There are a few names in the mix that might be less recognizable than some others, given all the young pitchers who have a chance to emerge from the Mets’ farm system and make an impact in Queens in 2026.
COMPLETE METS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Let’s take a closer look at some of those young arms and how they might handle the new opportunity this year:
The 28-year-old Pintaro has had an unusual journey to the Mets’ 40-man roster. He was a Division II star in college and played two years of independent ball before entering the Mets’ system in 2024. He’s sped through it ever since. He made his big league debut in June 2025 but spent most of the year as a reliever at the upper levels, posting a 4.28 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 82 innings between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. His stuff has played up since going to the bullpen and he could be an option for the Mets in a variety of roles. It’s intriguing that he didn’t allow a home run to a left-handed batter all season in ’25.
The 25-year-old reliever was a 13th-round pick in 2022, but didn’t make his pro debut until late 2024 due to injury. He pitched extremely well in his first full pro season with 13.3 K/9 in 49 games and reached Triple-A last year. Ross sets hitters up with a triple-digit fastball, then makes them look foolish with a spin-killer splitter that he throws at 88-91 mph and below 900 rpm. The pitch drops 16 inches more than his fastball, and he can make hitters from both sides look foolish on it when he tunnels the two pitches. Control is a thorn in Ross’ side, he issued 5.5 BB/9 last season.
An eighth-round pick in 2024, the 23-year-old Lambert might have the best fastball in the Mets’ system if not for a guy named Jonah Tong. But Lambert also made a name for himself, spending most of the year as Double-A Binghamton’s closer and posting a 1.62 ERA and 14.6 K/9 over 50 innings. Lambert is yet to pitch at Triple-A, so it might be a little longer until he’s making a difference in Queens. But he has high-leverage upside.
The 23-year-old Venezuela native lacks the high-octane stuff of some of the other pitchers on this list, and he will probably need to prove he can get Triple-A hitters out consistently after posting a 5.30 ERA for Syracuse last year. But he’s a high-energy guy with a really good slider and a history of starting, so he could cover multiple innings. That kind of thing can be really valuable for a club over the course of a long season.
