Mets’ Arms Impress, Bats Get Shut Out in Spring Breakout Camp

Until all levels of the minor leagues have Statcast data, the spring breakout game is the main way we can get data on some of these young prospects. It is also the first time most of us get to see some of these prospects play in a televised game. Young prospects like Elian Peña, who smacked a 102.4 miles per hour single off a 20-year-old High-A pitcher Jose Urbina. At only 18 years old, Peña did not look out of place among players older than him. He took good at-bats, worked a walk off a Double-A pitcher, and got his single on a two-strike pitch. In the 12 pitches he saw, he did not swing and miss once.

Eli Serrano was impressive today and pulled a ball 105.4 miles per hour for a single to right field. Later in the game, he made it to first base on a throwing error and then made it to second base on a slide that avoided the tag despite the throw beating him by plenty. A.J. Ewing showed off his plus contact skills, starting off the game with a single. He showed off his plus defense in the outfield across the first five innings of the game.

On the pitching side, lack of control was the hallmark of the first four innings for the Mets pitchers, though the on and off rain could have played a part. It took Mets starter Jack Wenninger 44 pitches to get through the first two innings, walking one batter and allowing a run on two hits. He may have been amped up early in the outing, as his velocity was up on most of his pitches and he generated more movement, but he seemed to settle in as the game went on, ending his outing with 65 pitches in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out six and generated a 40.6% whiff rate and 35.1% chase rate.

19-year-old Nicolas Carreno came into the fourth inning needing to get one out but failed to throw a single strike across nine pitches, walking two and hitting one with a pitch. Douglas Orellana got out of the jam with a strikeout. In the bottom of the same inning, the grounds crew had to add a drying agent to the pitching mound due to the rain.

Mets pitchers gave up just two runs, only one of them earned. Those would be all the runs scored in the game as the Mets prospects fell to the Rays prospects, 2-0.

Ben Simon is an interesting pitcher to keep an eye on in 2026. He ended the 2025 season in Double-A, and it is not impossible that he could pitch in the majors at some point this season. He throws five interesting pitches, and his fastball generated 18 inches of induced vertical break in his scoreless ninth inning.

Hitter Spotlight

Randy Guzman is a Mets prospect to keep an eye on in 2026. He has some of the best raw power in the Mets’ farm system, and he showed that off in this game. He hit two hard-hit balls to the outfield before finally getting a hit in the seventh inning with a 100.4 miles per hour double. Guzman also laced a single to center field in the ninth inning and was the only Met to get two hits. He went 2-for-4 with four hard hit balls.

Pitcher Spotlight

Jonathan Santucci‘s pitches looked sharp and his fastball generated a very impressive 19 inches of induced vertical break (iBV). He retired the first five batters in a row before running into some trouble in his second inning. After two walks, a run scored on a throwing error from first baseman Julio Zayas.

Command and control were issues for Santucci for the early parts of 2025, but he made gains throughout the season. He showed that off in his first inning, and again in his second after he was able to get some mud off his cleats and off the rubber during a mound visit. In his third inning of work, he retired the first two hitters on two pitches before striking out Jacob Melton. He generated an incredible 42.9% whiff rate and 40% chase rate. He threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and two walks.

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