Brandon Glick

Image courtesy of © Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images The 2026 season has only just begun, but Grand Central Mets is here to officially publish our new top-20 prospect rankings for the New York Mets' farm system. We'll break this down into four pieces (five prospects per piece), starting with Nos. 16-20. Note that these rankings were voted on by our front-page writing staff. In future iterations, we'll open up prospect voting to all of our members on the site. No. 20: R.J. Gordon, SP (Double-A Binghamton) 2025 stats: 128 2/3 IP, 3.36 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 27.3 K%, 8.5 BB%, 1.24 WHIP Gordon hasn't pitched this year due to a lat injury, which is expected to hold him out until early May. Upon his return, he should be a rotation fixture for the Rumble Ponies after he impressed in Double-A down the stretch in 2025. He lacks upper-echelon stuff, but a 24-year-old starter with above-average command and two above-average secondaries (his changeup and his slider) is going to get a look in the big leagues at some point. He honestly reminds me a bit of longtime Cubs stalwart Kyle Hendricks, who thrived with pinpoint control and movement despite lacking any velocity of note. Gordon throws harder than Hendricks ever did (he's been sitting 92-93 mph consistently with his fastball), but he also doesn't have quite the same knack for pitch sequence as "The Professor." A mid-2027 debut is firmly on the table if Gordon can get and stay healthy this year; at the very least a cup of coffee in Syracuse should be the expectation before 2026 is over. No. 19: Antonio Jimenez, SS (High-A Brooklyn) 2025 stats: .263/.345/.274, 83 wRC+, 0 HR, 8 SB, 13.6 K%, 10.9 BB% The Mets' third-round pick in the 2025 draft, Jimenez is known for his raw power despite failing to hit a home run last year. He's already hit two in 2026 with the Cyclones, and he possesses a tantalizing power-speed game that would play anywhere in a lineup. There are questions about his fit at shortstop, but he's got a rocket arm that would look really good at third base or in right field if he can't stick at the six. More importantly, he'll need to evolve his hit tool and plate discipline to survive at the highest level of the minors; he's already running a 33.3% strikeout rate through his first 40 plate appearances in High-A. A mid-2028 ETA is reasonable for the 21-year-old, who's a bit more raw than other college prospects, Still, the archetype he fits is the kind of player that could become Francisco Lindor's heir apparent at shortstop in Queens. No. 18: Dylan Ross, RP (Triple-A Syracuse) 2025 stats: 54.0 IP, 2.17 ERA, 3.32 FIP, 35.7 K%, 14.7 BB%, 1.15 WHIP There's no denying Ross' raw stuff out of the bullpen. He's got a triple-digit fastball, biting splitter, and hard slider that allows him to work effectively against hitters on both sides of the plate. There's even a decent curveball in his mix, giving him four legitimate weapons that make him a menace to face in one-inning situations. The problem, of course, is that he just doesn't know where the ball is going. His walk rate in Syracuse last year (17.3%) was calamitous and simply untenable for a leverage reliever. He aids his own cause by striking out heaps of batters and producing weak contact routinely; even as he struggled to find the strike zone in Triple-A in 2025, he still struck out 30.7% of the batters he faced and allowed a ridiculous .106 opponent's batting average. The range of spectrums on Ross is enormous. At 25 years old, he's basically ready for the big leagues. If he ever finds consistency with his location, he could become a legitimate closing option at the MLB level. If not, he may never earn enough trust from his manager to tackle anything more than mop-up duty. No. 17: Ryan Lambert, RP (Triple-A Syracuse) 2025 stats: 50.0 IP, 1.62 ERA, 2.13 FIP, 39.5 K%, 13.2 BB%, 1.16 WHIP Another pure relief prospect, Lambert's fastball might be even better than thunderbolts that Ross hurls. He doesn't have quite the same upper-echelon velocity as his Syracuse teammate, but he produces absurd ride and spin on his heater and used it to generate a comical 38% whiff rate a year ago. Lambert, who is two years Ross' junior, also struggles with command, though it's not quite as egregious. The bigger problem is that he only has two pitches -- his fastball and a slider -- which gives left-handed batters a big advantage, since he doesn't have any breakers that run away from them. Still, his two-pitch mix is as good as anyone's in the minors, and he's got less bust potential than Ross thanks to slightly better command and exceptional feel for his fastball up in the zone. A 2026 debut isn't guaranteed, but if the Mets find themselves in need of high-upside bullpen reinforcements later in the year, Lambert should be the guy they call upon. No. 16: Eli Serrano III, OF (Double-A Binghamton) 2025 stats: .222/.332/.358, 113 wRC+, 7 HR, 9 SB, 20.1 K%, 13.1 BB% Serrano doesn't have any terribly loud tools, making him more of a jack of all trades and a master of none, hence why he's in the bottom quartile of our prospect rankings. That shouldn't blind anyone to his steady floor and impressive upside, though. His hit tool will always be the big question since he stands at a lanky 6'5", but that frame is ripe for more power as he adds strength. He'll turn 23 in May, and he's got some solid plate discipline for someone in their second full pro season, even if he's striking out more in 2026 as he adjusts to the Double-A caliber of pitching. After recording 10 outfield assists a year ago, calls for him to move to right field on a full-time basis will be loud. He's got more than enough speed to stick in center if his glove develops, but he'll have a home in the outfield regardless. He remains a ways off from the majors, and seeing as he isn't Rule 5 eligible until after the 2027 season, a 2028 debut feels like a reasonable estimate. View full article

Besides the fact that it would stop a three-game losing streak, getting another strong start from Senga would be such a promising sign for the rest of the season.

Image courtesy of © Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Freddy Peralta is more or less living up to his billing as the front-man of the New York Mets' remodeled rotation through three starts, but he wasn't the only pitcher they received in exchange for top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams. Tobias Myers was also included in that deal, and he's no mere throw-in. The 27-year-old right-hander has looked dominant in the early going in 2026, pitching to a 1.13 ERA over his first four appearances that have covered eight innings total. That's a small sample to work with, but relievers are always walking that tightrope; what's most impressive about Myers' performance thus far aren't his raw stats, but the steadiness and command he's displayed on the mound. Beyond wildly impressive expected metrics -- his xERA sits at 0.88 and his xBA (expected batting average against) rests at .142 -- Myers is completely owning the strike zone this year. He's issued just one walk thus far... and it was an intentional free pass offered to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 1. Crazily enough, he's actually accomplished this by throwing fewer strikes and more pitches outside the zone. This is normally the point that you'd look to a guy's chase rate and expect to see an unsustainable explosion, but Myers is actually coaxing out-of-zone swings less often than he did in 2025. So, what's happening? It may sound oversimplified, but this appears to be a case of being effectively wild. The term "effectively wild" is often applied to pitchers who rack up tons of strikeouts and walks, but it's also an apt descriptor of Myers, who is making a living near the zone in 2026. There's a few pitches in there that are huge outliers that missed by considerable margins, but look at how effectively he's pitching around the edges of the box in those heat maps. With the introduction of ABS this season, batters are more inclined than ever to protect the true corners of the strike zone, hence why they're so susceptible to taking defensive hacks when a pitcher is punishing the invisible lines we see on every broadcast. Naturally, Myers' Stuff+ (103) and Location+ (105) are both sitting at career-high levels and above league average (which is 100). As Brewers insider Jack Stern explored over on our sister site Brewer Fanatic, Myers became particularly good at building his plan of attack around his four-seamer and splitter last year, which has carried over nicely into his time with the Mets. Both his splitter and slider are responsible for a .000 wOBA this year, which means that opposing hitters have produced literally zero offensive value against either pitch. You don't need any other numbers to know how good that is. Pessimists will point out the .056 batting average on balls in play he's allowed as a sign of extremely good fortune, especially because batters have averaged more than 90 miles per hour on their exit velocities on balls in play against Myers. And while that is a fair concern for a fly-ball pitcher, it's worth pointing out that he also hasn't given up a single barreled ball all year. It's a balancing act, but one that he's become adept at performing. Eventually, he'll walk a batter unintentionally, and there may even come an outing when a particular umpire doesn't reward him for nibbling around the edges. But Myers is mastering the art of getting better while throwing fewer strikes, which is practically impossible unless your name is Mason Miller. That's pretty good company to be keeping as far as relievers go. View full article

Even in a win. Even when the offense finally looks explosive. We still have to sweat an injury to Soto. MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Myers 14 0 20 0 0 34 Garcia, L 0 0 0 0 14 14 Williams 12 0 18 0 0 30 Brazoban 0 0 13 0 24 37 Weaver 0 0 11 0 0 11 Raley, B 17 0 12 0 16 45 Lovelady 0 29 0 0 28 57 Manaea 0 0 0 0 0 0

Nothing like a 10:15 local start on a Friday night during an ugly early season slump. Don't you just love baseball? SUN MON TUE WED THU TOT Myers 0 14 0 20 0 34 Garcia, L 0 0 0 0 0 0 Williams 0 12 0 18 0 30 Brazoban 14 0 0 13 0 27 Weaver 22 0 0 11 0 33 Raley, B 0 17 0 12 0 29 Lovelady 26 0 29 0 0 55 Manaea 29 0 0 0 0 29

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images I wanted to share a quick note with the Grand Central Mets community before we dive into our full-time coverage on the site. We at DiamondCentric are so excited to be joining this fanbase — it's the ninth site operating under our banner, and the eight owned outright by DC. Having grown up in New Jersey, the Mets have been a big part of my life since I first started following baseball. I am honored to finally have the chance to cover this team on a professional basis from an editorial standpoint. You may have seen my byline at Rising Apple if you've ever frequented that site, and I want to ensure all of our longtime Crane Pool Forum members that we'll work tirelessly to provide the best possible coverage and analysis of this team. No matter what you're coming to Grand Central Mets for, I hope you find the right space to discuss, rant about, and root for the New York Mets. - Brandon Glick [Original article as follows.] Compared to the likes of Bo Bichette, Freddy Peralta, and Devin Williams, the New York Mets' acquisition of Luis Robert Jr. didn't generate the kinds of headlines that suggest this team is all-in on a championship push in 2026. Still, his addition was necessary in the wake of the Brandon Nimmo trade and the departures of Cedric Mullins and Starling Marte in free agency. Just a few short years ago, though, Robert would have been considered a genuine highlight of the offseason. His status was brushing up against that of a superstar, playing on a fledgling White Sox team with lots of young talent. He exploded onto the scene in 2021, hitting .338/.378/.567 in just 68 games en route to a .946 OPS and 155 wRC+. After winning a Gold Glove and finishing as the runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting the year prior, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Robert would become a perennial MVP candidate. He was less effective and efficient in 2022 (111 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR) but came back with a vengeance the next season, earning an All-Star nod and Silver Slugger on the back of a robust 38-homer, 20-steal campaign that also featured brilliant defense (+12 Outs Above Average, +7 Defensive Runs Saved). Perhaps most importantly, he finally stayed healthy enough to play in more than 100 games, reaching the 145 mark in what remains his personal best for a single season. Things derailed after that, both for Robert and the White Sox. The Pale Hose proceeded to accrue an all-time worst 121 losses in 2024, while the young center fielder sunk to an 84 wRC+ both that season and the year that followed. Owed a $20 million salary, his shine had worn off, and Chicago proceeded to deal him to New York for another former top prospect who had lost some luster (Luisangel Acuña) and Truman Pauley. And thus, we find ourselves at the here and now. Robert is an injury-plagued, strikeout-prone project with declining metrics who must stave off a spirited push from last year's starter (Tyrone Taylor) and a top prospect (Carson Benge) in order to maintain regular playing time. Can a change of scenery make all the difference, though? Robert was meant to be the franchise savior on the South Side of Chicago. Now, he's merely got to be a reliable center fielder to earn his keep in Queens. The beginning chapter of his career was almost designed to fail. From MLBTR: "Robert was a high-profile prospect when he signed with the Sox out of Cuba in 2017. He commanded a $26MM bonus, the kind of hefty sum for an international amateur that would subsequently be prohibited in the collective bargaining agreement. Robert’s dominant minor league performance further spurred optimism, and the White Sox signed him to a $50MM extension over the 2019-20 offseason. At the time, it was the largest extension for a player who had to make his MLB debut, and it ensured he’d break camp in 2020 without any kind of service time games." Talk about being burdened with expectations from the jump. While he delivered on his promise some of the time as aforementioned, the performance just never matched the projections. So, what can Robert do better with the Mets? For one thing, he can stop striking out so dang much. Between 2021-22, he punched out in 19.8% of his plate appearances. From 2023-25, that number exploded to 29.3%. It's hard to do damage and make an impact at the plate when you aren't making contact. A lot of that can be traced back to the fact that he's whiffing more often than ever, but intriguingly, it hasn't been a failure of his plate approach. He's cut his out-of-zone swing rates drastically over the past few years, meaning he isn't chasing bad pitches nearly as often. It actually seems to be a rare case of a once-agressive hitter becoming too patient; Robert's overall swing rate has dropped off a cliff. In that first sample (2021-22), he swung at 61.5% of the total pitches he saw; in the latter sample, that number has fallen below 55%. Without diving too much into the swing changes he's had to implement due to various injuries, this could be fixed with a more pointed attack plan against specific pitch types. Like most hitters, Robert is best against fastballs (though he also has historically hit off-speed offerings well). He whiffs far more often against breaking balls and changeups and he watches a lot more fastballs. Can he flip the mental switch — and get enough consistent reps — to swing more at heaters and lay off more of the breaking stuff? More than any other improvement he can make on the field, though, the best thing that could happen to Robert is that his body finally cooperates. His injury history is long. Really, really long. If you can think of a part of the body, odds are he's missed time in his career because he injured it. To that end, the Mets have been quite cautious. They slow-played his arrival to camp, and Robert has drawn all of eight spring-training appearances thus far as he ramps up for the regular season. "Load management" is a term often reserved for NBA stars, but he may get the same treatment as the team tries everything in their power to keep him healthy. With better luck on that front — and some conscious changes to his plate approach — there's still a lot of raw talent laying dormant in Luis Robert Jr. Will the Mets be able to unlock that potential? Odds are, they've certainly got a better chance than the White Sox ever did. View full article

I've been through a fair share of forum changes in my time at DiamondCentric. I will say you get used to the new format pretty quickly once you know where to look for stuff. And the technical team is usually pretty good about getting rid of any obtrusive advertisements. Hopefully the analysis we'll be pumping out on the front page makes up for any shortcomings in the changeover process.

Excited to be here and get familiar with the community!