with what is happening across the system; it is moving quicker than even he likely anticipated.

It’s not just one arm driving the conversation either; it is a group of them all moving forward at the same time. Nolan McLean leads it, going from the 19th-ranked prospect in 2024 to the top spot in the system, and now entering the year as a favorite for NL Rookie of the Year. That kind of jump is not something you map out on a timeline; it is the kind of leap that forces expectations to change.

That same idea shows up with Jonah Tong, just at a different point in the process. He has already flashed what he can be, and now he is in Syracuse refining it while adding to his arsenal. His first start of the season, 4 shutout innings allowing 1 hit with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts, is a glimpse of that progress, but more importantly, it is happening while he is still building toward something bigger.

Better yet, it is not isolated to just those two. Zach Thornton carried over a sub-2.00 ERA season into a strong spring with a 1.35 ERA. Jonathan Santucci followed up his 2025 with a sharp Spring Breakout outing, striking out 5 over 3.2 innings. Jack Wenninger added to that depth with a 2.70 ERA in 6.2 innings this spring, allowing 7 hits, 6 walks while striking out 10, and followed that with 3.2 innings in the Spring Breakout game, where he struck out 6, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run.

Then there is Christian Scott, who returns healthy after already establishing himself as one of the better pitching prospects in the system. A year ago, this was a message about patience and belief in development. Now, it is moving at a pace that even Stearns might not have fully expected, with a wave of arms showing up sooner and stronger than planned.