Minor League Mondays: Ryan Clifford May Get A Shot With The Mets Soon

The season has not gone according to plan for the New York Mets, who have seen a slew of lineup injuries wreak havoc on their designs of returning to the postseason. Young players like Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing have helped keep the offense afloat, leading fans to wonder when the next youth infusion is on the way. One player who could get a shot with the Mets this season is first baseman Ryan Clifford, who is the focus of this week's edition of Minor League Mondays.

Ryan Clifford has showcased prodigious power for AAA Syracuse.

Most Mets fans remember Clifford as one of the two prospects they got from the Houston Astros in the Justin Verlander trade in the 2023 deadline fire sale. The organization has been very patient with Clifford, who won't turn 23 until July, letting him spend time at every minor league level on his way to the majors.

2025 was a nice step forward for Clifford, who hit .237 with 29 home runs and 93 RBI in 139 games between AA Binghamton and AAA Syracuse. The Mets sent Clifford back to Syracuse to begin the 2026 season and he has continued to showcase his pop, launching 10 home runs in his first 49 games of the season.

On the year, Clifford is batting .226 with 10 home runs, 31 RBI and a .763 OPS in 177 at bats. The power potential is real, as Clifford does have the ability to slug 30 homers at the big league level, and it could make him a long-term fit for the Mets at first base.

The big issue for Clifford, however, is his propensity to strike out. Clifford has already struck out 72 times this season, a 36.3 percent strikeout rate across nearly 200 plate appearances. That figure is simply too high to achieve reasonable success at the big league level, especially with scouts noting Clifford's vulnerability to breaking balls in the lower third of the strike zone.

The Mets would want to see Clifford make significant strides in that department for him to have a shot at the major leagues. Clifford does have the versatility to play in the corner outfield in the majors but his best path to the majors would appear to be at first base, where the Mets have a long-term opening after letting Pete Alonso walk over the winter.

Scouts are very intrigued by the power potential of Clifford, who currently rates as the organization's third-best prospect according to MLB.com, but they want to see him fix some of the holes in his swing to be an effective big leaguer. There is still time for Clifford to implement those changes as he is just 22 years old, but don't expect the Mets to push him to the majors unless they fall completely out of contention by the end of the year.

Clifford can alter that timetable by improving his swing decisions and pitch recognition on breaking balls. There is no question Clifford is highly motivated to join his former teammates in Flushing, but he will have to cut that strikeout rate down a lot to earn a ticket to Queens before August.