New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean got Rookie of the Year votes, finishing 12th in the balloting. He went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts for the Mets. Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin won the award.
Bright Spot
McLean was one of the few glimmers of hope for the Mets as they collapsed in August and September. He often dominated opponents and gave a beleaguered bullpen some much-needed innings off. His best game of the season came against a stacked Philadelphia Phillies lineup in his third career start, going eight shutout innings and giving up only four hits. It seemed plausible that McLean would’ve started Game One of the wild-card round if the Mets had managed to make the playoffs.
However, the pitching staff around McLean crumbled. The starting staff, which had been a strength early in the year, struggled mightily, and it resulted in the club promoting top pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat to make starts. McLean was clearly the best of the bunch, as Tong seemed not quite ready, and Sproat had some good and bad outings.
Ultimately, the Mets finished at 83-79 on the outside of the playoff picture.
Rare Club
McLean picking up Rookie of the Year votes opens the door for him to join an exclusive group. He pitched less than 50 innings and spent less than 45 days on the MLB roster, so he retains his rookie status for 2026. As a result, if he has a strong 2026, he could become only the fourth player to pick up Rookie of the Year votes in multiple seasons.
In 1988, Mets infielder Gregg Jefferies finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .321 with six homers in 29 games. He retained his rookie eligibility since he had fewer than 130 at-bats. In 1989, he played a full season with the Mets and finished third in the voting.
Braves starting pitcher Ian Anderson and Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle got votes but kept their rookie status in the shortened 2020 campaign. Both played a full MLB season in 2021 and received Rookie of the Year votes that year, too.
Looking Ahead
McLean and the Mets enter an offseason where the starting staff could change significantly. Will Sammon of The Athletic reports that the rotation projects to be McLean, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Sean Manaea, and Kodai Senga, with Tong, Sproat, and Christian Scott — who missed all of 2025 because of Tommy John Surgery — as depth pieces.
The Mets are in the market for starting pitching, but Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said in his post-season press conference that while the Mets were open to exploring trades, the changes to improve the pitching will largely come from the player development system. “I believe we’re developing very good pitchers,” he said. “That’s going to continue to be an emphasis.”
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