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Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 35-31

To start off my Top 50 Mets prospects for 2026 we looked at a few arms who could potentially help the Mets this season in the 50-46 group and then the 45-41 group focused mostly on young talent from the Dominican Summer League.

This group is dominated by right-handed pitchers but also features a young infield prospect and a lefty I just can’t give up on.

No. 35: Saul García, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 22 (6/11/2003)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 180 lbs
Acquired: Signed as international free agent
Position: Right-handed reliever
2025 Stats (A+ Brooklyn/AA Binghamton): 47.2 IP, 29 H, 28 BB, 76 K, 1.70 ERA (3.01 FIP)
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

The cousin of former Mets legend Wilmer Flores had easily the best season of his career in 2025 with a 1.85 ERA in 34 innings for High-A Brooklyn and then signed with a 1.32 ERA in 13 2/3 innings for Double-A Binghamton. His strikeouts were well-above average in both stops with a 37.6 K% overall. Following the regular season, García pitched 35 more innings in the Venezuelan Winter League and was solid with a 4.37 ERA and 42 strikeouts to only nine walks. The walks are a good sign as that was his lone issue during the regular season with 28 in 47 2/3 innings.

García features a fastball that sits 93-95 mph that tops out at 97 with above average spin. He gets good extension and comes from a low release. He also mixes in a slider and changeup. The slider is by far his best secondary and looks like a big league pitcher with the number of whiffs it induces.

Standout Stat

García’s 37.6% ranked fourth among 57 Mets minor leaguers with at least 40 innings pitched. His 1.70 ERA also ranked fourth.

No. 34: Cam Tilly, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 21 (6/27/2004)
Height: 6’2”, Weight: 207 lbs
Acquired: Drafted in 2025, 7th RD
Position: Right-handed pitcher
2025 Stats: N/A
ETA: 2029

Player Profile

The Mets drafted Tilly in the seventh round last year and gave him a signing bonus of $397,000 (slot value $254,000). Tilly was a starter and reliever in two years at Auburn, but has the type of arsenal that could play as a starter. His fastball sits in the mid-90s (max 97 mph) with above average spin rate and induced vertical break. He mixes in a slider with above average spin that generates whiffs and he also mixes in a curve (again, impressive spin) and a splitter with above average drop.

As you can tell, Tilly has a potentially impressive mix of pitches but struggled to command most of his arsenal in college. Tilly hasn’t appeared in a pro game yet but did participate in the Mets’ “Top Guns” pitching development camp during the offseason and was listed as a starting pitcher.

Felipe De La Cruz. Photo Credit: Matt Kipp/Binghamton Rumble Ponies

No. 33: Felipe De La Cruz, LHP

B/T: L/L, Age: 24 (5/21/2005)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 160 lbs
Acquired: Signed as international free agent
Position: Left-handed pitcher
2025 Stats (AA Binghamton/AAA Syracuse): 64.1 IP, 56 H, 32 BB, 90 K, 5.04 ERA (4.27 FIP)
ETA: 2026

Player Profile

I know, Felipe De La Cruz had a 5.04 ERA and is almost 25, but I’m a sucker for lefties that throw hard and pitchers capable of going multiple innings out of the pen. Felipe De La Cruz was almost exclusively a starter prior to the 2025 season, before pitching in a variety of different roles last year. Felipe De La Cruz had a 3.63 ERA and a whopping 58 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings for Double-A Binghamton last year. The lefty did struggle (as many pitchers do) in his first taste of the International League with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. He had a 7.30 ERA fueled by 17 walks in 24 2/3 innings.

De La Cruz sits 94-96 mph with his fastball and reached 99 mph once in Triple-A last year. His best secondary is his slider that he uses a ton against lefties and gets plus chase rates vs both hands. He mixes in a changeup as well that he uses rarely out of the pen. I believe we will see De La Cruz in the big leagues at some point in the 2026 season out of the pen.

Standout Stat

His 31.8 K% ranked second among Mets minor league pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched last year.

 

No. 32: Jeremy Rodriguez, UT

B/T: L/R, Age: 19 (7/4/2006)
Height: 6’0”, Weight: 170 lbs
Acquired: Trade (for Tommy Pham)
Position: SS, 2B, 3B
2025 Stats (A St. Lucie): 492 PA, .202/.304/.236, 1 HR, 34 SB, 61 wRC+
ETA: 2029

Player Profile

Certainly, tough to spin anything positive from what Jeremy Rodriguez’s 2025 season, but the good news is he’s still only 19 years old. His 61 wRC+ was the second lowest in the Florida State League and his .236 slugging was the second worst, too. He did steal 34 bases last year, though he also got caught stealing 13 times. On the plus side, Rodriguez has great plate discipline and rarely chases out of the zone, a good sign for a 19-year-old. One key going forward for Rodriguez will be making more hard contact because he makes a ton of contact right now though it’s below average in terms of exit velo.

Defensively, Rodriguez has played shortstop, second base and third base. He’s a solid fielder with an average arm that best profiles to play second base long-term and does play short and third well enough to bring value as a utility type.

Standout Stat

His swinging strike rate was in the 99th percentile in the FSL.

No. 31: Camden Lohman, RHP

B/T: R/R, Age: 19 (11/5/2006)
Height: 6’4”, Weight: 195 lbs
Acquired: Drafted in 2025 (8th RD)
Position: Right-handed pitcher
2025 Stats: NA
ETA: 2030

Player Profile

The second right-handed pitcher drafted last year on this list as the Mets continue to bring in high-upside arms into the system and have a great recent track record of developing them. Lohman received the third highest signing bonus in the 2025 draft at $797,500. The 19-year-old already looks the part at six-foot-four and could continue to add velo as he potentially adds weight.

Lohman is currently in the low-90s and maxing out at 95 mph with his fastball. He mixes in a two-plane slider, a curveball and has started working on a splitter. Lohman has a clean, easy over the top delivery that keeps him in the strike zone often.

Previous rankings: 50-46, 45-41, 40-36

The post Mets Top 50 Prospects for 2026: 35-31 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

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