4 Mets players most likely to have a breakout year in 2023

A breakout season can be defined in a couple of ways. Some of the New York Mets players capable of having what could fall into a list like this have already had big league success. A true breakout year, however, requires a little more than playing well.

The Mets are a team made up largely of veterans with some younger players mixed in there. Someone like Brooks Raley could have a career year but he seems disqualified from being a candidate to breakout. He’s closer to 35 than he is 34 at this point.

Fortunately, there are other Mets players who have the capability of being a true breakout success. It’s these four who seem most destined to do it.

1) NY Mets player most likely to have a breakout year: Brett Baty

The bustling Brett Baty bandwagon brakes for no one. He has taken over as the prospect many believe will have the biggest year in 2023 if only because the Mets aren’t equipped to have Francisco Alvarez on the major league roster as a catcher. Baty tore up pitchers during the spring and looks ready to get regular at-bats in the majors.

The excitement level for Baty grew more so last year when he swatted a home run in his first MLB at-bat against the Atlanta Braves. An injury sidelined him not long after. Fans have been curious ever since where he’d fit in with the team moving forward.

When Carlos Correa almost became a member of the Mets, it looked like Baty was either getting traded or moving more toward becoming a starting left fielder. He should still be a candidate to play some outfield along with third base. If there is one rookie to put your faith in this year, it’s Baty.

2) NY Mets player most likely to have a breakout year: David Peterson

David Peterson hasn’t quite “broken out” just yet. He was very good for the team in 2020 and again in 2022 while bouncing between the majors and minors. What Peterson has yet to do is establish himself as a true major league starting pitcher. Many other clubs would probably have planned to have him as the fifth starter to begin this season. Not the Mets. They had different plans.

Those blueprints did change when they learned they’d be without Jose Quintana for several months. It pushes Peterson forward on the depth chart. He’ll have every chance he can get early on to prove he is worthy of a rotation spot. This season is his opportunity to show Mets management they don’t have to overpay in free agency for a pitcher next winter; they’ve already got a pretty good one in Peterson.

Peterson’s ceiling still has him closer to a back-end rotation arm than someone at the front of the line. Guys like him are necessary, though. And while he’ll have a long way to go before jumping over other current Mets starting pitchers presently on the roster or future players they may bring in, there is room for Peterson to make a claim to the 26-man roster and prove he belongs.

This season could still include a few trips to the minors. His remaining minor league options can come in handy when the club is at full strength with the veteran starters. No worries. He’ll get his innings.

3) NY Mets player most likely to have a breakout year: Tylor Megill

Tylor Megill is the right-handed David Peterson yet totally different. Peterson was someone Mets fans had their eyes on for several years. Megill jumped into our consciousness in 2021 when he dazzled in the minors then found his way to the big leagues. The team’s 2022 Opening Day starter and the man to take the mound to begin the second no-hitter in franchise history has pitched well in the majors but he is far from officially breaking out.

Like Peterson, the plan was to have Megill saved for starting pitcher depth. He’ll get his chances early on to start irregularly for the Mets. He’s someone the club could find a lot of uses for whether it’s as a starter or even eventually out of the bullpen.

Megill begins this season with an 8-8 record and 4.73 ERA. He has been successful at keeping the walks down and the strikeouts high. Why the bad ERA? Last year’s strong start was ruined by a shellacking in May against the Washington Nationals before he landed on the IL. More inconsistent starts in June and some poor outings as a reliever in September didn’t help him either. The 5.13 ERA to the 3.77 FIP tells the story of an unlucky pitcher.

Still a promising younger arm with years of control, he’s one of the top candidates to establish himself as someone the Mets can’t live without.