The New York Mets cleverly kept Nolan McLean’s rookie status intact for 2026, making him eligible to win NL Rookie of the Year in 2026. It’s no longer a personal award. When teams put a rookie on their Opening Day roster, the Prospect Promotion Incentive takes effect. Winning ROY or finishing in the top three of the MVP or Cy Young before reaching arbitration will give teams an extra draft pick. The Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves each got one for Hunter Brown and Drake Baldwin’s 2025 performances.
Can McLean capture the Rookie of the Year? He’s battling Sal Stewart as a top contender as well as teammate Carson Benge.
There’s no organizational reward, but McLean is in contention for something else, too. It’s a reach to believe he’ll receive significant Cy Young consideration. A Gold Glove, on the other hand, is right there for him to grab. No NL starting pitcher has more Defensive Runs Saved than McLean. Although his 3 errors lead the league, so do his 24 fielding assists for a pitcher.
Nolan McLean's biggest Gold Glove competitor
If not McLean, Michael McGreevy will probably win the Gold Glove for NL pitchers. He has the same 5 DRS as McLean with 0 errors and a league-best 4 double plays turned. Not the same level of pitcher McLean is, his defense is a notch higher.
Logan Webb won the Gold Glove last year with a NL-leading 7 DRS. David Peterson was a finalist at 6 DRS. Peterson had a perfect fielding percentage in 2025. Oddly, he led the league with 5 errors in 2024 and is tied with McLean for the most this season at 3.
Webb did make an error in 2025, but his second straight season of leading the league in assists plus the one extra DRS likely was enough for voters to give him the honors and have the Mets Gold Glove drought continue. The Mets still haven’t had anyone win a Gold Glove since Juan Lagares in 2014. This year, McLean is someone in contention that might have to settle for second.
Luis Torrens is the more realistic candidate to end the drought. The only thing in his way is a lack of playing time. Considered the backup catcher, voters shouldn’t hold that against him. In fact, leading the league in DRS without the heavier amount of starts should only add to his case.
