NY Mets prospect left off Baseball Prospectus Top 101 list and chewed up by the expert

Baseball Prospectus is considered one of the “big three” when it comes to prospect rankings. Alongside MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, there isn’t a better place to find some sort of ranking of who has the brightest future. They don’t always get things perfect. It didn’t stop New York Mets fans from discovering where members of the farm system rank entering the 2025 season. The latest Baseball Prospectus rankings had many fans talking youngsters on Tuesday.

Many of the usual suspects made the list. Notably absent was Drew Gilbert. Buried outside of the top 101 after entering last year ranked 29th, why the sudden change of heart?

One of the authors of the list, Jarrett Seidler spent his day fielding some questions. He didn’t hold back on chewing up the year Gilbert had.

Is it time for us to change our expectations for Mets prospect Drew Gilbert?

It was an injury-plagued season for Gilbert who managed to play only 56 games for Syracuse. A .215/.313/.393 slash line with 10 home runs and 32 RBI paled in comparison to what he did in 2023 when he lived up to the hype after getting traded to the Mets. A rather poor .241/.342/.371 slash line in 260 Double-A plate appearances with the Houston Astros organization evolved into a .325/.423/.561 finish. In 111 fewer plate appearances, Gilbert had as many home runs (6) and drove in one more run (21) than he did for Corpus Christi.

Elevated to a new level and also battling injuries, Gilbert failed to keep the ball rolling. The Mets gave him a chance to get in some extra competitive swings in the Arizona Fall League where, as Seidler noted, he wasn’t any better. Gilbert slashed .208/.380/.403 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI in 92 trips to the plate. He did walk more than he struck out (17 vs. 14) but the expectation was for him to be a whole lot better.

Gilbert struggled in July going just 5 for 34 without an extra-base hit. He improved slightly in August, lifting his batting average from .147 to .194. Finally in September, Gilbert would hit .240/.341/.480 with 5 home runs and 19 RBI. Basically half of his offensive production came in the final month. Unfortunately, he didn’t bring it with him to Arizona.

Seidler used Gilbert’s age as one reason for the omission. It’s not quite fair considering he turned 24 on September 27. The 2023 season was basically his first year as a professional, entering it with only 11 games played in the minors after getting drafted in 2022. With the 2024 season being a wash, Gilbert has been brushed aside for now in favor of prospects getting results.

There comes a time in every young athlete’s career when if things aren’t clicking they become a lost cause. Gilbert isn’t quite there. How he responds in 2025 to the criticism, the lost opportunities, and another chance to face more competitive pitching will help us decide if he is indeed a future member of the Mets or another guy who gets lost in the ether.