The 2013 edition of the St. Lucie Mets offered an exciting glimpse of the organization’s promising young arms — most notably Noah Syndergaard — and provided several player promotions that further signaled the positive turnaround of the farm system. And it almost culminated in a playoff berth.

Once again, the Mets are churning out prospects at the Class A level, an area that has been desolate since the early 2000s when players such as Jose Reyes, David Wright, Angel Pagan, Scott Kazmir and Jason Bay were rising through the lower ranks. After the outpost experienced a lull in shuttling players during the Omar Minaya era, St. Lucie hosted four players ranked among MMN’s top 10 prospects this year. Syndergaard led the group at No. 3, behind only Zack Wheeler and Travis d’Arnaud, both of whom made their MLB debuts in 2013.

With Syndergaard anchoring the pitching staff and the offense fueled by talented hitters in catcher Kevin Plawecki, first baseman Jayce Boyd, and outfielders Dustin Lawley and Travis Taijeron, the Mets finished with an overall record of 71-60. Here is a look back at the 2013 campaign, sprinkled with some storylines heading into next season:

Was there a time when it appeared St. Lucie would clinch a postseason berth?

After taking a tenuous hold of the top spot after the All-Star break, the Mets stumbled in July and dropped into third place. But they showed some life during the final week of the season. Reeling on the heels of a six-game losing skid and one defeat away from being eliminated from postseason play, St. Lucie welcomed first-place Charlotte to Tradition Field for three games. The Mets stunned the Stone Crabs with a series sweep to pull within four games of the division lead, lending to the possibility that they could complete the improbable run. However, their slim playoff hopes officially came crashing down the next day following a 12-3 loss at Jupiter.

Who was the most valuable position player?

This designation could be awarded to a handful of players, including Aderlin Rodriguez, Dustin Lawley and Kevin Plawecki. But Lawley earns the honor based partly on being with the club the entire season — and he was no slouch at the plate either. The 24-year-old, considered by some to be a tad old for the Class A level, led the Florida State League with 25 homers while adding 33 doubles and 92 RBI in 122 games. He became just the sixth player to hit at least 25 homers in the FSL since 2005. Lawley also committed just four errors while spending most of his time at third base and left field.

Who was the most valuable pitcher?

While the race may seem closer on paper, no one can wrestle this honor away from Noah Syndergaard. The Texas native fit all the characteristics of a power pitcher — strong frame (6-foot-6, 240 pounds), overpowering fastball that can reach the upper 90s and a rapidly improving arsenal of breaking pitches. Every time the 20-year-old stepped on the mound, he showed the ability to rack up plenty of strikeouts and put the Mets in position to win. In 12 starts with St. Lucie — his first taste of the Mets organization — Syndergaard permitted more than two runs only three times and finished with a 3.11 ERA before elevating to Double-A Binghamton. What’s more, his K:BB rate of 4.0 ranked better than the 3.83 mark Matt Harvey posted with St. Lucie during the 2011 campaign in two fewer starts.

Which player took the biggest step forward in their development?

When he arrived from Low-A Savannah, Kevin Plawecki was still a relatively unproven commodity as Travis d’Arnaud garnered the most attention among the organization’s catching prospects. But Plawecki thrived with St. Lucie and produced a .294/.391/.392 slash line in 60 games while maintaining the sterling plate discipline he showed in Savannah. Overall, he hit .305 with a .390 on-base percentage between the Sand Gnats and Mets — 55 and 45 points higher, respectively, than the clips he registered last season with the Cyclones. Plawecki’s rapid development has reportedly made d’Arnaud expendable in a possible trade during the offseason, an idea Mets officials wouldn’t remotely consider if they didn’t trust the 22-year-old.

Which player took the biggest step back in their development?

Entering the 2013 campaign, Domingo Tapia was listed among the organization’s top prospects by several publications, including a No. 8 ranking by MMN, and appeared to be on the fast track through the system. However, he struggled mightily in his St. Lucie debut and posted a 4.62 ERA as his control betrayed him. The right-hander issued a whopping 63 free passes in 23 games (22 starts) — matching the walk total from his first three professional seasons combined. In his last seven starts of the year, he completed more than five innings only twice en route to a 3-9 overall record. Tapia will likely spend another season in St. Lucie next year — this time as a 22-year-old — delaying his possible arrival to Citi Field.

Which player had the best season while flying under the radar?

T.J. Rivera‘s name is absent from several prospect lists probably because of his older age at the lower levels (24). But he carried a .310 batting average after his first two pro seasons coming out of Troy University before concluding a successful first full season with St. Lucie. Despite being overshadowed by other hitters in the lineup, Rivera quietly turned in another quality campaign. He paced the team in games (125), hits (145), runs scored (76) and batting average among players who logged at least 65 games (.289).

What are the upsides of Matthew Bowman and Michael Fulmer?

After a successful debut with Savannah last year, Fulmer’s progress was stalled this season due to a knee injury he suffered in spring training. He was limited to just seven starts with St. Lucie, but still flashed the potential that earned him top-10 prospect status from MMN. The former first-round pick held opposing hitters to a meager .198 batting average and averaged nearly a strikeout per inning — a rate he could sustain throughout his time in the minors thanks to his blazing fastball. Meanwhile, Bowman continues to make a seamless transition from college shortstop to starting pitcher and could quickly advance to Double-A Binghamton next year. The right-hander, whose breaking ball headlines an impressive pitch arsenal, began his St. Lucie career with eight quality starts in his first nine outings with the club. At 22, Bowman still needs to work on building his stamina after fading late and posting a 7.36 ERA in his last three starts of the season.

What are you going to miss the most from this year’s team?

Roster turnover is a part of every minor-league team and the Mets welcomed plenty of fresh faces this season. The revolving door between Savannah, Brooklyn and St. Lucie ushered in multiple prospects who gave a tantalizing look at the future. Seeing the farm system at a bountiful level again with the likes of Syndergaard, Bowman, Taijeron, Lawley, etc., certainly offsets the sub-.500 records produced by the parent club. Hopefully those rising prospects can make a difference in the next few years.

Will Dustin Lawley excel in Triple-A and possibly, MLB?

Lawley was considered a raw power prospect when he was selected in the 19th round of the 2011 MLB Draft, and drilled 10 homers in just 60 games during his first professional season. He broke out in a big way this season with 63 total extra-base hits with St. Lucie, but didn’t earn a promotion until the last week of the season. It seemed long overdue. Lawley hit a homer in his short time with Las Vegas and could continue to put up solid power numbers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. As with most power hitters, Lawley does whiff often, an area he will have to improve on in order to become a starter in the majors. (He also walked just 36 times in 122 games last season.) Still, Lawley’s powerful swing could make him a threat for 20-plus homers on an annual basis.