New York Mets standout rookie right-hander Nolan McLean reported to spring training a week early and discussed several topics.
New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean had an incredible start to his young career, and he’s primed for a great 2026 campaign.
McLean was historic last year, becoming the first Met in franchise history to win his first four Major League Baseball starts, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since 2014. He was also the first pitcher since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008 to have a 60 percent groundball rate and a 30 percent strikeout rate on 100 or more batted balls.
McLean went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 57 strikeouts over eight starts (48 innings) in 2025. Because he didn’t exceed 50 innings of work, McLean will retain his rookie status for the 2026 season and is the clear favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year.
Pitchers and catchers don’t report to spring training for another week, but McLean is already getting work in, pitching in live batting practice and dominating hitters.
McLean was interviewed by SportsNet New York (SNY) regarding his offseason, pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and the Freddy Peralta trade that sent his friend Brandon Sproat to the Milwaukee Brewers.
“It was nice. Moved into a new house, got married, so it was a pretty productive offseason,” McLean said Tuesday. “It was good to kind of reflect on the season and see what I can get better at.”
McLean said he was more nervous about his wedding than making his MLB debut, saying he had to lock in but that it was an awesome experience. His debut, getting married and the announcement that he’s pitching in the WBC all happened within a six-month span.
“It’s been incredible. I’m just super blessed and happy that I get to go out and represent [Team] USA,” McLean responded.
The 24-year-old mentioned that one of his offseason goals is to improve his nasty pitch arsenal. He rarely used his changeup and cutter last season, which worked for him but implementing those pitches more is at the forefront of what he’s working on right now.
When asked about Peralta, McLean praised his personality and noted that he has been introducing himself to everybody and “seems like a great dude.” He acknowledged that the trade that involved Sproat was a whirlwind moment and caught him by surprise.
“It was kind of out of nowhere, I got notified through Twitter (X) like everybody else. I talked to Brandon and I think he’s in a good spot,” McLean spoke. “I’m rooting for him and obviously that’s a good buddy of mine. You’re always rooting for your friends as well, but we trust our front office and the plans they have for us.”
McLean believes the Mets' starting rotation’s ceiling is very high and that seems to be the consensus. Pairing him with Peralta at the top of the rotation will be a nasty one-two punch that contends with any other pitching duo in MLB.