Jan 03, 2026
3 min read
The bullpen is always the most difficult to predict entering the season.As it stands now, the New York Mets only have four pitchers who should be viewed as "locks" to make the opening day unit.Of course, for one of the four A.J.Minter is also questionable due to injury rehabilitation.
However, there are still areas to consider throughout sprint training.Two interesting candidates for this bullpen are two guys who spent 2025 in the minor leagues.Read more about each below.
With the loss of slugger Pete Alonso to Baltimore, the Mets have a big void at first base. Free agent Jorge Polanco is expected to fill some of those reps, but there should still be plenty. Rookie first baseman Ryan Clifford could fit into those plans at some point.
Clifford, acquired in the Justin Verlander trade with Houston, has shown strong pop in the minor leagues.Over his last three professional seasons, Clifford has hit 24 home runs, 19 home runs, and 29 home runs, respectively.
Specifically, he had 43 extra base hits and an .848 OPS in 367 at-bats last year with Double-A Binghamton.Clifford also had a 15.5% walk rate, resulting in a .243 average but a strong .355 on-base percentage.The 22-year-old has a strong eye and ship power.
Clifford has some concerns.He always had a lot of strikeouts throughout his minor league career.At first, the strike recovery rate was as high as 31%.Fortunately, this number has gradually decreased (17.6% in 2025).He also struggled in his first run at the Triple-A level.
Clifford's success starts with lowering his strikeout rate.If he can do that a little while still maintaining a strong eye and an abundance of power, there's a chance he'll see major league action sometime this season.
Dylan Ross, 25, was called up at the end of the 2025 season but did not make his first start in the major leagues.The 13th pick in 2022 played in three levels of the 2025 minor league.
He was special for Triple-A Syracuse as he struck out 39 in 32 innings.He posted a 1.69 ERA in those 32 innings.Overall, in 2025, he posted a 2.17 ERA in 54 total minor league innings.Both his 3.32 FIP and 3.25 xFIP are guaranteed to be strong performances.
The only question for Ross in 2025 was his strikeout control.Ross posted an alarming 14.7% walk rate.That number rose to 17.3% with Triple-A Syracuse.
If Ross, who is so close to making his major league debut in 2025, can limit that walk rate in 2026, there's a real chance the 6-foot-5 right-hander could emerge as an important part of the Mets' 2026 lineup.
Ryan Lambert (23) was an eighth-round pick in 2024.The right-handed pitcher sat out his first full professional season in 2025 after ending his college career in 2024.
In 50 innings between the High-A and Double-A levels, Lambert posted a 1.62 ERA with 81 strikeouts.His 2.13 FIP and 2.86 xFIP last season further reinforces his unreality.
Last season, 1,859 pitchers pitched at least 40 innings in the minor leagues.Here's how Lambert ranked them in some key statistical categories:
- ERA: 30-te
- FIP: 13
- xFIP: 49è
-K%: 7°
Bottom line, he was one of the best hitters in the entire Major League Baseball system last year.
While he is only 23 years old and with the fact that he has yet to play Triple-A baseball, there is a chance the Mets will want to give him a chance with Syracuse.Still, it's likely we'll see Lambert in the big leagues at some point.Given that he is arguably the team's best prospect, there is a real chance he will emerge as the Mets' starter by the end of the season.
Starting pitcher Jack Wenninger continues to quietly climb up the organizational rankings.The 2023 sixth-round pick will have the best year of his professional career in 2025.
Playing exclusively at the Double-A level, Wenninger posted a 2.92 ERA in 135 2/3 innings. He struck out 147 and walked just 42. He allowed 13 homers to go 0.9 HR/9.The 23-year-old hit forwards, didn't walk too much and avoided the long ball;a recipe for success at any level.A 3.36 FIP and 3.05 xFIP also contribute to his performance in 2025.
Wenninger is only 23 years old and has yet to make it past Double-A.Because of this, compared to others on this list, it's unlikely to make the big leagues.But if he puts together another strong season, it's not at all unlikely that he'll make a major league impact at some point during the season.
