An improvement each of these NY Mets rookies needs to make most

There hasn't been much that's gone right for the New York Mets this season. A team with the second-highest luxury tax payroll and several big-name stars was supposed to be a whole lot better than a last-place finish in the NL East.

While we're staring down the barrel of that reality and frustrated by a number of underperforming veterans, something else has gone on. The Mets have had a contingent of rookies come up and provide real hope for the future.

Carson Benge and Nolan McLean are legitimately in the thick of the NL Rookie of the Year race, even if it seems like it's the Cincinnati Reds' rising star Sal Stewart's award to lose. Christian Scott, after so much uncertainty, finally looks like a legitimate rotation piece. Zac Thornton and A.J. Ewing have both had their moments in the sun, too.

This quintet is looking like the future bedrock of New York's next contending squad, but in order for that to become reality, each will need to make a key improvement heading into 2027.

The most important improvement each key Mets rookie must make heading into 2027

Carson Benge must improve against breaking pitches

Benge shook off a slow start to become a dynamic all-around force. He's rangy with an absolute cannon in the outfield, he's got speed on the basepaths, and at the plate he brings a nice mix of power and contact. From May 1 through September 6, he has hit .294/.352/.445 with 14 dingers.

However, if Benge is going to continue his stellar offensive performance, and even improve upon it, he's going to need to get better against breaking balls. Against sliders this season, he's posted a run value of -1 and a batting average of .230. Curveballs have also given him fits, with a run value of -2 and a .184 average. Sweepers have also been a problem with him posting a -1 run value and a .235 average. Compare that to his 11 run value and .331 average against four-seamers, and it's clear where the gap is.

Those three breaking pitches have accounted for 27.6% of all pitches he's faced. With an offseason to prepare, it wouldn't be a surprise for that number to rise considerably in 2027, and Benge must respond accordingly.

Nolan McLean must develop a true chase pitch

There's a lot to like about Nolan McLean, but chief among his merits is the fact that he generates a healthy dose of both strikeouts and groundballs. That's a recipe for success. On top of that, he has an arsenal that goes seven deep based on Baseball Savant's pitch classifications.

We've seen McLean pitch with fire and battle through adversity. Again, that's another quality you'd love to see in an ace.

However, despite all of the positives, McLean strangely doesn't get opposing batters to chase very often. At 27.7%, he ranks in the 21st percentile, and that has an outsized impact. For one thing, the lack of chases results in fewer whiffs, and at 24.1%, McLean's whiff rate is a below-average 43rd percentile mark. On top of that, fewer chases and whiffs mean more balls, which in turn yield more walks. The young right-hander is a little on the high side with a 9.7% walk rate.

At a certain point, this could become a ticking time bomb. Lack of chase and few whiffs could impact his strikeouts, while the walks could lead to big innings. McLean is going to need one of his many pitches to stand out and continually fool hitters, and it might behoove him to simplify his repertoire for maximum effect.

Zac Thornton needs a pitch that gets swings and misses

Thornton's emergence seemingly has already solved a big Mets' issue. He's not a star, but he's looking like a consistent mid-rotation arm, which, in a way, is the hardest thing to find on the free-agent market. Those mid-tier starters get paid handsomely and quite often aren't worth the money.

Thornton has the type of skill set that seems to have a high floor. He throws strikes, rarely beats himself with the walk, and manages contact with above-average command. He, like McLean, has a deep array of offerings, though the southpaw is more finesse-oriented than his right-handed counterpart.

The 24-year-old gets a decent amount of chases, but very few whiffs. His whiff rate of 19% comes in as an eighth-percentile performance. That's a problem.

Not only is this about adding some strikeout juice, but also the fact that with those chases, a lot of contact is being made. The better hitters in the league will be able to find holes in the defense even if they're chasing, which can lead to a big inning made up of bloopers and bleeders. Finding a pitch that he can go to and consistently get swings and misses with will be paramount.

A.J. Ewing needs to get better against the fastball

It's been a tale of two seasons for Ewing, who began the year on a tear and then cooled off considerably after the All-Star Break. Fortunately, he seems to be breaking out of it here in September, and that bodes well for the future.

One of the primary issues that the speedster has faced has been his performance against four-seam fastballs. He's seen the heater more than any other pitch, coming in at 28.9% of the time, but posted a -4 run value while hitting just .179 with a .326 slugging percentage.

The good news is that this might not be a huge hill to climb. He has actually posted a 50% hard-hit rate against heaters with a .264 xBA and a .494 xSLG. The biggest change that he might need to happen could simply be luck.

Christian Scott needs to level up his command

Scott has put on an impressive display this season, and power has been the name of his game. He's striking out hitters with regularity, limiting exit velocity, and leveraging a fastball-sweeper combo that has generated a nice breeze thanks to all the whiffs.

However, there's danger looming in what the 27-year-old does. Most of his non-strikeout-related outs come through the air, and he doesn't do himself any favors by creating extra traffic on the bases with a 10.2% walk rate.

This could hurt him in two distinct ways. First is the walks coming back to bite him should one of those fly balls leave the yard for a big blow. The second is him essentially getting nickel-and-dimed by free passes and bloopers finding space, creating a big inning in the most frustrating way possible.

In order to keep leveling up, Scott is going to have to refine his command a bit and cut that walk total down in 2027.

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