Nykolai Yanagihara has a career best 7.38 K/9, a 2.83 BB/9 and a 15.8% walk rate compared to his 2.64 BB/9 in 2015. Yanagihara has solid velocity, but some suspect his slider may be better than it seems. The righty has very little control and he has very little pop to go with his fastball. Yanagihara has yet to show he can miss bats against good pitching. It appears his command and athleticism are improving, but the velocity will get him outs and he still needs a large amount of work in that department. Yanagihara has some major league stuff and can do damage against lefties, but he needs to improve his ability to put the bat on the ball consistently. The Mets are a lot better than people give them credit for, but they’ve made Yanagihara an affordable risk. I’m not comfortable giving up a top pitching prospect for the risk of a future starter.

Garrett Richards has been the rock for the Mets. He’s shown glimpses of what he can be. He won’t blow you away with his stuff, but he hasn’t shown his future stuff yet either. The first base prospect has a chance to be an impact player in New York. Richards gets up to 97 mph on his fastball and can hit a decent breaking ball. He throws his changeup well and has flashed pitch recognition. The righty has a lot of natural power and has a good eye in the field. Richards has been in a bit of a funk since his late draft year. His fastball has hovered around the mid-90s and his slider has shown little bite. He has been struggling in the upper minors and struggled after the All-Star break. Right now, Richards is having a very difficult year, and there just aren’t enough high upside or high end starters in the Mets organization to keep him in the rotation. He could be moved to the bullpen once his issues get settled.

Jameson Taillon has been a revelation this season for the Mets. His slider and changeup are very good at both rates. He has a hard pitch and a changeup that are right now showing some promise. Taillon has the potential to be a top prospect if he can make adjustments in the near future. A potential ace is a lot of pressure for any pitching prospect to face, but Taillon is doing well with his new position and has made