Dark Horse Met 2026

[Centerfield]

Among other things that sucked in 2026 (On edit: 2025. Oops), we had no Dark Horse Met for the year. Maybe that changes this year.

Give us your prediction for Dark Horse Met 2026! For those that forgot, Dark Horse Met is the Met that comes out of nowhere to give us an unexpected jolt. Think Terry Leach 1987. Timo Perez 2000. Jose Iglesias 2024.

Our criteria:

1. Not reasonably expected to contribute this year. No projected starters. No big name free agents coming off a down year. Has to be someone we expect to be a fringe guy. (IOW, no "Luke Weaver will bounce back", etc)

2. Can't be a premiere prospect (or at least, no longer one). No Carson Benge, Jonah Tong, etc. However, if Dilson Herrera were to somehow resurface and make a contribution, he would qualify.

3. The type of player if he were hurt/released/traded prior to Opening Day you wouldn't care. Vidal Brujan fits that description. MJ Melendez too. Ronny Mauricio does not.

We have a lot to choose from this year. We've got a bunch of relievers in camp that I've never heard of. We have Brujan, Melendez, Tauchman. We have two catchers that will give Hayden Senger a run for his money. We have Hayden Senger. We have Craig ****ing Kimbrel.

A couple of pre-emptive nixes. Tobias Meyers cannot be a Dark Horse. He's a real player and we're expecting him to contribute. Christian Scott is also not eligible. He's not on the top prospect lists, but he's only recently removed, and we are expecting big things from him.

You can always predict that we won't have a Dark Horse Met, but that would be pessimistic. Spring is the time for optimism!

Edited February 20 by Centerfield

[Benjamin Grimm]

Put me down for Tauchman. He's so much in the dark that I'm not sure of his first name. Mike, maybe?

[Gwreck]

Tauchman was my first guess too.

Does Dylan Ross count? He’s on the 40-man roster. This guy was in serious consideration for the postseason roster last year despite having still not pitched in a major league game.

[Centerfield]

#18 ranked prospect. Seems pretty Dark Horsey to me.

[MFS62]

Of course we had no 2026 dark horse met. They haven’t played any games yet.

But if you meant 2025 there was one.

Using the only true way to measure Metly value- Schaefer points, that player was brazoban.

Check the thread.

Later

[metsmarathon]

Is Nate lavendar dark horseable?

[Benjamin Grimm]

He'd be a darker horse if his name was Nate Plum.

[metirish]

Nick Morabito is my pick , looking through the 40.man thread in think he will be a derk horse , steak some bases , hot some

The criteria is tight so no clue if Nick fits the mold

[Benjamin Grimm]

think he will be a derk horse , steak some bases , hot some

 

I'm not sure if those are typos or Irish vernacular.

(Just taking the piss!)

[Edgy MD]

Dylan Ross is on the roster. They brought in so many guys in the offseason that they knocked him back to like 35th on the depth chart, but he came like a comet last season and passed about 100 guys, so I'd hardly be surprised if he passed about 17 more before opening day.

[metirish]

think he will be a derk horse , steak some bases , hot some

 

I'm not sure if those are typos or Irish vernacular.

(Just taking the piss!)

 

Haha my fat fingers ,Steal some bases and hit some

[Centerfield]

Surprised no one has picked Byran Hudson yet. 6'8" sidearming lefty.

(this is not my pick, btw)

[Edgy MD]

He'd be a darker horse if his name was Nate Plum.

 

Can we please pause and consider the thought that went into this?

[Lefty Specialist]

Ben Rortvedt. Ahead of Senger on the depth chart and Alvarez and Torrens are bound to be hurt at some point in the season.

Plus, I chuckle at the thought of Ralph Kiner trying to pronounce his name.

[smg58]

Jose Rojas.

[Cowtipper]

Because no one expects much from him, I'm sure ...

Craig Kimbrel.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Luis García is an under-the-radar signing who can be really helpful. Signed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract, which includes $1.25 million in potential incentives. He's going to be 39 and still hits 96 mph sinker.

[MFS62]

There’s been lots of churn in the bullpen so I’m picking Brazoban again. He fits the qualifications - not counted on. Not a top prospect. And he could be cut.

I’m still waiting for last year’s prize.

I mean c’mon. It’s not like I’m demanding the Nobel peace prize.

Later.

[Edgy MD]

Ronny Mauricio is the brainy answer.

[ashie62]

Mike Tauchman

He may win a side of a platoon

[Centerfield]

Grae Kissinger fits that description of “if he got hurt in spring training you wouldn’t even notice”. Which makes him a solid Dark Horse candidate.

Except he got hurt in spring training. Making him less of one.

[Centerfield]

Mike Tauchman seems to be the favorite for DHM this year. With good reason. He had a .756 OPS last year, and 1.9 WAR in 93 games. Brandon Nimmo had a .760 OPS last year, and a 2.9 WAR in 155 games. A solid bet, making him a popular choice. I'm going to go with Vidal Brujan. I have no reason to believe he will suddenly learn to hit after 5 years in the bigs with a .543 OPS. But that's what this thread is for.

By my count:

Ben Grimm: Mike Tauchman

Gwreck: Dylan Ross

metsmarathon: Nate Lavendar

metirish: Nick Morabito

lefty specialist: Ben Rortvedt

smg: Jose Rojas

Cowtipper: Craig Kimbrel

mmm: Luis Garcia

MFSS62: Huascar Brazoban

ashie: Mike Tauchman

CF: Vidal Brujan

Edgy's submission of Ronny Mauricio was rejected by the committee. Mr. DC, please consider an alternate, darker, horsier, submission.

[Edgy MD]

I dunno, Brujan is as dark as Mauricio. Two reserves who haven't hit in the bigs, who need an opportunity to open up before they can show what they can do.

And yet, Craig Kimbrell is eligible for cavallo oscuro status? He's got one foot in The Hall of Bloody Fame!

[Centerfield]

I dunno, Brujan is as dark as Mauricio. Two reserves who haven't hit in the bigs, who need an opportunity to open up before they can show what they can do.

And yet, Craig Kimbrell is eligible for cavallo oscuro status? He's got one foot in The Hall of Bloody Fame!

 

I talked to the committee. They remain steadfast (they can be dicks sometimes). Ronny Mauricio hasn't hit much yet, but he's young and has upside. We would be upset if he were out for the season (again).

Craig Kimbrel is potentially a HOFer. But this version of Craig Kimbrel is pretty dark horsey. Like we'd be doing backflips to have prime Darryl Strawberry back on this team. But 2026 Darryl is not likely to contribute much.

[Fman99]

I'm voting for reliever Matt Turner because of his impressive Grapefruit League stats this spring, a certain indicator of regular season success as we all know. WE KNOW IT YOU GUYS

(5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 0 ER)

[Edgy MD]

Stupid committee.

Kevin Herget will have to stand in for Mauricio.

AS LONG AS THAT IS OK WITH YOU, COMMITTEE!!