NY Mets show a new edge is becoming a system-wide advantage

Legs have been doing the talking in Queens this season. The New York Mets turned stolen bases into a steady, unstoppable pulse, and the pattern isn’t confined to Citi Field. High-A and Double-A prospects are running with the same insistence, piling up attempts and successes that jump off the stat sheets. Follow the trail long enough, and it’s impossible to miss; speed is emerging as a defining feature of the system.

It’s not just speed; it’s synchronization. From Port St. Lucie to Binghamton, players are stealing with timing that looks coached but feels instinctive, a kind of organizational rhythm that wasn’t there before. The numbers don’t whisper development; they shout direction. Whatever’s stirring in the dirt, it’s moving fast, and it might just be the Mets’ newest competitive advantage.

A dominant stolen-base trend is emerging in the Mets system, hinting at a new edge

At the major-league level, the Amazins ranked 5th in total stolen bases with 147 swipes, but they led MLB with an 89% success rate, signaling that bases aren’t just bags—they’re part of a newly emerging weapon in the organization’s approach.

The lower minors tell a similar story. Brooklyn’s Cyclones finished second in the South Atlantic League with 257 stolen bases and an 81% success rate, led by A.J. Ewing’s 44 swipes and Marco Vargas’ 38. Binghamton’s Rumble Ponies topped the Eastern League with 213 stolen bases, tied for second in success rate at 80%, paced by Nick Morabito (49) and Jett Williams (32).

Triple-A hasn’t picked up on the trend yet, indicating that this emphasis on running is a relatively recent development among younger players. It’s evident in who the Mets are bringing into the system: versatile, athletic prospects with speed on the basepaths, signaling that this isn’t a fluke but a deliberate organizational focus.

Mets show how a single coach can turn talent into a new advantage

A large part of the Mets’ growth in this area belongs to first base coach Antoan Richardson, who has been invited back for 2026 after a coaching overhaul. Richardson’s influence is most visible in Juan Soto, who went from a career-high of 12 steals in a season to 38 this year, caught just four times. Under Richardson, stolen bases have become a tactical layer for the Mets—a quietly deliberate addition to how the team is shaping both its major-league roster and the development of younger talent.

In Moneyball, Billy Beane said, “I pay you to get on first, not to get thrown out at second.” The Mets seem to be rewriting the rules. Second base is suddenly part of the strategy, a place to turn speed into advantage. From the minors to Citi Field, the team is quietly shaping a new identity—one swipe at a time.