If there were lingering doubts about the Mets’ rotation depth, Nolan McLean just quieted them — at least for now.
Sep 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
In his first spring training start, the Mets’ top pitching prospect delivered four scoreless innings in a 5-0 win over the Houston Astros. McLean allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out six, throwing 56 efficient pitches and touching 97.9 mph with his sinker.
It wasn’t just effective.
It was authoritative.
McLean entered 2026 as New York’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect in baseball. Those rankings already carried weight. But what makes his spring performance more intriguing is that this isn’t hype built on minor league projections alone.
He’s already shown he can succeed in the majors.
Last season, McLean went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA across 48 big league innings, striking out 57 batters and pitching with poise beyond his years. For a 24-year-old, the debut felt less like an audition and more like an arrival.
If the Mets envision themselves as legitimate contenders in 2026, McLean won’t just be part of the rotation — he’ll be central to it.
The real question isn’t talent.
It’s workload.
McLean threw 161 innings last year between the minors and majors, a sizable jump from 109 innings in 2024. Before that, his college workload at Oklahoma State peaked at just 30 innings in 2023.
That kind of rapid ramp-up often triggers caution from organizations.
The Mets have a history of closely monitoring young arms, having managed the innings of pitchers like Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey carefully in the past. Whether McLean faces a formal innings cap in 2026 remains unclear, but it’s a storyline worth tracking — especially if New York finds itself in a tight postseason race.
There’s also the added wrinkle of international play. McLean is expected to pitch for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, further adding to his 2026 workload.
Still, if Thursday’s outing was any preview, the Mets may be staring at something more than a promising arm.
They may have a frontline starter in the making.
Velocity, command, swing-and-miss ability — it was all on display. Spring training results should always be viewed cautiously, but dominance against live competition carries meaning.
For a rotation that still carries some questions behind Freddy Peralta and the veteran core, McLean’s emergence could be the swing factor.
The ceiling for the Mets in 2026 may depend on how far Nolan McLean can go.
And based on his first statement of the spring, he looks ready to go far.
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