New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean IMAGO / NurPhoto

Insider Makes Bold Nolan McLean Prediction for Mets 2026 Season

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 2:00 PM ET

The New York Mets ' execution of a trade for former Milwaukee Brewers hurler Freddy Peralta last month proved what the baseball community knew all along: the Mets needed an ace-caliber starting pitcher.

This was no secret. New York had been in the market for a frontline starter all winter, both through the trade market and in free agency. While President of Operations David Stearns and the rest of the Mets' brass were reportedly showing interest in most of the best free agents, it has been reported that their preference was acquiring an elite arm via trade. And that's exactly what they did with Peralta, dealing away top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams in the process.

New York's need for Peralta doesn't mean they're not still high on Nolan McLean, who made quite the impression during his 2025 season. The 25-year-old and former top prospects made 8 starts down the stretch for the Mets and produced a stellar 5-1 record with a 2.08 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.

There is a lot of optimism about what McLean can achieve across an entire season after the sample he provided last year. And just because Peralta is on board doesn't necessarily mean that McLean is not still New York's top guy.

Insider Suggests Nolan McLean Could Be Mets' Top Postseason Pitcher

The Athletic's MLB insider Jim Bowden spoke to this in a February 19 article that assessed the 20 MLB rookies who are, "poised make an impact in 2026".

McLean was at the top of the list. And after speaking about his elite arsenal of pitches and raw talent, Bowden wrote, "His potential and ceiling are so high that I won’t be surprised if, come the postseason, he’s the Mets’ Game 1 starter, with Freddy Peralta slotting behind him."

MLB rookies to watch this spring with direct quotes from their MGR GM or Prez: https://t.co/7mAgwQmRwx via @NYTimes
— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) February 19, 2026

The prospect of McLean being handed the ball in Game 1 of a playoff series over a guy who produced 17 games and tallied over 200 strikeouts last season speaks volumes about how high his ceiling really is.

Ultimately, Mets fans aren't worried about who would start the first game of a playoff series. They're more focused on making it to that point, given that the team missed postseason play.

And with McLean and Peralta anchoring New York's rotation, fans have got to be feeling pretty good about their team's chances.

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