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New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean

The New York Mets ’ 2025 season didn’t simply fall apart — it imploded.  

A team that once sat atop baseball, built for October contention, limped its way out of the race in gut-wrenching fashion . New York entered the year with high hopes, elite talent, and a payroll north of $340 million — yet by the final out, they were watching the postseason slip away in a 4–0 loss to Miami.  

Owner Steve Cohen publicly apologized , calling the outcome “unacceptable” and promising a full reckoning.  

Bleacher Report’s postmortem had a blunt takeaway, opining that the Mets’ collapse exposed a glaring weakness in their rotation — they lack a true “stopper.” In their “one thing we learned” series , they argued that New York didn’t have that steady, reliable arm who could stabilize things when the chips were on the line. That absence loomed large all season.  

Amid the wreckage, one name emerged as a rare bright spot. On Monday, Nolan McLean was named MiLB’s Breakout Player of the Year . 

McLean’s ascent was already creating buzz in prospect circles. Now, as the Mets rebuild from the ruins, he offers a tantalizing possibility: maybe he’s the arm that turns “stopper” from a hole in the roster into the team’s most important piece going forward. 

New York Mets Pitcher Nolan McLean Named MiLB Breakout Player of the Year

McLean’s breakout wasn’t just flash — it was foundation.  

In 2025 across High-A and Double-A, McLean posted strong strikeout totals and showed maturity in his approach. Scouts praised his command, his pitch mix, and his ability to keep hitters off-balance. His arsenal is built to give a starter credence in the bigs: a heavy sinker, a sharp sweeper (already drawing talk as an out-pitch), a cutter, changeup, and curve.  His minor-league strikeout rate, his ability to avoid hard contact, and his strike-zone aggression all separate him from many arms his age. 

When the Mets called him up this summer — forced by a rotation battered by injuries and instability — McLean didn’t just fill a slot. He made noise. In his MLB debut, he struck out eight over 5.1 shutout innings, painting composure and sharpness at a moment when the team needed both. He followed with more solid starts, and eventually delivered an eight-inning gem that made him the first Met ever to win his first three big-league starts.  

McLean didn’t cower in high-leverage moments. He attacked the zone. He showed grit. That’s the kind of performance that makes you sit up and lean forward in your seat. 

Nolan McLean May Be “The Stopper” in Mets’ 2026 Rotation

Let’s be clear: McLean isn’t being billed (yet) as a future Cy Young winner or ace by default. That’s a high bar. But the Mets need less than a miracle — they need consistency, innings, and a pitcher who can stop losing streaks before they become death spirals. McLean checks boxes where the roster lacked depth: swing-and-miss upside, strike-throwing control, and the mental makeup to compete under pressure. 

We already saw what happens when the Mets don’t have that arm. They folded. Their bullpen was taxed. Starting pitching regressed. Every game close to the edge swung the wrong way. That’s why Bleacher Report’s “stopper” adjective cut deep. And that’s why McLean’s arrival feels so vital. 

If he continues to pitch like he belongs — and if the Mets give him the runway to grow — he could become an anchor in a rotation built for chaos. The team’s collapse might define 2025, but McLean’s breakout could signal the pivot out of it. 

Let the narrative shift begin. 

Dave Benson is a veteran writer with over three decades of journalism experience covering sports primarily in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Dave is also a licensed English teacher and spent several years teaching at the middle school level. More about Dave Benson