The NY Mets prospect whose ceiling might depend on opportunity not talent

Projecting a player’s ceiling is usually about talent. How good is the stuff? How consistent are the results? With the New York Mets, there is one reliever whose long-term upside might hinge less on those questions and more on something simpler. The role he is trusted with could ultimately define how high this thing goes.

Some pitchers show you what they are in the middle innings. Others do not fully reveal themselves until the leverage increases and the responsibility grows. Until that step is taken, evaluations remain incomplete. For this arm, the difference between a solid contributor and a true weapon may come down to opportunity.

High-leverage trust could unlock the true ceiling for Mets reliever Dylan Ross

Spring training is underway, and there is a real battle for one, maybe two bullpen spots. Most projections have Dylan Ross on the outside looking in, which likely means starting the year a phone call away in Triple-A. That part is fine. He is going to pitch in the majors this season. The real question is how the Mets choose to use him when that moment arrives.

Last season gave the Amazins a clear answer about what he is capable of. Across three levels in the Mets system, he posted a 2.17 ERA over 54 innings, allowing 29 hits and 33 walks while striking out 80. The fastball topped out at 102 mph. That is the kind of arm that changes the conversation about where those innings should come.

Most of that work came in Triple-A Syracuse, where he threw 32 innings and surrendered only six earned runs. Opposing hitters managed a .107 batting average against him. The walks were high at 22, and that is the cleanup item. But hitters were not squaring him up. They were overmatched.

It also helps that his mentality matches the arm. When he got a brief call to the Mets late last year, he summed himself up perfectly: “I don’t care who you are, I’m going to come after you and attack you.” That is not subtle. That is Ricky Bobby energy without the apology tour. The edge is there. The confidence is there.

Here is where the ceiling comes into play. When Ross gets called up this season, the Mets will ease him in. That is how it is with most prospects getting the call. But at some point, the innings have to carry weight. High-leverage spots with runners on and real stakes are how you find out what is actually there. Sixth innings with a cushion will not do it. Facing the heart of an order late will. Sometimes you find open space and hit the gas. Then you see what the engine can do.