8) Best National League East prospect: Mets, Kevin Parada, C
Our first Mets prospect to crack the list, catcher Kevin Parada joined the organization in the 2022 draft as the 11th overall selection. This was the pick the Mets gained by failing to sign Kumar Rocker last year.
Already in MLB’s top 50 after, he’s one of two catchers the organization has in the minor leagues with some very high expectations. Coming off a spectacular 2022 season at Georgia Tech where he hit .361 and pounded 26 home runs, he is in line for far more than days as a journeyman backup.
Parada’s MLB ETA isn’t until 2025 which by then we should know what the situation is with the other notable Mets backstop fans are eager to see in the big leagues. More on him soon.
7) Best National League East prospect: Nationals, James Wood, OF
Be careful with this one. His name does not end with an “s.” James Wood, an outfielder for the Washington Nationals, was one of several pieces acquired in this summer’s Juan Soto blockbuster deal. Drafted in the second round in 2021, he is well on his way toward becoming a player Mets fans don’t like to see.
Wood will finish this season at a freshly-turned-20 and a major league ETA of 2025. The Mets won’t have to deal with him for a few more years. As excellent of a prospect as he may be, the Nationals have no need to rush him.
It’s far too soon to tell how this high school draft pick will perform once in the major leagues. Having shown many different tools in Single-A this year, he’s definitely someone who can make a huge climb to begin next season.