Rapid Road to the Show: Nolan McLean Has Arrived

Nolan McLean was drafted by the New York Mets in the third round (pick No. 91 overall) of the 2023 MLB draft out of Oklahoma State University as a two-way player. McLean was drafted in the same round the year before by the Orioles, but never signed.

McLean has been impressive since he was drafted, advancing from draft to big league call-up at a rapid pace, earning his call-up almost exactly two years after his pro debut. Through just 48 games (44 starts), he pitched to a 3.10 ERA in 226 2/3 innings, with 245 strikeouts against 94 walks. He has a 1.19 WHIP, and opposing batters hit just .213 against him.

McLean, who stands at 6’2”, 214 pounds, began his professional career with the FCL Mets as a hitter. He was then promoted to the Low-A St. Lucie Mets, where he pitched in just two games (one start, one relief appearance) at Low-A. He gave up one earned run on one hit, two walks, and struck out two.

In 2024, the Mets promoted McLean to High-A Brooklyn to begin the season, where he threw in just seven games (all starts) before the Mets once again quickly promoted the right-hander. Through his seven appearances with Brooklyn, he was 2-2, with a 2.57 ERA. Over 28 innings, he gave up 20 hits, 10 walks, and struck out 36. He had a WHP of 1.07, and opposing batters had just a .206 average against him.

McLean spent just the first month of the 2024 season with Brooklyn before hearing his name called for a promotion in May to head to Binghamton, where he finished out the season. He started 18 games, recording a 4.19 ERA. Over 81 2/3 innings, he struck out 80 batters against 32 walks. His WHIP was a respectable 1.32, and opposing batters hit .248 against him. McLean also made 69 plate appearances as a hitter in Binghamton, but after striking out 36 times in that stretch, he made the transition to being a pitcher full-time.

The Mets kept McLean in Double-A to start out the 2025 season and gain a little more experience. Through five starts, he posted a sparkling 1.37 ERA in 26 1/3 innings, striking out 30 as he continued to increase his strikeout percentage. His WHIP to start the season was 1.22, with opposing batters hitting .213 against him. That was all the Mets needed to see from him, as after those five starts, the Mets once again called up McLean. As he headed to Triple-A Syracuse, he was now just one call-up away from where he is now.

McLean continued to have great success in Triple-A and defying the odds of how most players respond to that level. While most pitchers show signs of struggle at some point in Triple-A (which is to be expected), McLean showed the opposite. He was very impressive with his ability to handle the next level of hitting. In 16 games (13 starts), he posted a 2.78 ERA. He pitched 87 1/3 innings, striking out 97 against 38 walks. He had a WHIP of 1.10, and opposing batters were hitting just .185.

Then came the call every young player strives for, as on Wednesday, the Mets called his name again, but this time, it’s to the ultimate destination, the big leagues. After less than two full seasons in the minor leagues and just 113 2/3 innings, the 24-year-old is now set to make his big league debut on Saturday against the Mariners. The Mariners have yet to announce who will oppose him.

McLean is ranked by Metsmerized Online as the Mets’ No. 6 prospect, but with how much he has impressed in Triple-A, some would argue he is now the best prospect in the Mets system, as explained by Patrick Glynn in a recent Metsmerized Article that broke down whether the Mets should call up McLean or Sproat, which we now the answer was McLean. The righty’s fastball averages 94-96 mph, topping out at 98 mph; he also has a strong sweeper with elite spin and horizontal movement that averages around 15-16 inches at an incoming velocity of 84-87 mph. McLean’s repertoire also includes an 88-90 mph cutter, an upper-80s split changeup, a sinker with significant armside run, and a curveball that sits in the upper 70s.

Though his walk rates were a bit high throughout the minor leagues, he can get out of innings and keep runs scored to a minimum. It’s his strikeout rate that is most impressive, with 127 strikeouts between Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. He so far has the ability to go deep into games and limit hard contact from batters, also creating a lot of swings and misses from opposing batters. Lefties had some success against McLean for most of this season, but they’ve gone just 4-for-51 against him over his last four outings. He also has excelled at keeping the ball in the yard, allowing just eight home runs this season with a 54.7% ground-ball rate. The Mets’ starting rotation has struggled with length over the last two months, but McLean has thrown at least five innings in all but four starts this season.

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