A list of the ten players the New York Mets invited to Spring Training was made public later this month. There are elite prospects, former first-round selections, a seasoned veteran, and a depth of catchers on the list. Not all ten of the players are currently part of New York’s 40-man roster. Every player on that team receives an automatic invitation to big league camp.
These 10 players invited to Mets Spring Training are infielder Jett Williams, outfielder Drew Gilbert, pitchers Christian Scott, Mike Vasil, Dominic Hamel, Nate Lavender, and Eric Orze, and catchers Tomas Nido, Kevin Parada, and Hayden Senger.
Ten players are invited to the New York Mets spring training.
Jett Williams
Williams was just rated as the top prospect in the Mets organization and the 45th best prospect overall by MLB Pipeline. Williams, who was selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, has impressed many people already in the organization. Williams led all Mets minor leaguers in multiple offensive categories during the previous season, earning him the 2023 Minor League Player of the Year Award. He reached Double-A after hitting.263/.425/.451 in 121 games overall.
Williams, who turned 20 in November, has advanced swiftly through the system, and being invited to the Mets’ Spring Training is encouraging for his prospects of making it to the majors in 2024.
Drew Gilbert
Gilbert joined the Mets in the trade for Justin Verlander the previous season. Gilbert may have struggled a little in Houston’s system, but following the trade, he appeared to be in better shape. Gilbert hit.325/.423/.561 in 35 games with Double-A Binghamton, including six home runs and 21 RBI. Gilbert, whose playing style and energy have drawn comparisons to Lenny Dykstra, will begin the season in Triple-A and has a good chance of getting promoted sometime this summer.
MLB Pipeline placed him at 53rd in their Top 100 MLB prospects list.
Mike Vasil
In the mid-to-upper levels of their system, the Mets have an abundance of pitching prospects. Of the group, Vasil may be the most advanced because of his Triple-A background. Although he performed admirably in Double-A last season, he struggled to adjust to Triple-A. Perhaps because of the league’s ABS system, he was better at limiting walks at the lower level than he was with them. Despite the fact that New York added starters this winter, Vasil is a great backup if necessary.
Christian Scott
Since his recent rise in prominence, many evaluators have come to the conclusion that Scott is the best pitcher in the Mets system. After making it to Double-A last season, the large-framed pitcher significantly increased his control and command. Scott was recently ranked by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel as the 99th best MLB prospect; if he has a strong start to the upcoming season, more people should take notice of him.
At 24 and with rising stock, Scott will likely join the Mets at some point next year. One battle to watch next season is whether Vasil or Scott joins the big league team first. Theoretically, the Mets inviting them to Spring Training opens the door, though incredibly slightly, for one of these pitchers earning the fifth starter or a bullpen role if others get injured or severely underperform in March.
Dominic Hamel
Another excellent pitching prospect for the Mets, Hamel excelled in Double-A. Hamel, a 2021 third-round selection, has a fastball from the mid-1990s that deceives hitters with its outstanding spin and ride. Fastballs appear lower to hitters than they actually are, and they usually swing under them.
The most strikeouts by a minor leaguer for the Mets since 2018 was 160 by Hamel in the previous season. In March, he will turn 25 years old, making him older than most Triple-A players without any MLB experience. He has a chance to make his debut in 2024, but he still needs to improve his walk rate.
Nate Lavender
Despite not being called up, Lavender’s stellar 2023 Triple-A campaign opened some eyes. The 24-year-old lefty has a funky delivery and low arm slot that can cause him to struggle with command when tossing the ball. Lavender pitched 44 innings with a 3.27 ERA, 86 strikeouts, and 26 walks in 35 games the previous season.
The Mets are about to add a second veteran lefty to the bullpen, but Lavender should get a call this season if a need arises.
Eric Orze
Orze’s history with cancer garnered media attention when the Mets selected him in the 2020 draft. Orze was drafted, nevertheless, due to his excellent-spin fastball, which is in the upper 90s.
Due to high strikeout rates, Orze advanced through the Mets’ system fairly quickly; however, his career has stagnated at Triple-A. The Mets undoubtedly want to maximize Orze’s potential in the new pitching lab. Probably one more poor season in Triple-A would put an end to his Mets career.
Tomas Nido
Prior to losing his spot on the roster in 2023 as a result of the team’s unexpected catching slump, difficulties, and injuries, Nido played for the Mets for a number of years. Nevertheless, Nido has a strong defensive reputation, and when the Mets designated him for assignment in June, many predicted that he would be claimed or traded.
According to reports, the Mets may decide to use Nido as a backup catcher and trade for a more expensive catcher who is higher on the organization’s depth chart. Nido might take advantage of the Mets’ invitation to Spring Training by hitting well, and if he does, he might be traded to a team that can give him MLB playing time. He will probably begin the season at Triple-A for the time being and provide valuable depth at a crucial position.
Kevin Parada
In the 2022 draft, Parada was selected by the Mets a few picks ahead of Williams. The Georgia Tech prospect’s stock, nevertheless, has recently declined somewhat, and it is no longer listed among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects.
While hitting well in High-A the previous season, Parada had a very difficult time in Double-A and the Arizona Fall League. Although he had a batting average below.200 in both leagues, the sample sizes were rather small—18 AFL games and 14 Double-A games. The 22-year-old may have succumbed to exhaustion at the end of the summer, but he will need to recover well in order to regain some of his stock the following season.
Hayden Senger
Senger, who turns 27 in April, had a.200 batting average in 81 Double-A games the previous year. Senger and other players like him are valuable organizational depth players rather than major league prospects. Given that Spring Training sessions can be lengthy and that teams usually like to have backup catchers at big league camp in order to distribute the load, the Mets have decided to invite Senger.