Ryan Tayman. Photo Credit: Ed Delany of Metsmerized
The New York Mets selected catcher Ryan Tayman in the ninth round of the 2026 MLB Amateur Draft out of Cal Poly after a career year for the backstop. Tayman hit 18 of his 29 career collegiate homers this past year, showing an incredible power surge. 73 at-bats into his professional career, the power surge is only growing.
In his junior year as a Cal Poly Mustang, his numbers were among the best in college baseball. Overall, he posted a triple-slash line of .357/.447/.672, an OPS of 1.119, with 18 homers, 19 doubles, and 57 runs driven in over 63 games. His OPS rose a tremendous 298 points year-over-year from his sophomore campaign, giving some reason to believe that he could hit the ground running after the draft.
In his first 20 games with Single-A St. Lucie, Tayman has produced a .970 OPS with five doubles, four homers, and 16 RBI. His triple-slash line of .315/422/.548 shows how well his entire game has translated to the professional level so far, with a developing combination of on-base prowess and legitimate power. His wRC+ sits at an even 150 so far, meaning that he is hitting 50% better than league average in the Florida State League.
The Mets have had a good deal of catching prospects work their way through their system since Francisco Álvarez graduated from prospect status in 2023, but none of them have solidified themselves as a legitimate piece of the future for the team. Tayman projects well enough behind the plate defensively for there to be belief that he can remain there, and his bat is playing to bring a ton of attention to his prospect status.
Also of note, Tayman came out of school at just 20 years old as a junior, which makes him almost a full year younger than the average player in the Florida State League. This is not a case of a fifth-or-sixth year senior beating up on arms significantly younger than him, but a bat that could be on an upward trajectory. This will be a significant offseason for Tayman, and he will enter 2027 with legitimate momentum behind him.
