The New York Mets are in desperation mode, dropping two games to the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend and sitting at the bottom of the National League with a 15-25 record.
Despite calling up former top-prospect outfielder Carson Benge earlier this year, the team has yet to find a spark and is on pace to lose over 100 games this season.
With a roster that boasts the names of outfielder Juan Soto, shortstop Francisco Lindor and right-hander Freddy Peralta, this season is off to an immense failure and there needs to be some moves made to get into contention.
That's exactly what the club is hoping to do with Monday night's roster move, calling up the team's top positional prospect outfielder/second baseman A.J. Ewing.
The 21-year-old is hitting .339 with 13 extra-base hits including two home runs, 11 RBIs and a .961 OPS in 30 games between the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies this season.
Ewing will be available Tuesday when the Mets begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers, but the club has not yet announced where the young star will fit into the roster.
The Athletic's Will Sammon broke the news Monday night, and noted that "the Mets could start Ewing and Benge at center and right field, with Juan Soto at left field or designated hitter."
On Ewing, Sammon writes that "The 21-year-old is known for his speed and contact ability. This year, evaluators say he has offered elite defense in center field and is starting to tap into more power."
Looking deeper into this call-up, it may be manager Carlos Mendoza's last effort to turn this season around. The club is 12.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who sit at the top of the NL East.
In a season where many expected the Mets to dominate, New York has done more than fall short — the start of the 2026 season can be dubbed a catastrophe.
With no reason to be aggressive ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Mets will have to look in-house at upgrades around the diamond; this is where Ewing comes in.
There will be more to come on Ewing's usage in the upcoming series against Detroit, and the team will likely provide additional roster moves in the following hours to make room for the prospect on its 40-man roster.
