The sky's the limit for Nolan McLean
The righty dazzled for the Mets in his spring debut as he readies for the World Baseball Classic
What’s Up with the Mets? 🌴
The Mets shut out the Astros 5-0 to improve to 3-2-1 in Grapefruit League action (box)
RHP Nolan McLean pitched four shutout innings in his spring debut while striking out six
OF Tyrone Taylor went 1-for-3 with a three-run blast to get the scoring started
2B Marcus Semien went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and SS Ronny Mauricio went 1-for-3 with a run scored
What I’m Reading 📰
1B Jorge Polanco got some work in at first base during an intrasquad game and he was honest about how difficult it is to learn a new position (MLB.com)
RHP Nolan McLean used the offseason to throw every day to stay ready for spring (Daily News)
Flame throwing RHP Ryan Lambert consumes an absurd amount of raw eggs in an effort to build muscle and recover faster (MLB.com)
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Today’s Game 🏝️
Match-up: Mets (3-2-1) at Cardinals (4-2)
Where: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium - Jupiter, FL
Starters: RHP Freddy Peralta (0-0) vs. LHP Quinn Mathews (0-0, 10.80 ERA)
When: 1:05 PM EDT
Where to watch: MLB.tv
Nolan McLean could be a game changer for this organization ✍️
Nolan McLean is clearly ready for the World Baseball Classic. And quite possibly ready to change the entire landscape of the National League East.
McLean had a stellar spring debut against the Astros, allowing just one hit and striking out six in four innings of work. It was just one start, but it was electric, it was tantalizing, and it could only make one ponder what is possible for him, this Mets rotation, and the entire team heading into the 2026 season.
I’ll give you the science of his outing on Thursday against the Astros.
McLean threw 56 pitches over his four innings of work. Overall, he induced a 33 percent swing-and-miss rate and a 38 percent swing-and-miss rate on his sweeper. He had a 50 percent chase rate on his sweeper, 32 percent overall. He was averaging 96-97 mph on his sinker and four-seam fastball.
It was his first Grapefruit League outing, mind you.
“He’s such a competitor,’’ Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after Thursday’s game. “You saw it the other day in the live BP against Juan Soto. Whether it’s the WBC with the whole world watching or a back-field game, you’re gonna get the best out of him. That’s who he is. He doesn’t take anything for granted.”
There are plenty of young guys who come up with the arm and the arsenal. In McLean’s case, everyone knows about the spin, everyone knows about his strike-ability. Those skill sets aren’t what makes him unique, as strong as those skillsets are. The Mets and people around the game believe McLean is just built differently in that he also came up with an evolved or advanced maturity many pitchers lack at the beginning of their professional journey, not to mention their major league career.
That perhaps helps explain why McLean quickly emerged as one of the best prospects in the sport and unquestionably one of the most intriguing young arms in the game today. It’s skill plus guile which gives him as much upside as any pitcher in the game right now.
Now, we don’t want to put the cart before the horse here. He has eight major league starts under his belt, but it’s not hard to fantasize about this kid’s trajectory as soon as this season if he can stay healthy.
Looking back to last season, perhaps the Mets season would have gone differently if the McLean had been called up just a little bit earlier, especially since he shined after he made his debut in August. It could be argued he was ready to be here at the beginning of July, at which point he might’ve been able to buy the club the win or wins they needed not only to get into the playoffs, but also give them a fighting chance.
Of course, the club will always take a position that a player’s development is independent of the team’s need at the Major League level. It’s hard to argue that point, but it’s also hard to argue that McLean wasn’t ready before they determined him as such.
Anyway, McLean is now headed to the World Baseball Classic to represent Team USA, and then it is back to the Mets for his first full season in the majors. Freddy Peralta was brought in to be the team’s ace, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all if McLean emerges as their frontline story on this staff, again assuming he can stay healthy. His pitch repertoire is a nightmare for opposing batters since he has the ability to throw six different pitches to keep batters guessing, and he has the confidence, poise, and swagger to back it up.
At the very least last season, McLean brought some sense of stability and hope to the rotation as things went haywire for the pitching staff last year. He was basically the one that could be counted on to give them a chance to win every five days after August 1.
Outside of Peralta, who is a major upgrade to the top of the Mets rotation, there are still a lot of question marks in this rotation. Clay Holmes is still adjusting to a starting role, although he did put together a fine first season for the Mets in 2025. Then there is Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga, who are all coming off uneven, disappointing, and/or injury-plagued seasons - the Mets will need more from all of them regardless of what they get from McLean or Peralta.
But the opportunity is there for McLean to lead this team and this staff; as Yankees manager Aaron Boone likes to say, it’s all right there in front of him.
And who knows? Maybe he will be the league’s top rookie in 2026, and then some.
Around the League 🚩
New Astros RHP Tatsuya Imai was hit by a come backer in his start against the Mets but he was able to stay in the game (ESPN)
The A’s have made a contract extension offer to AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz (NY Post)
There are five potential buyers for the Padres (SD Union Tribune)
Eight members of the Cuban World Baseball Classic delegation had their visas denied by the U.S. State Department (ESPN)
Former Major League umpire Bruce Froemming passed away at the age of 86 (ESPN)