The New York Mets announced on Wednesday afternoon long-awaited news. They are calling up one of their top pitching prospects, Nolan McLean to make his debut Saturday. It’s a move that should have been made weeks ago.

A Prime Prospect Emerges

The Mets selected McLean in the third round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft as a two-way player out of Oklahoma State. The hitting didn’t translate to the minors, but the pitching did as he quickly moved up the ranks.

Oklahoma State utility Nolan McLean (13) pitches in the second inning during a game in the NCAA Stillwater Regional between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., on Friday, June 2, 2023.

The Mets made McLean a full-time pitcher in the summer of 2024; it was a wise call. He held his own in Double A, striking out a batter and allowing less than a hit per inning. He displayed his athletic talent and composure, setting a good foundation for 2025.

This season, McLean dominated at Binghamton, making Double-A hitters look silly. He went 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. New York moved him up to Syracuse, and after an initial adjustment, he took well to Triple-A ball.

McLean Excels

McLean pitched exceptionally at every level but saved his best for Syracuse. He threw 87 1/3 innings and only allowed 58 hits. He struck out 97 while improving his walk rate over the season’s course. Over his last 22 2/3 innings pitched, he allowed 10 hits and five runs while walking nine and striking out 26. In 16 total starts, he allowed more than two earned runs twice.

McLean’s consistency made him Syracuse’s ace, no small feat on a staff that also included top pitching prospect Brandon Sprout. McLean has an arsenal of pitches, using a fastball that hits 98 miles per hour, a curveball, and an exceptional slider with outstanding spin and horizontal movement. Combine this with magnificent makeup, and it’s no wonder he’s one of the game’s prized pitching prospects.

Mets Delay

The question is, why did it take New York so long to call him up, especially when the starting pitching imploded over the summer? The Mets’ rotation, after a strong couple of months, went off the rails. Injuries wreaked havoc.

Kodai Senga missed five weeks with a hamstring injury. Tylor Megill hit the Injured List for two months with an elbow strain. Griffin Canning suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Sean Manaea experienced a return delay with a bone chip in his left elbow.

Jun 12, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) and second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) watch as starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) is tended to after sustaining an injury during the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York spent much of July with only three healthy starters, a situation made worse as Clay Holmes suffered from fatigue. The Mets used bullpen games seemingly every other day, waiving the white flag. The starting corps beckoned for help, but no assistance arrived.

General Manager David Stearns takes a meticulous approach to trades and call-ups. Often, this is good practice as he has earned a reputation as one of the game’s best executives.

That approach needs modification, though, especially after signing Juan Soto to a $765 million contract. Large payouts represent pushing one’s chips to the middle of the table for championship runs. Boldness is called for.

Stearns knew that the rotation was in trouble as it only made it into the sixth inning, a total of nine innings throughout July. This put a heavy burden on the bullpen. He failed to make any additions to the starting corps at the trade deadline. He also inexplicably chose not to call up any pitching prospects, rolling instead with the likes of Frankie Montas.

Mets Implode

New York stood 45-24 on June 13th, the game’s best record. This was also before the injury epidemic began. Since then, the Mets are 19-31 and find new ways to blow games each night. Two months should have been enough time to adjust and develop a concrete plan of action. Instead, New York continued rolling with the same tools that weren’t working.

Montas quickly showed that he wasn’t a solution, yet management continued to start him. If he made it into the fifth inning without allowing more than five runs, that counted as a good day.

The Mets, since foolishly firing Davey Johnson in 1990, have become increasingly disinclined to move audaciously with prospects. He famously pushed to promote Dwight Gooden up to the Big Apple at 19 years old.

Johnson’s ingenuity and boldness made him arguably New York’s greatest manager. He insisted that excellence deserved to be rewarded. Gooden thoroughly dominated the minor leagues. Johnson thought it would be a waste of time to keep him there because of an age preconception.

Aug 27, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dwight Gooden pitches at the New York Mets Old Timers Day game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Mets, unfortunately, have returned to an overtly wary prospect approach, even when their season threatens to go up in flames. Defeat after defeat piled up in June, July, and into August, with starting pitching as a clear catalyst. Why did it take two months to call up McLean despite him having command of Triple A well before that?

End of My Nolan McLean Rant

Is McLean a sure thing? Of course not. There is likely to be an ample adjustment, and he has an extraordinary task facing the beefed-up Seattle Mariners lineup in his debut. He could have a rude awakening on Saturday.

There’s risk in calling up prospects; maybe they need more time. A few more minor league starts might increase their confidence and give them time to work on mechanics and pitch arsenals. Fan expectations will likely be too unrealistic, and the pressure might be too much. The biggest risk, though, is not taking any.

Mets fans bemoan the Fred and Jeff Wilpon days, better known as the “Coupons” for good reasons. They cut corners and tried everything to save a dollar, partly due to involvement in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi schemes and partly due to plain incompetence. They avoided anything that hinted of boldness.

New York has a reputation as an underachieving and often dysfunctional franchise. Owner Steve Cohen is doing much to change that, but there is residue that continues to linger. An approach that isn’t afraid to reward excellence is needed.

Calling up McLean, even if he initially struggles, should have happened weeks ago. It would have set a new tenor to the Mets’ usual tired approach. A team desperately in need of confidence during a crisis would have gotten a boost of energy.

Mar 15, 2024; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

New York and its fans will receive a vitality enhancement Saturday and days to follow, especially if other deserving young arms like Sproat and Jonah Tong are called up. McLean will ignite an attitude turnaround that will go a long way towards sparking a reversal on the field.