2 Mets prospect who will move up the rankings, 1 who will move down

Which Mets prospects will rise up the rankings and who will drop?

Brooklyn Cyclones Season Opener
Brooklyn Cyclones Season Opener / Chris Hondros/GettyImages
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The New York Mets have put a premium on acquiring and developing young talent since the trading deadline of 2023. Their farm system is on the rise. Even with decisions that have weakened their system immensely such as trading Pete Crow-Armstrong, Jarred Kelenic, and Endy Rodriguez, or failing to sign Kumar Rocker, the Mets minor league system has seen a huge turnaround in 2023.

As fans, we know the names of our coveted top prospects. Luisangel Acuna and Jett Williams are versatile infielders and outfielders with plus speed and enhanced line drive ability. Drew Gilbert is a "max effort" center fielder, drawing comparisons to Lenny Dykstra. Ryan Clifford profiles to be the next Lucas Duda with an opportunity to be the team’s answer at designated hitter. With performance, however, scouting reports change, forcing the top 30 prospect rankings to change as well. Knowing who our best prospects are, which ones will see their stock rise heading into the 2024 season, and which ones will fall?

1. Tyler Stuart will move up

While the 2021 draft did not feature a headliner for the Mets after failing to sign Rocker to a $4 million signing bonus, there were some hidden gems in the later rounds. Tyler Stuart was a relief pitcher at the University of Mississippi and pitched well during the Cape Cod League in 2021, earning him a 6th round selection by the Mets. To save most of their draft pool money to sign Rocker, the Mets signed Stuart for below slot value at $220,000.

Due to undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2021, Stuart did not officially debut for the Mets until late 2022 where he pitched just 2.2 innings at Single-A St. Lucie. After a nondescript first 2 seasons in the organization, Stuart completely broke all expectations in 2023. He threw 110.2 innings in 21 starts between A-Advanced Brooklyn and AA Binghamton including a 2.20 ERA and 112 strikeouts. He earned the EAS pitcher of the week award on August 27th after throwing 6 shutout innings in Binghamton's pursuit of an EAS title.

At 24 years old, Stuart figures to work into the Mets' plans by the end of 2024. Having made 11 starts for Binghamton last season and having success, Stuart could find himself pitching for AAA Syracuse early next season. He is currently ranked as the Mets' 17th-best prospect on the MLB pipeline, which seems light given his great 2023 season. Stuart’s only drawback is his two-pitch arsenal that only includes a low-90's fastball and low-80's slider. Even if Stuart profiles best as a long-reliver, the Mets have a clear need for younger bullpen help.

2. Nick Morabito will move up

The 2022 draft for the Mets featured 4 picks in the first 2 rounds. The additional first-round pick was compensatory for failing to sign Rocker in 2021, while the late second-round pick was for Noah Syndergaard rejecting the qualifying offer and signing with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. With the ladder pick, the Mets chose outfielder Nick Morabito from Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. 

In his first glimpse as a minor league ballplayer, Morabito only had 2 hits in 22 at-bats for the Florida Complex League Mets. The slow start had no impact on Morabito in 2023, as he went on to hit a .306 batting average with 21 stolen bases in 57 games. His enhanced eye at the plate, drawing 36 walks, is a great complement to his base-stealing ability. The 20-year-old split time between rookie ball and Single-A St. Lucie, meaning he projects to debut in the majors by 2026 at the earliest.

Morabito was drafted as a shortstop out of high school, though his lack of throwing velocity had the Mets move him to center field. From there, Morabito has used his quick speed to showcase a fascinating defensive profile. However, he does strike out a lot and has not played many games in the minor leagues just yet. Ranked as the Mets’ 27th-best prospect, Morabito is an under-the-radar player to follow in 2024.

3. Kevin Parada will move down

The Mets used both of their 2022 first-round picks on players with offensive upside. One of those picks was Texas high-schooler Jett Williams, who figures to become the Mets’ best prospect in 2024. The other was on Georgia Tech product Kevin Parada, an offensive-minded catcher who was on the fast track to the major leagues. In limited action with the St. Lucie Mets in 2022, Parada hit .275 with 8 RBI in 13 games.

Parada spent most of his 2023 season with the Brooklyn Cyclones, where he hit .265 with 11 home runs and 42 RBI. His most impressive statistic was his 21 doubles in just 87 games, showing his power is not just a rumor from the scouting department. After spending a short stint on the injured list, Parada was promoted to Binghamton to join the likes of Acuna, Gilbert, Stuart, and Blade Tidwell in their playoff push. In a short sample size at AA, Parada hit just .188 with 3 home runs in 14 games.

While Parada has shown tremendous power ability, his strikeout rate and defensive ability have raised concerns in the front office. Parada struck out 126 times in 105 games at the lower levels of the minor leagues last season and does not possess great arm strength. With Francisco Alvarez taking the mantle at catcher, Parada’s only path to the majors for the Mets would be as a DH or first baseman. Given these statistics and scenarios, Parada’s status as a top-five prospect for the Mets may regress in 2024.

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