FanGraphs cleverly projects top NY Mets prospect gets at-bats over Jared Young

Late January-early February is the “let’s check stat projection” point of the MLB offseason. More transactions will take place. For the New York Mets, there may be one final big swing with a few smaller ones far likelier.

FanGraphs projections are often some of the more valued. Usually the more eye-catching elements of it is how much playing time certain players get. The innings and plate appearances can sometimes look a little ridiculous.

Most fascinating is who gets those four dozen at-bats in the middle or tail end of the season. Predicting which prospects break through for significant time can be hard in the preseason. A player like Jared Young, who feels like an Opening Day bench candidate, is sure to get some opportunities. FanGraphs doesn’t expect those at-bats to be significant with one of the top Mets prospects receiving more opportunities in 2026.

FanGraphs sees Jared Young getting 36 plate appearances, Ryan Clifford getting 45

Ryan Clifford is Jared Young with upside. The power hitting first baseman/corner outfielder finished the year in Triple-A and should be a consideration for the big league roster late in 2026. Young, who had a big year in Triple-A but didn’t do much other than smack a few homers during his brief time with the Mets, would probably get some of those at-bats early in the year or mid-season in case of injury.

Young managed to step up to the plate 47 times for the 2025 Mets. At the end of May and throughout June, he was a left-handed bat serving as the DH in the absence of Jesse Winker. The Mets used him as a pinch hitter a couple of times and even once as a pinch runner for Francisco Alvarez. He’s an atypical utility player with a use.

Clifford isn’t much different. He’s more than a slugging first baseman in the minor leagues. While he’s young (not Jared), the Mets should and probably will take advantage of his ability to play corner outfield spots.

The clear pathway for Clifford to gain major league at-bats would be as a left-handed DH option. He had an .876 OPS against right-handed pitchers in the minors last year, setting up for predictable splits as he trends toward major league ready. How MLB-ready he actually is comes into question. What’s more, there’s no full clearance for him to actually make the team. It’s way too early to predict what the Mets roster could look like by the team we get to September. The Mets have been careful about calling up prospects just to linger around on the bench for minimal playing time.

Roster expansion would be a good time to test out Clifford. Use that extra spot for a left-handed power bat. In past years, they’ve immediately chosen speed or versatility as the one position player. It’s a matter of preference and how the rest of the roster looks. Getting 45 plate appearances in the span of one month wouldn’t be hard, but would require Clifford to have a significant role on the team. If he’s promoted in August, likely with fewer than 45 days left in the season to maintain his rookie eligibility, he gets a little closer to these projections.