3 Mets prospects who will have a breakout year in 2023

Early last week, Baseball America released their rankings of the New York Mets system prior to the 2023 season. The list featured six players in their overall top 100 and overall, it looked like one of the stronger systems in baseball. The list spawns all over the New York farm system, seeing some of the top prospects in catcher Francisco Alvarez and third baseman Brett Baty, recent draftees like catcher Kevin Parada and even international import Kodai Senga made the list.

But the Mets, as stated by owner Steve Cohen two years ago, want to build themselves up as a “Dodgers East” and have approached the game that way on the major league level. 

On the minor league level, the Mets are still in the process of building their system up to a continuous pipeline of talent. Recent draft picks and international free agent classes have helped New York, but there's still a gap between talent at the top and that next tier. One of the apparent weaknesses of the Mets system is the lack of impact starting pitching and projectable bats, especially in the outfield.

Despite the weaknesses that are present, the Mets still have a ton of talent to look at outside of the top 10. Willy Fanas and Simon Juan, two big-money international bats, could take a considerable step forward, while 2022 fourth-round draft pick Jacob Riemer, someone already profiled before on Rising Apple, is another bat that could become a name to watch over the coming months. 

However, here are the three players that could take a considerable leap in 2023 and could become prospects of note for the Mets by the end of the season. 

1) NY Mets prospect who will breakout in 2023: Nick Morabito

If there’s one area where the Mets have struggled it's developing outfielders. Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo were both excellent first-round picks, but the list quickly slides down to the likes of Matt den Dekker and Kirk Nieuwenhuis in terms of drafted Mets outfield prospects who made the major leagues. Between last year’s draft and international free agency, the Mets added some new names to break the streak - Jett Williams, Willy Fanas, Simon Juan, and the player of focus, Nick Morabito. 

Selected with the 75th pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Morabito was originally an infielder who moved to the outfield in his senior season of high school and thrived, finishing as the Washington D.C. Player of the Year with 12 home runs, 10 doubles, six triples, and a .545 batting average. That success attracted the Mets, who drafted him with the pick they acquired with the pick earned when Noah Syndergaard left for the Anaheim Angels. 

There’s not much to take from his first cup of coffee in major league ball (24 PA, .091, .167/.136, -5 wRC+ at the Complex), but rather, the skill set and the maturation. Morabito hits the ball well, with exit velocity numbers as high as 97 miles per hour, and showed good power in high school, the Mets hope both can transition over to the pro ball levels. He also was considered a solid runner, which could be vital for his continued transition from the high school infielder to one of the outfield positions long-term. 

As far as maturation, Morabito had an odd build at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Frangraphs’ said that he was projectionless because of it. Getting him into a proper regime that could help transform his body could not only make him a better, leaner prospect whose speed could work on the basepath and outfield, but it could help Morabito tap into his power more. 

Morabito intrigues me as a potential prospect of note moving forward. With another draft class and international class coming in over the next year, some of New York’s lottery tickets will have to show and prove. Nick Morabito could be a name that’s mentioned as one of New York’s better bats by the end of next season. 

3) NY Mets prospect who will breakout in 2023: Jesus Baez 

Ultimately, the next goal is to find the next great Mets prospect. Guys like Amed Rosario, Andres Gimenez, and Francisco Alvarez were big-money international prospects who went from highly touted 16-year-olds to top-level prospects, and in Rosario and Alvarez’s cases, the best prospects in baseball. The Mets, hope to find the next great prospect one day and Jesus Baez seems like an ideal candidate. 

The 17-year-old was signed by the Mets for just $275,000 in the 2022 international singing period and looked great. Baez finished his first professional season with the Mets with seven home runs, eight stolen bases, and a stat line of .242/.341/.403. The 44 strikeouts to 26 walks suggest that he still has ways to go, but the combination of speed and power flashed and he was able to maintain a strong on-base percentage. 

Baez is far away, far far away. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t dream of another shortstop prospect with good size, speed, power, and defense in the farm system. Among the next group of young, high-upside candidates in the Mets system, Baez has the ability to not only make a top 100 list in the future but become the Mets’ number one prospect. Another strong performance and the hype will come. 

The New York Mets have several players at the top of their farm system, but it's the next wave that they’ll always worry about. As players move up and out of the farm system, whether it be in trades or making joining the major league roster, the next group must always be ready to contribute. Three players who could fit that description - were Nick Morabito, Layonel Ovalles, and Jesus Baez. Baez is far away, but Morabito and Ovalles are two players who could make their starts in A-Ball and could move from there.