New York Mets call up pitching prospect to boost bullpen

Ross, 25, is ranked No. 20 in the Mets’ farm system by MLB Pipeline. Across three minor league levels this season, he posted a 2.17 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 49 appearances.

A 13th-round pick in 2022, Ross was limited to just one professional inning before 2025 due to a lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery. Though he began this season with High-A Brooklyn, he spent the majority of the year with Triple-A Syracuse, where he posted a 1.69 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 39 strikeouts and 22 walks in 32 innings.

Ross typically sits between 96 and 99 mph on his fastball but can dial it up as high as 102 mph. The 6-foot-5 right-hander also throws an 88-91 mph splitter, an upper-80s slider, and occasionally mixes in a mid-80s curveball.

Though Ross comes with risks due to his lack of big league experience and concerns about his command, the Mets’ bullpen struggles and injury issues have created a need for a power arm in the middle innings.

New York lost high-leverage left-handers A.J. Minter (lat strain) and Danny Young (Tommy John surgery) earlier this season. More recently, setup man Reed Garrett was recommended for Tommy John surgery. Meanwhile, trade deadline acquisition Ryan Helsley entered Saturday with a 7.58 ERA as a Met, and right-hander Ryne Stanek has posted a 7.50 ERA since Aug. 1.

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The Mets were also in need of a fresh arm following their 6-2 loss to Miami on Friday night. Rookie starter Brandon Sproat was unable to escape the fifth inning, forcing the bullpen to cover more ground than it was built for. Every Mets pitcher other than Nolan McLean is available Saturday, according to manager Carlos Mendoza.

Depending on the results of the games this weekend, Ross could be considered for a spot on the Mets’ postseason roster. To clinch the third NL wild card spot, the Mets would need to win more games than the Cincinnati Reds, who hold the tiebreaker advantage with two games remaining.