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Top 10 prospects in the National League East right now
How loaded is the National League East with prospects? You know the top New York Mets farmhands well. What about those other teams we see battling with New York for first place?
The division is actually pretty strong when it comes to prospect talent. Using MLB.com’s list of the top 100 prospects right now, the Mets and three of the other teams in the National League East have players within the top 50 and a couple closing in. It’s only the Atlanta Braves who contribute nothing.
So who are these top 10 prospects in the division right now?
10) Best National League East prospect: Marlins, Jacob Berry, 3B/OF
The sixth overall pick from the 2022 draft went to the Miami Marlins. With it they picked up Jacob Berry. A switch-hitter listed as a third baseman and an outfielder, an early guess is he ends up in the latter role.
Berry spent two college seasons blasting home runs and driving in runs. In 545 collegiate plate appearances, he slashed .360/.450/.655.
The Mets won’t have to worry about him for a couple of years. The 21-year-old has a major league ETA of 2025.
9) Best National League East prospect: Marlins, Max Meyer, RHP
Another member of the Marlins to make this list is Max Meyer. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher was the third overall selection in 2020. He made his major league debut for the Fish earlier this year but an injury put that to rest after two starts and only 6 innings of work.
Meyer was pretty awesome thus far in the minor leagues. In 2022, he tossed 61 innings and gave a 3.69 ERA performance.
Meyer is one of those young arms the Marlins are hoping they can have in a rotation behind Sandy Alcantara for several seasons. The Mets could have some problems hitting against Miami very soon. For now, the Marlins have projects to work on and require patience with several of them.
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.
6) Best National League East prospect: Nationals, Elijah Green, OF
The fifth overall pick in the 2022 draft, Elijah Green is a Nationals minor league outfielder the team will look to develop over the next few seasons. At only 18 and with an ETA to the big leagues of 2026, he’s someone whose prospect stock will be far more about potential than what he’s actually doing on the field.
Green is one of several outfield prospects the Nationals are hoping will patrol the grounds in D.C. in the coming years. Already in the top 30 of all prospects before he even played a game, the expectations are exponential already.
Known for being able to do a lot of things well—including his speed—he could turn into one of those leadoff hitters with power. The Mets will have to deal with him one day. Take your time, Washington. We can wait.
5) Best National League East prospect: Phillies, Andrew Painter, RHP
The only member of the Philadelphia Phillies organization to make this list is pitcher Andrew Painter. Philadelphia will hope to have much better luck with him than they have with many of their other high-profile pitching prospects over the last hundred years.
Painter was the 13th overall selection in 2021. Thus far, he has lived up to the hype. He has been impressive throughout the 2022 season at all levels he has taken the mound. It doesn’t hurt that he has pretty good name for a pitcher. He might not paint the corners like Greg Maddux. Hopefully, for the sake of the Mets, he’s nothing like him.
The next influx of young Phillies players will be led by Painter. Their best prospect at the moment, they’ll hold out hope that by the time he reaches the majors he’s as effective as he has been on the farm.
4) Best National League East prospect: Nationals, Robert Hassell III, OF
Yet another Nationals prospect that can play the outfield, Robert Hassell III is projected to make the major leagues in 2023. He hasn’t had spectacular numbers in the minor leagues. Don’t be fooled. Time is on his side.
Hassell was one of the big pieces traded to Washington in the Juan Soto trade. Although he hasn’t taken off since joining his new organization, the Nationals are a team that can afford to be patient. They can even fast-forward him to the majors and see what he can do there once deemed ready.
There might not be as much hype for Hassell as there could end up being for a few other Nationals prospects. As one of several outfielders on the farm within the organization, he’ll have plenty of competition pushing him to be his best.
3) Best National League East prospect: Mets, Brett Baty, 3B
Mets fans got to see Brett Baty close-up in late 2022 when he was first promoted to the majors in August. Things started off slowly for Baty after hitting a home run in his first major league plate appearance. Despite this, he should remain as one of the best prospects within the division.
There is a clear path for Baty to play regularly in 2023. Perhaps it begins with a platoon alongside veteran Eduardo Escobar. Maybe he even wins a bulk of the starts in the spring.
Baty is one of several Mets prospects fans have been eagerly awaiting to see make it to the major leagues. The franchise has been slow to promote in recent seasons because of how hard they have pushed to add major leaguers instead. With the MLB service clock already ticking, it’s hard to imagine him getting sent down for a prolonged period of time barring some kind of major slump.
2) Best National League East prospect: Marlins, Eury Perez, RHP
The Marlins might be a lot tougher to beat in upcoming years if Sandy Alcantara has some friends in the rotation. While the Marlins will probably want to flip at least one of those arms to bring them a bat, someone they should hold onto for now is Eury Perez.
At only 19, he is already the tenth-best prospect in MLB right now. The Mets will have to deal with him sooner than they’d like. He has a major league ETA of 2023.
Perez has been solid in his two professional seasons. Even with a higher ERA this season in Double-A, he’s striking out batters and not walking a lot of them. Visiting Miami will not be fun for the Mets as guys like him reach the show.
1) Best National League East prospect: Mets, Francisco Alvarez, C
The best prospect in the National League East also happens to be the best the Mets have. Most importantly, he ranks number one according to MLB.com. Catcher Francisco Alvarez is the guy fans in Flushing are eager to see reach the big leagues. Well-hyped and incredibly successful at each level following some early slumps, he’s someone the Mets can expect to have on their major league roster next year.
Alvarez is a guy Mets fans are hoping to have behind the plate for a very long time. Still only 20 years old, it’s his offense that is most intriguing.
During the 2022 season as the team has struggled to get much from James McCann and Tomas Nido at the plate, the idea of promoting Alvarez has been something everyone has had. While possibly not an Opening Day candidate for next year, he’s the exact kind of player the offense may need at a position where there are few answers.
NEXT STORY: 3 Mets villains from the 2022 season