Jack Wenninger picked a good time to flash his best stuff.
The Mets’ No. 4 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline delivered seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, holding Worcester to one hit and three walks while striking out five in a 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox affiliate. It was the kind of outing that can change the tone around a pitcher fast, especially after the rough patch he just worked through.
Wenninger, a 24-year-old right-hander, opened July with a clean start after a June that didn’t go nearly as smoothly. He had a 5.87 ERA across five Triple-A outings last month, and this latest performance was his first scoreless start since early May. For a Mets organization watching the trade deadline draw closer, that matters.
The 2023 sixth-round pick has now made 16 Triple-A appearances since debuting at the level at the start of the 2026 season, and his year-long line sits at a 3.48 ERA. He came out hot, posting a 1.08 ERA through his first seven Triple-A starts, then allowed 15 earned runs in five games in June. Even with that dip, he has given up 14 earned runs total across his other outings this season.
The timing also lines up with where the big-league club sits. New York is last in the National League East at 37-53 and is expected to sell at the deadline.
The Mets already dealt left-hander David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs for corner-infield prospect Cole Mathis at the end of June. If they move any more starters, including two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta, that would open a path in the rotation for one of the organization’s top arms.
That’s where Wenninger enters the picture, especially after New York has already used several pitching prospects this season, including left-hander Zach Thornton and right-hander Jonah Tong. If Wenninger stays healthy and keeps pitching like he did Saturday, the Mets could have a real reason to give him a look in the majors before 2026 wraps up.
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The more interesting part is whether the Mets would use that kind of swap to bring in a pitcher who is close enough to matter soon, but still has some development left in the tank. With A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley no longer in the mix, there is at least a path for a left-handed arm to get a look, and Seattles system has one that has been moving through the upper levels with strong strikeout numbers and steady run prevention. The wrinkle is timing, because a pitcher in that spot can be useful to a club now, while also carrying enough roster pressure that the other side has to decide whether to hold on or make a move before the offseason changes the calculus. [Read more 🡒]