2. Blade Tidwell
If there is one glaring hole on the Mets' roster, it certainly starts with their lack of youth in the rotation. Selected in the second round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Tennessee, right-hander Blade Tidwell seeks to become the next ace of the Mets' pitching staff. Through 116 innings pitched between High-A and AA last season, Tidwell posted a 3.57 ERA with 153 strikeouts. His upper 90s fastball and sinking changeup mix produced many swings and misses, earning Tidwell a promotion to Binghamton for their playoff stretch.
While these numbers are excellent, the one drawback of Tidwell is commanding his developing arsenal. The 23-year-old is still working on a slider with great vertical action as well as adding a curveball to better compliment his fastball and changeup's velocity. These enhancements produced 63 walks allowed in 2023, but the Mets believe Tidwell still profiles best as a starter. Should he better command the strike zone in 2024, Tidwell will be the next prospect we holler for come September.
3. Kevin Parada
The one area of the team nobody has questions about moving forward is the catching position. However, the Mets have another top-catching prospect waiting in the wings. Selected in the first round of the 2022 draft out of Georgia Tech, Kevin Parada looks to display his full potential at AA Binghamton this season. Through 105 games between St. Lucie and Binghamton last season, Parada hit .248 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI. While these numbers were disappointing for the offensive-minded catcher, he did also hit 23 doubles and 2 triples.
Parada has not lived up to his scouting report coming out of collegiate baseball where he hit .361 with 26 home runs and 88 RBI in 2022. However, there is no reason the 22-year-old cannot find success in 2024. By all measures, Parada has worked tirelessly to improve his defense, particularly pitch framing and throwing out base stealers. If he can gain confidence behind the plate, the Mets believe Parada can be set for a breakout at AA this season.