We recently finished our Top 30 Mets prospects for the 2020 season. The list was a combined effort by over 10 writers, so there was bound to be disagreements. Each writer that participated in the voting will get a chance to note their top five prospects that didn’t make it into the collaborative top 30 list.

RHP Ryder Ryan

B/T: R/R Age: 24 (5/11/1995)
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 205 lbs
How Acquired: Acquired From Indians For Jay Bruce In July 2017
ETA: 2020
2019 Stats: 3-1, 3.05 ERA, 44.1 IP, 15 ER, 6.7 H/9, 8.1 K/9, 4.7 BB/9,  3.64 FIP, 4.23 xFIP 40.0 GB%

The more I research Ryan, the more I like him. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and his slider has been touted as “average to above-average” with impressive spin rate readings. Although he isn’t currently on the 40-man roster, I believe he holds the highest ceiling among relievers not named Ryley Gilliam in the Mets’ system.

Ryan was the Mets’ return for Jay Bruce back in 2018. The 24-year-old was a former collegiate position player, who didn’t pitch much during his time with Cleveland. Although many considered him to be an underwhelming return for the lefty slugger, he has emerged as one of the more underrated arms in the Mets’ system.

Starting his Mets tenure with the Fireflies in 2017, he enjoyed success in a 13-inning stint and hasn’t looked back. In 2019, he helped anchor Binghamton’s bullpen, posting a pristine 1.58 ERA as a reliever. The discrepancy between his aforementioned 1.58 ERA and his overall 3.05 ERA was due to the Ponies tabbing Ryan to start two games as part of Luis Rojas‘s occasional “bullpening” strategy. Ryan was not adaptable in this role, allowing eight runs in 4.1 frames.

Strong showing from #Mets RHP prospect Ryder Ryan with a 1-2-3 inning in his big league Spring Training debut yesterday. Consistently pumped 94 mph on the FB with a slider that absolutely falls off the table: pic.twitter.com/gNy4LtEMim

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) February 25, 2019

Ryan’s strength lay in his ability to successfully pitch multiple frames; he had multi-inning stints 74% of the time in 2019. The righty also took part in Binghamton’s no-hitter on May 8th against the Harrisburg Senators. With another successful season, Ryan could find himself in the Majors as soon as 2020.

RHP Tylor Megill

B/T: L/L Age: 20 (9/13/1999)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 230 lbs
Acquired: Drafted by the Mets in the 11th Round of the 2018 Rule IV Draft out of Copiague High School
ETA: 2024
2019 Stats: 1-1, 2.57 ERA, 21 IP, 6 ER, 4.3 H/9, 12.4 K/9, 6.9 BB/9, 0.0 HR/9, 3.17 FIP, 3.82 xFIP, 33.3 GB%

If you were to take a guess on which Mets minor-leaguer led the organization in FIP last year, you’d wouldn’t be faulted for picking a name like David Peterson, Matthew Allan, or Kevin Smith. And for good reason. The trio is currently ranked as some of the top hurlers in the system. However, among pitchers with more than 75 innings pitched, Tylor Megill ranks first among all Mets’ minor-league hurlers in FIP. In xFIP, which uses estimated fly-ball distance in its calculation, Megill comes in second to former Mets farmhand Simeon Woods-Richardson.

There’s more to evaluating pitching prospects than just simply looking at their advanced metrics, but it’s a good start. Megill’s a monster on the mound at 6″7′, which creates an effective down plane for all of his pitches. Megill’s repertoire features a fastball that sits in the mid-90’s. His off-speed deliveries include a change-up and slider that both sit in the 83-to-85 mph range.

His wind-up’s reminiscent of that of Robert Gsellman‘s, a comp that was thrown on him by Fangraphs’s Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel. Longenhagen and McDaniel cited Megill’s spin rates, impressive fastball velocity, and his history as a reliever. Although he’s currently in a starting pitching role, the Mets could fast-track him to the Majors with a permanent move to the pen. If you need to pick a dark horse to make their MLB debut in 2020, Megill’s your guy.

.@ColaFireflies RHP Tylor Megill (#Mets 8th-rd '18) has enjoyed an excellent start to his season after recovering from a shoulder injury.

After 5 strikeouts in 2 IP last night, Megill is up to 20 in 13 IP on the year, supplementing an 0.69 ERA and .111 BAA. pic.twitter.com/AJMWP8GXmT

— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) June 13, 2019

LHP Franklin Parra

B/T: L/L Age: 20 (9/13/1999)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 185 lbs
Acquired: Drafted by the Mets in the 11th Round of the 2018 Rule IV Draft out of Copiague High School
ETA: 2024
2019 Stats: 1-1, 2.57 ERA, 21 IP, 6 ER, 4.3 H/9, 12.4 K/9, 6.9 BB/9, 0.0 HR/9, 3.17 FIP, 3.82 xFIP, 33.3 GB%

An 11th rounder in 2018, Franklin Parra made a statement with a strong showing in his first professional season in 2019. Parra was drafted out of Copiague high school in 2018 and joined the Mets GCL team. There, he fired ten strong innings to kick off his professional career. In 2019, he didn’t pitch much, merely doubling his workload. However, his results were very promising.

In 21 innings, he only allowed six runs, resulting in a 2.57 ERA/ 3.17 FIP/ 3.82 xFIP. While his command certainly needed improvement, his 34.5% SwSr% and a 33% strikeout rate were both very impressive marks.

The southpaw’s production was especially impressing considering the age difference between himself and his peers. Although he was younger than the average GCL player, he played to a level that bested much of his peers.

At the time he was drafted out of Copiague in June 2018, his fastball topped at 95 mph and sat at 89-92 mph range. As he grows more into his lanky frame, it’s expected that he’ll add more velocity to both his fastball and other offspeed deliveries. His slider, curveball, and change-up are all thrown in the low 70’s to high-80’s mph range. His aforementioned 34.5% SwSr%, which led the team, foreshadow some serious swing-and-miss abilities.

Parra’s undoubtedly a project, but the early results are promising.

RHP Matt Blackham

B/T: R/R Age: 27 (1/7/1993)
Height: 5’10″ Weight: 150 lbs
Acquired: Drafted By the Mets in the 29th Round of the 2014 Rule IV Draft out of Middle Tennesse State University
ETA: 2020
2019 Stats: 8-2, 2.60 ERA, 55.1 IP, 16 ER, 5.0 H/9, 11.4 K/9, 4.6 BB/9, 0.8 HR/9, 3.57 FIP, 3.79 xFIP, 35.2 GB %

Blackham’s one of the more polarizing prospects in the Mets’ system. Some years, he’s striking out the world, others, it seems like he can’t find the plate. 2019 was the former. Touching Triple-A for the first time, Blackham’s impressive year allowed him to leapfrog other relievers in the Mets’ system and debut on the minor-league affiliate that’s at the doorstep of the Majors.

Blackham’s a bit of a wild card at this point, but gaudy strikeout rates are gaudy strikeout rates. He doesn’t throw as hard as some of the other relievers in the Mets’ system, but his deceptive delivery allows him to rack up strikeouts. His fastball only tops out in the mid-90’s, but he pairs it with a curveball that features late movement.

He’s had his issues with command in the past, but he curtailed it in 2019. Blackham appeared with Major League Spring Training this year, allowing one run in 3.1 frames. If he can keep it up and post another season with a sub-3 ERA, a call-up to the Majors will be in short order.

C Andres Regnault

B/T: R/R Age: 21 (9/13/1999)
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 251 lbs
Acquired: Signed by the Mets during the 2015-2016 IFA period
ETA: 2024
2019 Stats: .292/.328/.489, 11 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 49 RBI, 120 wrC+, .362 wOBA.

The 21-year-old has torn the cover off the ball over the last few seasons in the lower levels of the Mets’ system. In his first stop at Kingsport, Regnault hit a quality .292/.328/.489, racking up 11 doubles, eight home runs, and 49 RBIs. He generates both impressive bat speed and above-average pop. Both his hit and power tools have the potential to be above-average.

The offensive profile is tantalizing, but there’s plenty of concern about the other aspects of his game. Since he’s so stocky, his lateral movement is not great and may need to move from the catching position as a result. Francisco Alvarez and Willians Astudillo also represent lower-level catchers that are currently ahead of him on the Mets’ depth chart.

However, with the Mets’ lack of quality minor-league first-base options in their system, moving Regnault to first is a move the Mets should explore sooner than later. Still, he’s just 21 so there’s plenty of time for Regnault to improve behind the plate.