Each offseason, every MLB team has to make some tough decisions. It doesn’t get easier for teams when deciding which players they should add to their 40-man rosters to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. The Mets have an extensive list of players this offseason who are Rule 5 eligible.
The 2024 Mets season proved some of their youth at the Major League level had promise, but the 2025 roster will look much different due to so many free agents expected to leave. Entering Monday, the Mets have 33 players on the 40-man roster. There is a priority for the 2025 offseason for starting pitching and bullpen help, so the Mets may be more inclined to use their available 40-man roster spots on pitchers. This list is just speculation, but it is worth getting to know some of the Rule-5 eligible players who may be protected by the Mets or be targets for other teams.
The Mets must decide whether or not to protect the following players by 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Mike Vasil. Photo by Rick Nelson
Mike Vasil came into the 2024 season knocking on the door to get his shot with the big club – but nothing seemed to go according to plan for him. Vasil was hit hard in Syracuse, running a 6.04 ERA while striking out 109 batters and walking 52 in 134 innings.
While Vasil shows a decent four-pitch mix, the results weren’t there, and his control seemed to abandon him more often than not. Despite this, the Mets are looking to rebuild most of their rotation, and having Vasil as near MLB-ready depth is worth mentioning.
Prediction: Added
Like Vasil, Dom Hamel had a rough 2024 season in Syracuse, with a 6.79 ERA while walking 77 batters and striking out 124 over 124 2/3 innings. Hamel also has a four-pitch mix, but his ultimate home may be in the bullpen unless he can improve his control. Yet again, with so many vacancies in Flushing, it would be hard to see the Mets not protecting a Triple-A starter who does have upside and is only a year removed from a much better 2023 season that saw him pitch to a 3.85 ERA and strike out 160 batters in 124 innings in Double-A.
Prediction: Added
“Ritter The Hitter” had a good season in Triple-A, slashing .257/.369/.480 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs while walking 73 times and striking out 174 times. Ritter saw playing time at every infield position except shortstop and played left field. While he is not spectacular in the field, he has shown power and the ability to draw walks but strikes out too much for the profile to be sustainable. Another factor working against Ritter is his age, as he will start the 2025 season as a 27-year-old.
Prediction: Not Added
JT Schwartz, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, has always hit for a solid average but has never developed any power, hitting 20 home runs over four minor league seasons. The Mets organization tried to get him some positional versatility this year, with seven starts at third base in Double-A, but a non-power-hitting first baseman isn’t something many teams are interested in.
Prediction: Not Added
Hayden Senger was a Mets 24th-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and has climbed the ladder gradually every year, spending most of his injury-shortened 2024 season in Syracuse. Senger is a solid defender without much power to offer, but is a solid organizational catcher. He traveled with the Mets’ during their 2024 postseason run as an emergency backup catcher.
Prediction: Not Added
Nate Lavender, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Lavender is the most curious case because he will likely miss the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May. Lavender struck out 86 batters across two levels over 54 innings, only allowing 39 hits. A high-upside southpaw could be enticing to another team but the unknown recovery table could make the reliever less attractive.
Prediction: Not Added
Rowdey Jordan repeated the 2024 season at Double-A and performed worse than he did in 2023. Jordan offers some speed, having stolen 55 bases over the last two seasons but not much in the way of power, and saw his walk rate go down and his strikeout rate go up. Jordan’s best position is second base, and the Mets seem to be set at second base both at the major league level and with some of the higher-level prospects.
Prediction: Not Added
Suarez was dominant for a stretch in 2024 with Binghamton – however, that same success did not carry over to Syracuse. While Suarez doesn’t have the greatest stuff, he knows how to use it and limits walks. Suarez allowed five home runs in nine Triple-A innings, so maybe the wear and tear of a long season got the best of him. Adding him could be a bit on the fringe, but starters with a 2.1 BB/9 can be useful in any organization.
Prediction: Not Added
Ramirez is the sole person on this list who went to play in the Arizona Fall League and had an average performance. The 2024 season saw Ramirez pitch only 73 innings and strike out 61 batters against 37 walks. Ramirez will play the 2025 season as a 23-year-old, and while there is still an upside, he is far from a finished product.
Prediction: Not Added
Matt Allan’s career has been derailed by injuries, and he hasn’t thrown a pitch in a professional game since 2019. Allan was a 2019 third-round pick who they signed away from a college commitment for $2.5 million. I would love nothing more than to see Allan pitch in the 2025 season at any level, but there is no need to protect him as a 23-year-old with 10 1/3 professional innings under his belt.
Prediction: Not Added
The Rule 5 Draft will take place on Dec. 11 at the Winter Meeting in Dallas. There is a major league portion and minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. If selected in the major league portion, a player must remain on his new team’s major league roster for the entire upcoming season, or else he’s offered back to his original team. Players picked in the minor league phase aren’t forced to remain on a specific roster and can’t be offered back to their original organization.
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