A new report from MLB.com has made an exciting prediction that will thrill die-hard New York Yankees and New York Mets fans: identifying their next big-time prospects. Both teams have had a whirlwind offseason, highlighted by a historic bidding war for superstar outfielder Juan Soto, which the Mets ultimately won with a record-breaking $765 million deal.
Since then, the Yankees and Mets have been busy reshaping their rosters for 2025. The Yankees made some of the most impactful moves, acquiring All-Star pitcher Max Fried and former NL MVPs Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt. While both teams are known for their willingness to spend big, their ultimate goal is to build championship-caliber teams through homegrown talent, much like the Yankees did in the 1990s with legends like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Bernie Williams.
MLB.com recently asked its minor league experts to predict each team’s top prospect in two years, including for the Yankees and Mets. For the Yankees, the spotlight is on George Lombard Jr., the son of former MLB player and current Detroit Tigers bench coach George Lombard. Described as a high-IQ player with strong defensive skills at shortstop, Lombard Jr. batted .231/.338/.334 with five home runs and 39 steals across two Class A levels last season.
As for the Mets, their next potential star is Christian Peña, a highly touted international free agent they signed for $5 million this offseason—the largest bonus given to any international player not named Roki Sasaki. Peña, a left-handed hitter with impressive power and barrel control, could quickly become a standout in the Mets’ system. While there’s debate about whether he’ll remain at shortstop long-term, his offensive potential has evaluators buzzing about his future as a top prospect in baseball.
Both teams are clearly focused on developing the next generation of stars, blending big-money signings with a commitment to building from within.
Leave a Reply