Injured NY Mets prospect can play catch up with Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat in AFL

The New York Mets released their Arizona Fall League roster, and one name immediately jumps out: Wyatt Hudepohl. The 2023 fourth-round pick hasn’t thrown a single pitch in 2025, sidelined all season with an undisclosed injury. Now he heads to the AFL not to polish his game or rack up stats, but to finally get meaningful innings and show that missing a year hasn’t derailed his development.

The challenge Hudepohl faces is stark. Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean, both drafted ahead of him, are already on the major league roster and making significant strides at the highest level. While they’ve been testing themselves against MLB hitters, Hudepohl has been sidelined, making this AFL assignment his first real opportunity to close the gap. For Mets fans, it could be the stage where Hudepohl proves he belongs alongside the team’s rising arms.

Wyatt Hudepohl aims to reignite his career in the Arizona Fall League after a year sidelined by injury.

Hudepohl’s journey through the minors has been anything but smooth. The 23-year-old righty made his mark in the 2023 draft as the Mets’ fourth-round pick, right behind Brandon Sproat (2nd round) and Nolan McLean (3rd round). In 2024, he got a taste of professional ball with the St. Lucie Mets, making eight appearances, seven of them starts. Over 29 innings, he struck out 31 batters, allowed 31 hits, and issued 18 walks, finishing with a 4.03 ERA and a .279 batting average against — numbers that showed both his ability to miss bats and the areas he needs to vastly improve.

An injury during a start in mid-May 2024 cut his season short, and the stint on the injured list has carried over into 2025, keeping him off the mound entirely and preventing him from throwing a single pitch this year. When healthy, Hudepohl works with a fastball in the low to mid-90s, paired with a slider and a splitter. For a prospect trying to rise through the Mets’ system, that’s precious development time lost, making his upcoming AFL assignment a crucial opportunity to regain innings and continue his development.

The stakes are clear: Sproat and McLean have already made the jump to the major leagues, each establishing themselves at the highest level. Hudepohl hasn’t had that chance yet, and the AFL is his first real opportunity to show the Mets he can catch up to the arms drafted just ahead of him. Every inning thrown this fall is a step toward refining his pitches and closing the gap with his peers. For Mets fans following the next wave of pitching talent, Hudepohl’s assignment in Arizona is one to watch closely.