10 New York Mets Prospects To Know Beyond The Top 30 in 2024
Baseball America’s Top 30 New York Mets Prospects entering 2024 are here exclusively for subscribers. The list includes updated scouting reports, BA grades and tool grade projections every player.
Inevitably, there are players every year who barely miss the cut when we narrow down the list. These players are all worth monitoring for various reasons and it’s likely some will either reach the big leagues in 2024 or enjoy breakout seasons lower in the minors.
Here are next 10 players to know in the Mets system beyond their Top 30.
31. Joel Diaz, RHP
Tommy John surgery scuttled Diaz’s 2023 season before it began, and the 20-year-old won’t return until at least May. When healthy in 2021 and 2022, Diaz showed a swing-and-miss fastball, improving velocity and an athletic 6-foot-2 frame that could support augmented strength. He throws strikes with a 93 mph fastball that has peaked at 97 coming from a low release height. Diaz has worked hard to improve the shape, execution and consistency of his secondary pitches.
32. Saul Garcia, RHP
Despite running up a 5.04 ERA and near 15% walk rate in 2023, mostly at Low-A St. Lucie, Garica has pitch traits that grade well in stuff models. He is a 6-foot righthander with a low release height and a riding 91-93 mph fastball that generates an above-average rate of in-zone whiffs. The pitch eats up righthanded batters—they hit .196 with five extra-base hits and a 32% strikeout rate in 2023. That pitch and his slider are his go-to weapons, making a future in the bullpen likely for the 20-year-old.
33. Layonel Ovalles, RHP
The 20-year-old fought his delivery for much of the season and ran up 4.73 ERA for Low-A St. Lucie. Ovalles was sinking too far into his back hip but regained his form later in the year and pitched better in his final five starts with a 3.00 ERA in 27 innings with 19 K-BB. He pitched more in the low 90s in 2023 but has gotten up to 97 mph in the past, while flashing a quality slider, cutter and changeup.
34. Daiverson Gutierrez, C
The Mets signed the Venezuelan catcher for just shy of $2 million in January 2023, drawn to his raw power, swing decisions and defensive potential. The 17-year-old Gutierrez fell flat in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .186/.321/.244 with two homers in 50 games. He needs to get the ball in the air more frequently to access power that plays straightaway to his pull side.
35. Justin Jarvis, RHP
The Mets swapped Mark Canha for the Brewers’ 2018 fifth-rounder at the 2023 trade deadline. The 23-year-old Jarvis recorded a 3.33 ERA in 14 first-half starts for Double-A Biloxi with 91 strikeouts in 75.2 innings. Caveat: He was using the Southern League’s grip-enhancing, pre-tacked baseball. He then ran up an 8.79 ERA in 43 Triple-A innings. Jarvis pitches at 95 mph and tops out at 97, throws four pitches and paces himself well. His slider is his go-to secondary pitch, and all his pitches have defined shape.
36. Nick Morabito, OF
Drafted with a compensatory second-round pick in 2022, Morabito opened his second pro season in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League before moving to Low-A St. Lucie for a month. The 20-year-old hit .306/.421/.407 in 57 games at the two levels, leaning on outstanding speed and athleticism to steal 21 bases and hold down center field. Morabito has raw power but doesn’t get to it often and likely has an extra outfielder ceiling.
37. Cristopher Larez, SS
One of the Mets’ top international targets in 2023, Larez signed out of Venezuela for $1.4 million. He hit .274/.351/.405 in a 24-game pro debut in the Dominican Summer League before drawing a 56-game suspension after testing positive for Boldenone. That effectively keeps him off the field in 2024. The Mets like Larez’s hitting ability and chance to stay up the middle, possibly at second base, but have to wait until 2025 when he will be 19 years old to get a better look.
38. Jordany Ventura, RHP
Ventura missed all of 2021 and most of 2022 after having Tommy John surgery, so 2023 was his first healthy regular season since 2019. The 23-year-old struggled to throw strikes with any of his pitches but showed promising results with his changeup, curveball and slider. After sitting in the low 90s at the Class A levels, Ventura must find a way to recover his previous fastball velocity to reclaim his former prospect status.
39. Felipe De La Cruz, LHP
De La Cruz is a potential bright spot in an organization with almost zero lefthanded pitching presence. He pitched to a 4.36 ERA at the Class A levels while also ranking fifth in the org with 131 strikeouts. The 22-year-old could find greater success if he moves to the bullpen at higher levels and focuses on his mid-90s fastball and slider.
40. William Lugo, 3B
Lugo hits the ball hard for his 21-year-old age group but didn’t have much to show for it in 2023 after hitting .237/.316/.385 in 106 games for High-A Brooklyn. He is a quality defensive third baseman who can play shortstop but has to produce more offense to be anything more than a potential up-and-down option.
