Cowtipper

I honestly thought Jarred Kelenic would be one of those, but we've gotten lucky so far. Actually, outside of PCA, a lot of the top prospects we've traded in recent years haven't panned out elsewhere. Kelenic - no JT Ginn - decent, not great Isaiah Greene - no Josh Wolf - no Andres Gimenez - decent but not the star people expected Amed Rosario - decent but not great Justin Dunn - no Anthony Kay - no

They've each been in the league since 2022. Average age is about 25 years old. Combined, they've hit .229/~.292/.402 with a .694 OPS and 96 OPS+. Both Vientos and Baty are a couple months from being 26. Right now, Mauricio is the one who looks like he has the most actual potential, and he wasn't even a "Baby Met" as far as I'm aware. Perhaps it's time to ditch 'em and start over (again). More "surefire" "phenoms" that were "supposed" to be "saviors" for this team that didn't "pan" "out."

Genesis Cabrera began 2025 with the Mets, then went to the Chicago Cubs (9 G, 8.68 ERA) and is now with the Pirates (8 G, 4.35 ERA). Mark Canha, who played for the Mets in 2022 and 2023, signed with the Brewers in February but was traded to the Royals in March. With KC, he's hit .212/.272/.265 with 1 home run and 6 RBI in 46 games. He has a .200 BA in 3 Triple-A games. He's currently on the 10-day IL. Robinson Cano, who played for the Mets in 2019, 2020 and 2022, is hitting .366/.418/.540 with 11 home runs and 72 RBI in 79 games for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico. At 42 years old! Carlos Carrasco, who played for the Mets from 2021 to 2023, was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in 8 games (6 starts) with the Yankees. With their Triple-A club in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he was 4-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 11 games (10 starts). He was traded to the Braves for cash considerations yesterday. Miguel Castro, who pitched for the Mets in 2020 and 2021, is 0-0 with a 7.50 ERA in 6 relief appearances with the White Sox. He was originally signed by the Astros for 2025 and went 3-0 with a 2.29 ERA in 17 games for their Triple-A club in Sugar Land, before Chicago purchased him in mid-May. He's currently on the 60-day IL. Alex Claudio, who pitched for the Mets in 2022, has played for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico (2-0, 9.49 ERA in 12 G) and Saraperos de Saltillo (1-0, 4.50 ERA in 26 G) this year. Between them, he is 3-0 with a 6.40 ERA in 38 games. Sam Clay, who played for the Mets in 2022, has pitched for the Pericos de Puebla (0-0, 10.80 ERA in 4 G), Rieleros de Aguascalientes (1-0, 5.89 ERA in 21 G) and High Point Rockers (0-0, 9.00 ERA in 1 G) this year. The Rockers are his current team. Michael Conforto, who played for the Mets from 2015 to 2021, is hitting .195/.305/.345 with 9 home runs and 24 RBI in 92 games for the Dodgers. Sam Coonrod, who pitched for the Mets in 2023, was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 6 games for the Frontier League's Gateway Grizzlies before supposedly being signed by the Twins in late May, though he has yet to appear in a game in their system. John Curtiss, who pitched for the Mets in 2023, is 1-0 with a 6.52 ERA in 8 appearances for the Diamondbacks. For their Triple-A club in Reno, he was 1-1 with a 6.34 mark in 25 games (1 start).

It seems like someone turned the faucet on full blast these past few years and now '80s and early '90s guys are dying left and right.

Hitting .318/.419/.557 in 24 games at Syracuse since his return.

Though he made some of us want to pop off, Zach has been signed by the Chicago Cubs. https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2025/07/24/cubs-sign-righty-reliever-zach-pop/

I apologize for being grumpy, that wasn't nice.

I don't think they ever had a pitcher named Mel Preachermoose.

I imagine Brad Hand is on the list.

Heath Bell

Harrison Bader, who played for the Mets in 2024, is hitting .255/.336/.441 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 93 games for the Twins. Javier Baez, who played for the Mets in 2021, is hitting .266/.299/.423 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 87 games for the Tigers. He was a 2025 All-Star. Anthony Banda, who pitched for the Mets in 2021, is 5-1 with a 3.69 ERA in 48 relief appearances for the Dodgers. Jacob Barnes, who pitched for the Mets in 2021, is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 6 relief appearances for the Blue Jays. For their Triple-A club in Buffalo, he is 2-1 with a 6.84 mark in 22 appearances. Chris Bassitt, who pitched for the Mets in 2022, is 11-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) for the Blue Jays. Phil Bickford, who pitched for the Mets in 2023, was signed by the Cubs to begin 2025 and went 1-1 with a 2.60 mark in 20 games for their Triple-A club in Iowa. He was let go, signed by the Phillies in early July, and has since gone 1-0, 16.20 in 4 games for the Phillies Triple-A club in LeHigh Valley. Between them, he is 2-1 with a 4.06 ERA in 24 games; his K/9 is 11.0. Travis Blankenhorn, who played for the Mets in 2021 and 2022, has hit .208/.320/.406 in 57 games between the Angels rookie league team and their Double-A club, the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Jeff Brigham, who played for the Mets in 2023, has a 8.10 ERA in 4 games for the Diamondbacks. In 18 games between their rookie league club and the Triple-A Reno Aces, he is 6-2 with a 4.98 mark in 18 games (1 start).

Please come on. You were wrong, about something that isn't that hard. It also isn't hard to note that I clearly referenced his current year ERA+ and not his career ERA+, which are one on top of the other on the stat sheet, and not feel it necessary to call it out and try to boost your ego (again).

Abraham Almonte, who played for the Mets in 2023, has played for the Olmecas de Tabasco and Guerreros de Oaxaca (his current team) this year, hitting .295/.414/.481 with 9 home runs and 49 RBI in 69 games between them. Albert Almora, who played for the Mets in 2021, began 2025 in the Marlins system, was released in June, and was signed by the Diamondbacks about a week later. He's spent all year at Triple-A, playing for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and Reno Aces (his current team), hitting .269/.333/.383 with 3 home runs and 26 RBI in 63 games between them. Aaron Altherr, who played for the Mets in 2019, has been with the independent Cleburne Railroaders in 2025, hitting .269/.337/.531 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI in 64 games. Eddy Alvarez, who played for the Mets in 2024, was with the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves in the Braves system. But after hitting .176/.323/.302 with 5 homers and 14 RBI in 51 games, he retired in late June. Jonathan Arauz, who played for the Mets in 2023, has hit .318/.441/.573 with 5 home runs and 24 RBI in 35 games for the Saraperos de Saltillo in Mexico.

Nick Ahmed, who somehow forged a 12-year career and won 2 Gold Gloves while remaining largely anonymous, has retired. So has pitcher Jesse Chavez, who also quietly kept finding work year after year for nearly two decades. Eddy Alvarez retired in late June.

Who was Bill Denehy? Bill Denehy was a right-handed pitcher from Middletown, Connecticut, who debuted with the New York Mets in 1967. Signed out of high school for $20,000, he quickly rose through the minors and made headlines by striking out nine batters in his first MLB game, tying a debut record set by Tom Seaver just days earlier. Despite early promise, Denehy’s major league career was brief, going 1–10 with a 4.56 ERA over 49 appearances. His most notable moment came off the field, when he was traded to the Washington Senators in exchange for manager Gil Hodges—a move that would help propel the Mets to their 1969 World Series title. After brief stints with the Senators and Tigers, Denehy transitioned to coaching, including a controversial term as head coach at the University of Hartford. Later in life, he battled blindness and financial hardship, relying on baseball charity grants due to being ineligible for a pension. Remembered fondly by fans and former players alike, Denehy’s legacy includes both his unique place in Mets history and his contributions to the game as a coach and mentor. He passed away in Orlando in 2025 at age 79.

Paul Blackburn: The Mets announced that Blackburn (shoulder) is expected to move his rehab assignment to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday. Blackburn is ready for a tougher test after he opened his rehab assignment last Thursday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, where he struck out eight and allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks over 3.2 innings. Though the Mets appear to be letting Blackburn build up as a starter during his rehab assignment, he could be ticketed for a long-relief role once he's activated from the 15-day injured list. Injury Shoulder. Est. Return 7/28/2025. Max Kranick: The Mets transferred Kranick (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports. Kranick is set to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow. He pitched in 24 games out of the bullpen for the Mets this season, logging a 3.65 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 25:5 K:BB across 37 innings. Kranick could end up missing most of the 2026 campaign. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 9/1/2027. Tylor Megill: Megill (elbow) threw a bullpen session Thursday and is scheduled for another Sunday, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports. Megill was placed on the 15-day IL with a sprained elbow June 17 and was transferred to the 60-day IL on July 8. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Saturday that the righty hurler is trending in the right direction, though Megill isn't eligible to be activated until mid-August. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 8/14/2025. Dedniel Nunez: The Mets transferred Nunez (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday. The transaction is merely procedural, as Nunez is slated to miss the rest of the season and likely the entire 2026 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery last Monday. The Mets claimed right-hander Rico Garcia from the Yankees on Monday and will have him take over Nunez's spot on the 40-man roster. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2027. Rafael Ortega: Sent on a rehab assignment to St. Lucie Mets. Yacksel Ríos: Sent on a rehab assignment to FCL Mets. Brandon Waddell: The Mets reversed Waddell's optional assignment to Triple-A Syracuse and placed him on the 15-day injured list Tuesday due to a right hip impingement. Waddell had been sent down to Syracuse over the weekend, but he didn't appear in any games for the affiliate and is thus eligible to be placed on the big club's injured list. The lefty will be eligible for activation Aug. 3, but it's not clear whether he will be ready to return on that date. Injury Hip. Est. Return 8/3/2025.

Because Stearns likes signing unproven indy league guys and putting them on the Major League roster and sending down good relievers with major league pedigrees, Chris Devenski is no longer with us as he has elected free agency rather than suffer the ignominy of being demoted to the minors.

The best Denehy in Mets history. RIP.

Gee, I was off by 2. You sure got me.

99 career ERA+, 4.39 ERA & 4.0 BB/9 since 2023. Another ****** Stearns half-measure pitching move. Stearns only seems to care about whether the pitcher has velocity and a high K/9, and not whether the pitcher is actually good.

It looks like all their draft picks have signed. From the undrafted heap, they signed Chase Meggers, Austin Brown, Jonah Conradt, Ryan Dollar, Parker Carlson and also an international guy named Jhony Osoria.

Now of course we wouldn't get just Suarez back for those guys. We'd also get many prospects, thereby refreshing our eternal optimism that our deep system will finally pay off, though it rarely does.

Oh, I thought there was something going on between R&D and the PR department in the front office.

Baty and Vientos are both a few months away from 26 so you're not risking losing phenoms anymore. They can both go, and hey, throw Brandon Sproat, Dom Hamel and Christian Scott in there, too.

Kyle Gibson and Daniel Bard have retired.