The New York Mets did not give up their best position-player prospect, nor their best pitching prospect, in the reported trade for Freddy Peralta.
Certainly, blanket statements are a bit unfair to the Brewers at this point. The Mets had a loaded top end of their farm system, and both infielder/outfielder Jett Williams and right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat were consensus top 100 prospects in all of baseball.
The Brewers couldn’t rightfully demand names like Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, or Jonah Tong from the Mets, at least in New York’s eyes. They got what many would consider to be a strong return for one year of control over Peralta, but what are Williams and Sproat bringing to the table?
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Williams, Sproat are classic Brewers pieces
Feb 23, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jett Williams (90) throws to first base and retires Washington Nationals second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (not pictured) during the third inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Williams, 22, is a well-rounded athlete with 60-grade speed and surprising power for his 5-foot-7, 175-pound frame. He could theoretically stick at shortstop in the majors, but most seem to agree that his future lies either in center field or at second base. The latter position, quite obviously, is taken by Platinum Glove winner Brice Turang in Milwaukee.
Williams is a more complete prospect than Joey Ortiz was when he was acquired in the Corbin Burnes deal two years ago, but he’s also no guarantee to hit the majors and stick right away. He had a rough, injury-shortened 2024 season, and at his age, he’s bound to take some lumps against top-tier pitching.
Meanwhile, Sproat had a difficult year in Triple-A, which might have prevented him from ranking ahead of righty Jonah Tong, who the Brewers were said to be coveting, by the end of the year in the Mets’ system rankings.
Sproat is a 25-year-old with a well-developed four-pitch mix and a particularly devastating changeup. In four starts for the Mets at the end of the season, he allowed 11 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings, striking out 17 batters and walking seven.
All of this was a long-winded way of saying the Brewers have no way of knowing exactly what they’ll get from these two prospects, because they’re prospects. Their eventual winning formula in terms of playoff success, if that formula exists, depends on the Sproats and Williamses of the world turning into stars and performing in October before they get too close to free agency to one day be traded themselves.
It’s a brutal cycle for the fan base, but it’s one they’re going to have to keep adapting to as bigger and more beloved homegrown stars get dealt year over year.
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