With the Major League Baseball season getting its second half underway following the All-Star Game, it’s good time to check in with some local products in affiliated ball.
Ben Simon (Hightstown): Simon could make his big league debut as early as this season after the last-place Mets complete their expected firesale at the trade deadline. The Mets selected the former Hightstown Ram in the 13th round in 2023 out of Elon University and he’s made his way to Triple-A. The 24-year-old right-hander has appeared in 16 games with a 2-2 record and 2.70 ERA over 20 innings. He began the season at Double-A Binghamton where he pitched to a 2.35 ERA in 14 relief appearances. Simon also made two appearances in the World Baseball Classic for Israel.
Dylan Palmer (Notre Dame): The Pirates made Palmer their 11th round pick in 2025 and the speedy utility man out of Hofstra University has bounced between Class-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro. Since arriving at Greensboro, the former CVC Player of the Year from Notre Dame has made a good impression. The 22-year-old has a .338/.422/.416 slash with an .838 OPS in 24 games at High-A. In 76 games between the two levels, he’s batting .292 with 13 extra base hits (8 doubles, 4 triples, 1 homer) and 36 steals.
Bryce Meccage (Pennington): The hard-throwing right-hander had scouts flocking to the Pennington School his senior year of high school and the Brewers used their 2nd round pick (57th overall) on him in 2024. Ranked as the organization’s 18th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, Meccage debuted for Class-A Carolina last season and went 1-4 with a 4.35 ERA in 19 starts. The 20-year-old began this season at High-A Wisconsin and made five starts (6.48 ERA in 16.2 innings) and was shut down at the end of April with an injury. He was placed on the 60-day IL on June 29.
Ryan Dromboski (Northern Burlington): This would be a real feel-good story if the right-hander made it to the big leagues someday. Dromboski played four seasons at Northern Burlington High and then four at the University of Pennsylvania before the Phillies signed him as an undrafted free agent. The 23-year-old has made it as far as Double-A Reading where he pitched 2.1 innings in one game before returning to High-A Jersey Shore. There he’s appeared in 12 games (11 starts) and has a 2-6 record with a 6.11 ERA. He’s on the 7-day IL.