2025 Report Card: Nolan McLean, SP

Nolan McLean

Player Data: Age: 24 (07/24/2001) B/T: R/R

Primary Stats: 8 G, 48 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.042 WHIP, 5-1, 57 K, 16 BB

Advanced Stats: 196 ERA+, 30.3% K%, 8.5% BB%, 3.61 xERA, 2.97 FIP, 2.79 xFIP, 1.2 fWAR, 1.8 bWAR

Grade: A+

2025 Review

Drafted as a two-way player in 2023, Nolan McLean experienced his first full season as just a pitcher in 2025. He began the season in Double-A Binghamton and dominated his competition, posting a 1.37 ERA with 30 strikeouts and not allowing a single home run in 26 1/3 innings. McLean was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse on May 6, and unlike most of the Mets’ pitching prospects, he had very little trouble adjusting to International League play. In 16 appearances (13 starts), McLean posted a 2.87 ERA with 97 strikeouts against 38 walks in 87 1/3 innings for Syracuse, and with the Mets’ starting rotation in dire straits, the team called him up to the majors on August 16.

McLean made his debut against the Mariners and impressed by striking out eight and allowing just two hits over 5 1/3 shutout innings in a 3-1 Mets victory. He followed that up by tossing seven innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts, becoming the first Mets pitcher other than David Peterson to throw at least six innings in a start in over two months. McLean’s most impressive outing came against the division-leading Phillies on August 27, when he tossed eight shutout innings, allowing just four hits and no walks with six strikeouts to secure a series sweep.

Overall, McLean allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his eight starts and went at least five innings every time he took the mound – throwing at least six innings four times. He boasted a ground-ball rate of over 60 percent and allowed just four home runs in four big league innings – three of which came in his last start of the year (though he also struck out a career-high 11 batters in the game).

McLean used a six-pitch mix – a sinker, sweeper, curveball, cutter, four-seamer, and change-up. His sinker was his most valuable pitch by run value, posting a plus-4 mark while holding opponents to a .193 batting average and just one home run. Surprisingly, McLean’s sweeper, which was lauded as one of the best in MiLB, got hit hard, to the tune of a .391 xBA and .622 xSLG, including two home runs. However, McLean surrendered just one extra-base hit on his four other pitches. His curveball had a 50% whiff rate and a 67.9% strikeout rate, with opponents managing just two singles and a .110 xSLG against it. McLean’s four-seamer registered a 37.1% whiff rate and a .280 xSLG, while his change-up had a 36% put-away rate and a 30.3% whiff rate. His cutter, which he used the least of his pitches, managed a plus-2 run value despite being thrown only 63 times.

Despite making just eight starts, McLean ranked fourth among Mets pitchers in bWAR and sixth in fWAR. While the sample size was small, McLean was the only Mets starter to average at least six innings per outing. While the Mets faltered down the stretch, McLean can’t be blamed for the team’s failures.

2026 Preview

McLean is still rookie-eligible since he threw fewer than 50 innings in 2025, and he’ll be a popular pick for National League Rookie of the Year in 2026. As it stands right now, McLean is the team’s ace heading into next season and seems to be the most likely candidate to start on Opening Day. The Mets may be involved in the trade market for another ace-caliber arm, but it’s clear that McLean is untouchable this offseason. While his numbers might regress a little bit, it’s hard not to be excited about McLean’s future.

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