3 best Mets decisions during the 2023 MLB Draft

The Mets selected who could be one of the next two-way players of relevance in the MLB

In their first third-round pick, the Mets selected starting pitcher and outfielder Nolan McLean from Oklahoma State with the No. 91 overall pick. McLean is a six-foot-four, 214-pounder athletic player.

McLean enters the draft as one of the players with the highest ceiling and floor gap. At his best, this two-way player manages to push his fastball up to 98 mph with command of his breaking ball, curveball, slider, and changeup.

Likewise, McLean presents an aggressive bat speed that generates massive raw power and elite exit velocity to all fields. This incredible power has been awarded a grade of 60 on the 20/80 evaluation scale.

Scouts and pro teams see Nolan McLean as a pitcher with the potential of a mid-rotation starter or high-power closer in MLB. However, this player's preference is to be a full-time hitter, indicating that the middle ground between both demands would be to continue testing as a two-way player.

As well as having great potential, McLean has the weakness on the mound of not being polished as a pitcher, which could indicate that being a starter could be difficult. Likewise, as a hitter, despite his incredible power, this young man's plate discipline isn't ideal, generating too much swing and miss with a 44% strikeout percentage, which could be worrisome.

Scouts argue that with the right guidance, McLean could be a starting two-way player in MLB, who could manage to be an established starter or elite reliever, while hitting more than 40 home runs per season. The Mets achieved an excellent pick, which with the new player development of the organization could finish developing a future star in MLB.