The New York Mets, sitting at the bottom of the standings, are making a significant roster move in an effort to reignite their offense. According to reports from The Athletic and MLB.com, the team is promoting its top hitting prospect, A.J. Ewing.
Ewing is rated as the Mets’ No. 2 overall prospect—behind right-handed pitcher Jonah Tong—and ranks 78th across all of baseball. The 21-year-old was selected by New York in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, using the compensatory pick they received after losing Jacob deGrom to free agency following the 2022 season.
A versatile defender, Ewing has played both center field and second base in the minors. While he has not shown consistent power—hitting 15 home runs over 251 minor-league games—he brings elite speed, strong contact skills, and high-end defensive potential. His career minor-league slash line stands at .290/.395/.425, and he has stolen 101 bases.
The Mets currently own the worst record in baseball at 15–25. They are dealing with multiple key injuries, including shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf), center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation), and designated hitter Jorge Polanco (wrist, Achilles bursitis), all of whom are on the injured list.
Despite boasting the second-highest payroll in MLB—trailing only the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers—New York ranks near the bottom in several offensive categories: 29th in runs scored, 27th in home runs, 29th in batting average, and 30th in on-base plus slugging (OPS). Ewing’s call-up is expected to provide a much-needed spark and positional flexibility for a struggling lineup.