During this past Sunday’s Spring Breakout game, we had the chance to watch several well-known New York Mets prospects, particularly those from Double-A and below. Jonah Tong started the game, Ryan Clifford hit a huge home run, and Kevin Parada had an impressive performance at the plate.
While these names are familiar to many, there’s another player who may not be as well-known but is certainly one to keep an eye on: Ryan Lambert. He’s already making a case to be a potential future closer for the Mets, possibly even stepping into the role currently held by Edwin Díaz.
Lambert, who pitched a 102 MPH fastball last year at Oklahoma, has the right mentality for high-pressure situations. At just 22 years old, he’s showing early signs of the mental toughness needed to succeed in the ninth inning in the future.
While Lambert’s Spring Breakout outing wasn’t perfect—he allowed a run, walked two batters, and gave up a single—it was a chaotic seventh inning, and he did manage to strike out two batters. For many of us, this performance hinted at his potential.
Lambert, drafted in the 8th round, has only 23.1 innings of college experience, and his stats don’t tell the full story. The Mets are more focused on his raw ability than his past results. Despite many of the 2024 pitching draft picks not making their debuts last season, Lambert got a chance to pitch for Brooklyn. In two appearances, he threw 3 innings, gave up two hits, and walked one batter, while striking out four. Lambert also notched his first professional save, and many expect him to have more opportunities in the upcoming season, whether with Brooklyn or at a higher level.
As the importance of relief pitchers continues to grow, players like Lambert are no longer just filler for minor league rosters. In the past, closing roles were often reserved for failed starters, but developing pitchers for the role is now seen as a smart approach. This wasn’t the case for players like Díaz, who was starting games in Double-A during the same year he made his MLB debut.
However, throwing hard alone won’t be enough for Lambert to stand out and reach the majors. He’ll need to refine his other pitches and continue thriving in high-pressure moments to prove he’s ready for the next step.
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