NY Mets teammate of Juan Soto reveals surprising decision, earning great comments from fans

Juan Soto wasted no time making his presence felt for the Dominican Republic, launching a towering 431-foot home run in yesterday’s exhibition win over the Detroit Tigers ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Meanwhile, one of his New York Mets teammates back in Florida has officially locked in his status for the 2026 campaign.

As first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, McLean and the Mets agreed to a deal just above the league minimum for the 2026 season. Despite being one of the most anticipated young arms in the sport, McLean expressed deep gratitude toward the organization during an interview with the Post.

“Mets co-ace/Rookie of the Year candidate and Team USA Game 4 starter Nolan McLean agreed at $791,500, which is $11,500 above the league minimum,” Heyman shared via X. “I’m just happy to be here,” McLean told The Post regarding the deal, which includes a split salary of $127,100 should he spend any time in the minor leagues, a move the Mets consider highly unlikely given his projection.

The deal only heightens the massive expectations surrounding the 24-year-old right-hander as he enters his first full MLB season. McLean is currently the betting favorite for National League Rookie of the Year and is set to play a pivotal role for Team USA.

Nolan McLean #26 of the New York Mets poses for a photo.

Mets supporters react to ‘dream scenario’ with young ace

Even as the Mets rotation evolves around veteran additions like Freddy Peralta, and 28-year-old strikeout specialist, McLean remains the primary fascination for the Flushing faithful. Between his lights-out arsenal and his team-friendly contract, social media has been flooded with praise from supporters.

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“McLean saying he’s just happy to be here while the Mets are quietly getting elite production at nearly nothing is a front office dream scenario,” one fan noted on X. Others were quick to credit ownership’s approach, with another supporter adding, “Once again, Steve Cohen is showing the rest of the league how to cultivate and value homegrown talent.”

By the numbers: McLean’s 2025 major league debut

McLean was nothing short of historic after his August 2025 call-up. Despite a small sample size, he became the first pitcher in Mets history to win each of his first four career starts, maintaining a sub-2.00 ERA for the majority of his time in the majors.

Here are his final statistics from the 2025 regular season:

• Record: 5–1
• ERA: 2.06
• Games Started: 8
• Innings Pitched: 48.0
• Strikeouts (K): 57
• Walks (BB): 14
• WHIP: 1.04
• Opponent AVG: .194