Minor League Mondays: Why A.J. Ewing Is The Mets' Most Exciting Prospect

Things aren't going too well for the big league Mets at the moment, with New York mired in a five-game losing streak. There is still plenty of time for Carlos Mendoza's team to turn things around, but fans can look down to the farm for signs of enthusiasm about the franchise's future. MLB.com has rated the Mets' farm system as the seventh-best in the league thanks to an exciting group of young prospects on both the hitting and pitching side. Throughout the season, Minor League Mondays will spotlight some of the Mets' top prospects. This feature will keep an eye on their performance, offer scouting reports on their potential and discuss potential timelines for their impact on the big league roster. The 2026 edition of Minor League Mondays kicks off with a look at one of the more exciting prospects in the system, outfielder A.J. Ewing.

A.J. Ewing could be the Mets' center fielder of the future.

Ewing, 21, was one of the Mets' fourth round picks in the 2023 draft. The Mets received the selection as compensation for losing Jacob deGrom in free agency from Texas, giving Ewing a chance to follow in the legacy of David Wright, who was selected with a compensatory choice after they lost Mike Hampton in the winter of 2000. Scouts were very high on Ewing, leading the Mets to pay him nearly $700,000 above slot value to get him to forego a college commitment to Alabama.

Ewing got off to a relatively slow start to his pro career before breaking out last summer, when he hit .315 with three home runs, 55 RBI and a whopping 70 stolen bases across three levels of affiliated ball. The breakout led a lot of teams to ask the Mets for Ewing in trade deadline deals, but the Mets held firm and refused to part with him in potential deals for the likes of Luis Robert Jr, who the team eventually acquired this winter.

The Mets invited Ewing to spring training and he made a positive impression there, getting a lot of playing time while several key outfielders were away at the World Baseball Classic. Ewing headed back to AA to start this season and is off to a fast start for the Rumble Ponies, batting .385 with four stolen bases and a 1.067 OPS in his first seven games of the year.

Scouts are fascinated by Ewing's speed, which rates as a 70 on the 20-to-80 scale with 80 being the highest end value. Power will never be a part of Ewing's game, but his ability to hit line drives combined with that speed should lead to plenty of doubles and triples when he eventually makes the majors. The Mets transitioned Ewing to center early on his career after drafting him as a second baseman and that move should pay off as his speed gives him the potential to be a plus defender out there.

The book about Ewing's potential has spread, with several outlets ranking him inside the Top 100 prospects in baseball this year. The fact that the Mets focused on moving Carson Benge to a corner outfield spot this year speaks to the high hopes they have for Ewing, who could play alongside Benge in the coming years.

MLB.com has rated Ewing as the Mets' third-best prospect but they are in no hurry to get him to the majors. Robert is off to a fast start in center field and the Mets hold a club option on him for 2027, so they can let Ewing develop at his pace. If Ewing continues to carve up AA pitching early in the season, the next logical move would see him head to AAA Syracuse for an opportunity to face more advanced arms.

There is still a chance that Ewing can reach the majors this year, however, although it would likely be in September as a potential pinch running threat. If the Mets are in postseason contention at the end of the season, Ewing could offer the kind of game-breaking speed that would make him a legitimate weapon off the bench if Carlos Mendoza needs to generate a run in a tight game.

In terms of everyday playing time, Ewing will either need to force his way to the majors by hitting at an absurd level or see an opening with an injury to Robert. Adjusting to the majors isn't easy, as evidenced by Benge's early issues after minimal at bats beyond AA, so the Mets would be wise to let Ewing continue to develop and collect as many at bats as possible before calling upon him.