Savage quote has NY Mets rookie Dylan Ross sounding ready for high-leverage innings

Dylan Ross has been a name New York Mets fans have wanted in the majors for several weeks. A quick climber who went from High-A to Triple-A with big strikeout numbers this season, Ross’ presence on the Mets roster this weekend came down to a few things. One was the availability on the roster. Another was a final chance to see how he can handle the spotlight with Rule 5 Draft eligibility coming this December. He was always going to get protected on the 40-man roster. With their season on the line, they’ve turned to him for a little relief.

Prior to Saturday’s game 161 versus the Miami Marlins, Ross delivered a savage quote that has him sounding more ruthless than inexperienced.

Now or later, Dylan Ross has the right mentality for a high-leverage reliever

Expecting a rookie reliever to give them anything in one appearance is asking a lot. The Mets have already relied on Nolan McLean to stabilize the rotation. In several appearances, Brandon Sproat has been asked to do the same. A reliever with a high walk rate in the minors but with fantastic results elsewhere isn’t going to be the difference between surviving today or going away quietly.

The 25-year-old former 13th round pick was close to unhittable in Triple-A. Just 11 hits allowed in 32 innings, it’s the 22 walks which had the Mets holding him back. Still a bit of a mystery with a minor league career full of injuries, he came into this season with just 1 inning of experience at the professional level. He, of course, struck out all 3 batters he faced before going to the Arizona Fall League to get a reality check. His 17.47 ERA in limited action didn’t seem to hold him back from being his best in the 2025 regular season.

Because the Mets have added Ross to their 40-man roster, he’s already in the mix to be a candidate for next season’s bullpen. Based on the way David Stearns has operated, he’ll be among those who travel back and forth between the majors on minors throughout the year. Whatever he ends up doing this weekend, or not doing if the Mets have what it takes to pull off something miraculous, shouldn’t factor into his future with the ball club.

A cold stare, calm and calculated presence, and the knowledge that he can hit triple digits all make Ross’ response feel a little more threatening. It’s the kind of mentality we want from our relievers, especially the promising young ones. Many of those bullpen innings were handed to veteran journeymen with ridiculous ERAs. Ross will be one of the next projects coming up from the minor leagues for us to get a better idea of just how good (or bad) their development system is.