Mets Calling Up Top Prospect for Major League Debut

Help is on the way for the New York Mets.

The organization is calling up top prospect outfielder A.J. Ewing ahead of its series against the Detroit Tigers, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic.

The Mets entered Monday with the worst record in baseball and do not appear ready to let this season slip away that easily.

Ewing is just 21 years old and has only 13 Triple-A games under his belt. In those games, the speedy outfielder hit .326 with a .392 OBP and five stolen bases.

Before his promotion to Triple-A Syracuse, Ewing also thrived with Double-A Binghamton. In 18 games, he hit .349 with two home runs, 12 stolen bases, and a 1.052 OPS.

Ewing burst onto the prospect scene last season. He stole 70 bases and hit .315 across three levels.

His story becomes even more interesting when you look at how the Mets acquired him. The organization selected Ewing in the competitive balance round of the 2023 MLB Draft. New York received that pick after Jacob deGrom left to sign with the Texas Rangers.

Why the Mets are giving A.J. Ewing a shot

Ewing will immediately receive playing time when he makes his major league debut with the Mets on Tuesday. The organization would not call him up unless it planned to give him regular at-bats.

Ewing will likely spend most of his time in center field, where he has made a home for himself. The Mets originally drafted him as a shortstop, but his elite speed helped him transition seamlessly to center field.

However, the main reason Ewing is getting called up now is to provide a spark to a team that looks dead in the water. The Mets’ offense has been putrid, to say the least. As a team, they rank 29th in batting average, 29th in runs scored, and 30th in wRC+.

Ewing, at just 21 years old, has not fully developed his power yet, but that has never been his calling card. The left-handed hitter displays elite bat-to-ball skills and uses his 70-grade speed to create chaos on the basepaths. In just three minor league seasons, Ewing has already stolen 100 bases.

The Mets have not announced a corresponding move at this time, but one of Austin Slater, Andy Ibáñez, or Vidal Bruján will likely lose a roster spot in the process.

Calling up Ewing at such a young age certainly comes with risk, but the Mets are running out of time. With roughly 25% of the season complete, they sit eight games back of the final National League Wild Card spot. It is not an impossible hill to climb, but it will not be easy either.

The Mets return to action tomorrow to begin a series against the Detroit Tigers with Ewing expected in the lineup and hopes of turning their season around.

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