The Mets’ 2026 season left plenty of disappointment behind, but the deadline haul gave fans something sturdier to hold onto: a fresh batch of prospects with real paths to Queens. Some of them may not be far off at all.
The headliner is Jefferson Rojas, the infield prospect the Mets landed from the Cubs in the trade that sent Clay Holmes and Tyrone Taylor to Chicago. He arrives with the kind of upside that can alter the conversation around the roster, and he could be part of the Mets’ 2027 plans in a big way. But expecting his rise to look exactly like Carlos Benge’s might be asking too much.
The big difference is playing time. The Mets had the kind of opening in the outfield that made room for Benge after offseason trades of Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, but the infield is already crowded. Rojas won’t be opening his big league career at first base, and the rest of the dirt spots are currently occupied by Bo Bichette at third, Francisco Lindor at shortstop, and Marcus Semien at second base.
That picture could change quickly, though. Bichette could opt out and head back to free agency, and even after a merely league average season at the plate, he may have enough of a market because the free agent class is thin on right-handed bats and infielders. If that happens, Rojas suddenly has a much cleaner path, with Brett Baty as his main roadblock.
Even if Bichette stays, Rojas could still force the issue. Semien’s season was rough, and his .620 OPS included a .566 mark through the end of April. If that kind of slump shows up again, the Mets could decide Rojas is ready and push Semien into a reduced role.
On the pitching side, Zach Franklin looks like one of the safest bets to show up in Queens next year. The right-hander came over from the White Sox in the Huascar Brazoban deal and was the secondary piece, but at 27 he was already close to the majors.
He backed that up with the Mets, throwing a little more than 15 innings at Triple-A Syracuse and posting a 1.72 ERA with a 25% strikeout rate against a 10% walk rate. He may not be in the closer conversation, but he looks like an up-and-down bullpen arm who will get chances.
Gabe Davis may actually be the more intriguing arm, even if he’s a bit further from a guaranteed role. MLB Pipeline ranks him 22nd in the Mets’ system, and his first stint in the organization was a strong one.
After struggling badly in 10 Double-A starts with the White Sox, he looked far more comfortable with the Mets, putting up a 2.53 ERA and a 26.7% strikeout rate over 21 1/3 innings. He should start at Triple-A, but that leaves him one step away if the opportunity opens.
The rotation path, of course, is crowded. Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Zac Thornton, and even Jonah Tong are ahead of Davis on the depth chart, and veterans like Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga could get fresh looks next year.
Free agent and trade additions could crowd the picture too. Still, the Mets know better than anyone that injuries can reshape a staff in a hurry, and Davis could wind up making a spot start or two if circumstances break his way.
Emilien Pitre is another name worth tracking after the Freddy Peralta return. Peralta’s half season with the Mets didn’t go the way anyone wanted, though there’s already noise about a possible reunion this winter. While Peralta is with the Rays in the World Series, Pitre is getting ready for his first offseason in the Mets system.
The former Rays second-round pick from 2024 went straight to Triple-A Syracuse after the trade and hit .260/.357/.370 in 20 games while bouncing between second and third base. He doesn’t bring much pop, but the rest of his game stands out enough that a 2027 debut doesn’t feel far-fetched, even if Rojas is ahead of him on the infield ladder.
Then there’s Billy Amick, who may be the most boom-or-bust name of the bunch. He came to the Mets from the Twins in the A.J.
Minter deal, and the profile is easy to recognize: a big, power-heavy corner infielder who can make fans think of Mark Vientos. The early returns were loud.
After arriving at Double-A, Amick ripped through a 12-game stretch with a 1.179 OPS and seven homers before moving up to Triple-A.
The power carried over there too, with eight homers in his first 24 games. But the strikeouts are a real issue, and he hit just .198 at Triple-A while striking out 34% of the time. There’s clearly work left to do, yet with the lack of internal first-base options, it wouldn’t be shocking if Amick forced his way into the big league picture before the year is over if the Mets don’t add outside help.
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