By james art One of the New York Mets’ focuses since owner Steve Cohen took over and President of Baseball Operations David Stearns came in has been to build the minor league system. The Mets did, now owning a farm that is ranked around the top 10 by many.
Of course, there are several intriguing bats that head such a system, including the likes of Jett Williams, Drew Gilbertand Ryan Cliffordby the way. Who were some of the underrated names in the system who had strong offensive years in 2024?
Nick Morabito. Photo by Steven Vojtowicz of Metsmerized
Nick Morabito
The 21-year-old Nick Morabito there is certainly some pedigree to it. Morabito was a second-round pick in 2022 and quickly moved up from the Florida Complex League to High-A Brooklyn by the end of 2024.
To start the season, the right-handed outfielder started at Single-A St. Lucie and slashed .397/.530/.513, which was good for a 1.043 OPS. He was quickly called up to High-A Brooklyn, where he remained for the rest of the season, slashing .294/.373/.374 (.747 OPS) over 377 at-bats. Between the two levels, Morabito posted a .312 average to go along with a .403 on-base percentage and 59 stolen bases. That .403 on-base percentage ranked 24th among all minor leaguers who played between the Single-A and Triple-A levels this season. Additionally, not only did his .312 batting average comfortably lead the entire Mets system in 2024, but his wRC+ of 135 also ranked first, just ahead of Ryan Clifford.
Of course, there is some concern about how much power Morabito can actually muster. His slugging percentage was lower than his on-base percentage at both the Single-A and High-A levels. Specifically, just 26 of his 142 hits on the year were of the extra-base variety.
Overall, Morabito features a lot of walks and does a great job of getting the barrel to the ball to generate base hits while wreaking havoc on the basepaths with his base-stealing acumen. However, the strength is certainly questionable. Regardless, 2024 has been a great year for an intriguing prospect in the Mets system.
Luke Ritter. Photo by Kylie Richel of the Syracuse Mets
Luke Ritter
When can Luke Ritter finally get his chance? Ritter has been one of the best bats in the Mets system over the past two seasons. After posting an .868 OPS in Double-A and Triple-A in 2023, Ritter followed it up with an .849 OPS in 2024 over a full season at the Triple-A level. Ritter’s 122 wRC+ in 2024 ranked third in the Mets system.
Overall, Ritter slashed .257/.369/.480 to go along with a system-leading 26 home runs and 93 RBI. No one in the Mets system came close to those numbers; Ryan Clifford ranks second in each with 19 homers and 68 RBIs. Ritter’s 93 RBIs ranked second in the entire International League (Triple-A).
The concern for Ritter has always been his high strikeout rate (30.7% and fifth-highest in the International League). The power is undeniable, though, and he still walks a lot (fifth most walks in the International League). He also brings some defensive versatility, playing innings at first base, second base, third base and left field in 2024. Is 2025 the year Ritter finally gets a look at the major league level?
Boston Barrow. Photo by Ed Delaney of MMO
Boston Barrow
Boston Barrow was an eighth-round pick in 2023 and had a very strong first full pro season. Now 20, Barro spent most of his 2024 at Single-A St. Lucie before receiving a late call-up to High-A Brooklyn. With St. Lucie, Baro posted a .288/.368/.399 slash line with a .767 OPS. After his call up, he got just 44 at bats where he hit .205.
Overall, Barro posted the eighth-highest wRC+ in the Mets system in 2024 at 117. His .278 batting average was fourth-highest. He also barely excelled, posting a strikeout rate of just 18.1%, which was sixth-lowest in the system.
Being just 20 years old, the all-rounder still has plenty of time to develop. However, it was certainly a very encouraging first full professional season for Barro.
