Nolan McLean believes he’s significantly improved this year.

Nolan McLean’s Anticipated Season Debut

Last year, the Mets witnessed some remarkable things from Nolan McLean. His journey through Double-A and Triple-A was impressive, culminating in a mid-August call-up. He displayed a lack of nerves, making his transition to the majors look easy. Overall, he excelled in eight starts, putting him in line for Game 1 of a playoff series that never materialized.

However, young pitchers often face challenges after early successes. Even though they gain experience, the added stress of a long season can lead to soreness, and some may even lose a bit of velocity. While a few manage to leverage their early achievements into standout careers, others may falter.

So, what can we expect from McLean this season? The answer will start to unveil on Sunday with his first appearance of the year.

Is McLean better than he was at the end of last year? After a strong showing in the World Baseball Classic for the second consecutive year, it seems like a fair question.

“That’s right,” McLean affirmed before the Mets faced the Pirates on Saturday. “I had more time to work on it. I think I can implement it more consistently and understand myself better now.”

Throughout his career so far, McLean has shown growth. The McLean who pitched in the Florida Complex League is quite different from the one called up to Low-A St. Lucie, and similarly, the one who played at High-A Brooklyn has evolved.

Last season, he spent most of his time at Double-A Binghamton, even attempting to bat as “Cowboy Ohtani” before eventually abandoning that idea. He posted a 4.19 ERA over 18 starts, while earlier in the season, he had an underwhelming 1.37 ERA in five starts before really coming into his own.

Despite his youth, being a college reliever and outfielder for just over a year, he’s still refining his pitch repertoire. He feels there’s room for further improvement.

“I believe I’ve improved significantly regarding my overall pitching,” McLean stated. “I’ve gained confidence in pitching more effectively. I’m hoping to train my body this year to last longer in my career.”

During last season, McLean pitched in 29 games across both the minors and majors. He aims for about 35 points this year, noting that last year’s major league leader had 34.

This year’s McLean stands out mainly due to his intensity. Last season, his four-seam fastball averaged 95.8 mph, while during the World Baseball Classic, it reached 97.7 mph.

Could this spike in velocity stem from the competitive atmosphere? Is it a result of pitching with fewer throws to build up to 63 pitches in the championship game? Or might this indicate a smoother pitching experience this season?

“I’ve never seen that velocity before,” McLean remarked. He believes a stronger physique and improved mound movement could contribute to better performance this year. “If I can average 1 mph more than last year, I’ll consider that a win.”

Even with progress in his fastball, his reputation still lies in his formidable power. This offseason’s main focus included refining his cutter, which has been particularly effective against left-handed hitters, and enhancing his changeup—a pitch he seldom used last year.

That changeup, more precisely described as a kick change, was a focus of his practice, aiming for better consistency and maybe even more drop on the pitch.