Mets 2025 Prospects: No. 8 Ryan Clifford

No. 8: Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF

B/T: L/L      Age: 21 (07/20/2003)
Height: 6’2″   Weight: 200lbs
Acquired: Via 2023 trade with OF Drew Gilbert from Houston Astros in exchange for RHP Justin Verlander
ETA: 2026
2024 Stats: Double-A Binghamton: .231/.359/.457/.815, 404 PA, 77 H, 18 HR, 21 2B, 58 RBI, 117 SO, 63 BB
High-A Brooklyn: .216/.412/.304/.716, 136 PA, 22 H, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 6 2B, 43 SO, 32 BB

Overview

The Astros drafted Ryan Clifford in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft, and the lefty signed with the club, forgoing his commitment to play college ball at Vanderbilt. In his first taste of minor league action in 2023, the slugger hit .337/.488/.457/.944 in Single-A Fayetteville and .271/.356/.547/.903 in High-A Asheville. Clifford clubbed 18 home runs in those 83 games before his trade to New York. He cooled off significantly once reaching Brooklyn (known for hampering left-handed power hitters), hitting only .188/.307/.376/.683 with six home runs in 32 games.

Ryan Clifford launches his first homer of the spring! pic.twitter.com/Q9ERzKpzn3

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) February 27, 2025

Clifford began 2024 in Brooklyn once more, and his struggles continued. However, the Mets decided to promote him to Binghamton after just 31 games. While he didn’t hit for much average (.231) in 2024, he mashed 18 home runs in 99 games, tied for third-most in the Eastern League, and second-most on the Rumble Ponies behind Jeremiah Jackson. His 21 doubles was the team’s fourth-best in 2024, and he was second-best in RBIs (58), walks (63) and OBP (.359). Clifford led the Rumble Ponies in slugging (.456) and OPS (.815).

Pipeline currently ranks Clifford as the Mets’ fourth-best prospect and also lands seventh on MLB’s top first base prospect list. His 131 wRC+ in 2024 was among the best in Double-A for qualified hitters at age 20 or younger. His MLB scouting grade notes his power (60) is his best attribute, followed by his arm (60); however, he’s struggled at the plate in his young minor league career. While his ISO (isolated power) in 2024 was .273, his strikeout rate percentage was 29.6%, up from 27.4% in 2023. According to Baseball Savant, this would land him in the 28th percentile in strikeout percentage, tied with Francisco Alvarez in 2024. Jeff McNeil led the Mets in 2024 with a 14.4% strikeout percentage, placing him in the 92nd percentile.

A key to Clifford’s early success was his ability to use the entire field. In 2023, he used the opposite side of the field 41.6% of the time, but only 34.8% in 2024. He got ahead of the ball in 2024, pulling the ball at 42.7%, up from 36.1% in 2023. More importantly, Clifford struggled tremendously against righties in 2024. He hit just .216/.363/.415/.778 against them while hitting .290/.424/.449/.873 against southpaws. It’s a stark difference from 2023, where the numbers were lopsided the other way.

In regards to his makeup elsewhere on the field, Clifford was graded with a 45 in hitting, 40 in running and 45 in fielding. A below-average runner, he’s not a threat on the base paths. Where he fits on the field is more intriguing. While drafted as an outfielder, he played most games in 2024 at first base. If Pete Alonso decides to opt out and sign elsewhere in 2025, and assuming Clifford has a 2025 to remember, the stars might align for him to be the first baseman of the future. Or, if Alonso sticks with the Mets, he might eventually shift to a designated hitter position, and Clifford could assume the mantle at first. All to say, Clifford’s future feels more stable at first than in the outfield, but his defensive flexibility fits in with the Mets’ ethos.

2025 Outlook

Clifford will all but likely start 2025 in Triple-A Syracuse, if not get a few more looks in at Binghamton before an early season call-up to Triple-A, similar to his May Double-A call-up in 2024. With players like Drew Gilbert, Jett Williams, Luisangel Acuña and Ronny Mauricio in the shadows, Clifford needs to develop before a call-up to the majors is even in question. A 2025 debut in Queens remains unlikely, but crazier things have happened in Flushing. Expect to see Clifford and many more young faces in 2026.

Previous Rankings

• No. 30: Will Watson, RHP
• No. 29: Jack Wenninger, RHP
• No. 28: A.J. Ewing, 2B/OF
• No. 27: Edward Lantigua, OF
• No. 26: Ronald Hernandez. C/1B
• No. 25: Jacob Reimer, INF
• No. 24: Yovanny Rodriguez, C
• No. 23: Daiverson Gutierrez, C
• No. 22: Jonathan Pintaro, RHP
• No. 21: Christopher Suero, C
• No. 20: Nick Morabito, OF
• No. 19: Eli Serrano, III, OF
• No. 18: Nate Dohm, RHP
• No. 17: Marco Vargas, INF
• No. 16: Trey Snyder, SS
• No. 15: Blade Tidwell, RHP
• No. 14: Jonathan Santucci, LHP
• No. 13: Boston Baro, INF
• No. 12: Jeremy Rodriguez, INF
• No. 11: Ronny Mauricio, INF
• No. 10: Luisangel Acuña, INF
• No. 9: Drew Gilbert, OF

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