Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45 

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Arm: 70 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

McLean could have earned a seven-figure bonus as a North Carolina high schooler in the 2020 Draft, but he wanted a chance to play quarterback in college and enrolled at Oklahoma State to play two sports. He never got on the gridiron for the Cowboys and had to settle for being one of the more intriguing two-way players in college baseball. The Orioles selected him in the third round as a pitcher last July and planned to also let him DH, but they didn't like the results of a post-draft MRI and declined to sign him. 

Pro teams believe McLean is a better bet to succeed on the mound, with the upside of a mid-rotation starter or late-inning reliever depending on how much polish he could add if he focused on pitching full-time. He generates power stuff with little effort, running his fastball up to 98 mph with arm-side run and flashing a plus slider in the mid-80s. He also has a solid upper-70s curveball, though his changeup, control and command are all works in progress. 

McLean would prefer to hit and generates high exit velocities and massive raw power to all fields with a combination of bat speed, strength and leverage. But he needs to rein in his long right-handed swing and overly aggressive approach after setting an NCAA Division I record with 107 strikeouts as a sophomore, when he missed an astounding 44 percent of the pitches he swung at. He's a well-below-average runner with well-above-average arm strength, and he shifted from third base to center and right field this spring to reduce the stress on his arm. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 40 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 66 prospect in the 2020 Draft, McLean chose to pursue both baseball and football at Oklahoma State instead and went undrafted that year. He eventually dropped the latter completely to focus on the diamond, where he could still play two ways as a reliever and third baseman/outfielder, and that led to him becoming a third-round pick by the Orioles in 2022. Baltimore didn’t sign the Draft-eligible sophomore out of concerns over an MRI, and he returned to Stillwater to post a .911 OPS at the plate and 3.30 ERA on the mound. The Mets selected McLean last July and signed him for slot at $747,600.

New York always believed McLean's reportoire could work as a starting pitcher, and after initially trying to make a go of it as a two-way player in his first full season, he moved to the mound full-time in late June while at Double-A Binghamton. McLean continues to touch 98 mph with his fastball, similar to what he was showing in school, and has averaged 95-96 mph since moving to the higher level. The star of the showing is his 83-86 mph sweeper -- an absolute spin monster consistently above 3,000 rpm that also gets 20-22 inches of horizontal movement. He'll mix in a an 88-91 mph cutter for a sharper movement profile, while his upper-80s changeup and curveball primarily take a backseat.

Control concerns, plus the belief he could lean on the fastball-slider alone, had many believing McLean would be a bullpen candidate in the pros, but he's thrown enough strikes early in his career to hold off such a change. He could dominate as a reliever if and when the time comes, but for now, the former Cowboy's trajectory is too enticing to move him away from starting.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Arm: 70 | Field: 45 | Overall: 40

McLean could have earned a seven-figure bonus as a North Carolina high schooler in the 2020 Draft, but he wanted a chance to play quarterback in college and enrolled at Oklahoma State to play two sports. He never got on the gridiron for the Cowboys and had to settle for being one of the more intriguing two-way players in college baseball. The Orioles selected him in the third round as a pitcher last July and planned to also let him DH, but they didn't like the results of a post-draft MRI and declined to sign him. The Mets took the chance instead in 2023, selecting McLean in the third round and signing him for slot money at $747,600.

In the Draft, pro teams believed McLean is a better bet to succeed on the mound, with the upside of a mid-rotation starter or late-inning reliever, depending on how much polish he could add if he focused on pitching full-time. He generates power stuff with little effort, running his fastball up to 98 mph with arm-side run and flashing a plus slider in the mid 80s. He also has a solid upper-70s curveball, though his changeup, control and command are all works in progress. 

McLean would prefer to hit and generates high exit velocities and massive raw power to all fields with a combination of bat speed, strength and leverage. But he needs to rein in his long right-handed swing and overly aggressive approach after setting an NCAA Division I record with 107 strikeouts as a sophomore, when he missed an astounding 44 percent of the pitches he swung at. He's a well-below-average runner with well-above-average arm strength, and he shifted from third base to center and right field this spring to reduce the stress on his arm. The Mets intend to let him work as a reliever and DH at the start of his career, but most think the former will win out in time.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45 

One of the better two-way prospects in the 2020 Draft, McLean also wanted a chance to play quarterback in college and turned down overtures from pro teams to enroll at Oklahoma State. After not getting on the field for the Cowboys' football team in his first year on campus, he decided to focus on baseball. Few players in this Draft can match his combination of raw power and arm strength, though he has had an up-and-down year at the plate while setting an NCAA Division I record with 107 strikeouts. 

Scouts initially preferred McLean as a pitcher but that changed in his senior season as a North Carolina high schooler when he cleaned up his right-handed swing and his body. His bat speed and strength allow him to produce high exit velocities and make him a threat to drive the ball out of the park to all fields. But he also struck out at an alarming rate this spring and struggled to make contact even against fastballs, and when he did put the ball in play he hit it on the ground far too often. 

Though he's a well below-average runner, McLean has the hands, reactions and work ethic to become an average third baseman. There are no questions about his arm, which delivers fastballs up to 98 mph and a pair of breaking pitches (downer curveball, power slider) that have a chance to become plus offerings. He's averaging nearly two strikeouts per inning as a high-leverage reliever for Oklahoma State and evaluators are beginning to wonder if his future might be brighter on the mound. 

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50 

One of the top two-way prospects in the 2020 Draft, McLean also was a four-year starter at quarterback for Garner (N.C.) High and will try to play two sports at Oklahoma State is he doesn't turn pro this summer. Scouts preferred him as a pitcher until this spring, when he cleaned up his swing and his body and barely took the mound before his senior season ended abruptly. He did more hitting than pitching for the U.S. national team that won a silver medal at the under-18 World Cup in South Korea in September.

McLean's strong 6-foot-3 frame produces impressive raw power, though he had a hitch in his right-handed swing that concerned scouts until he smoothed it out this spring. He also has improved his footwork at shortstop, and while his below-average speed means he'll move to third base in pro ball, it's now easier to project him as a solid or better defender at the hot corner.

On the mound, McLean has a pair of solid offerings with high spin rates: a fastball that sits at 91-95 mph and reaches 97 with sink and run, and a mid-70s curveball. He also shows some aptitude for a low-80s changeup and throws strikes from a low three-quarters slot. He could pull double duty if he heads to college and will be eligible for the 2022 Draft as a sophomore if he does.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	05/20/2024	TWP Nolan McLean assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.
	03/31/2024	TWP Nolan McLean assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from St. Lucie Mets.
	03/07/2024	New York Mets Prospects activated TWP Nolan McLean.
	08/31/2023	TWP Nolan McLean assigned to St. Lucie Mets from FCL Mets.
	08/08/2023	TWP Nolan McLean assigned to FCL Mets.
	07/15/2023	New York Mets signed TWP Nolan McLean.
	06/15/2023	RHP Nolan McLean assigned to College Workout.
	02/14/2023	RHP Nolan McLean assigned to Oklahoma State Cowboys.
	02/14/2023	Oklahoma State Cowboys activated TWP Nolan McLean.
	06/11/2022	RHP Nolan McLean and assigned to College Workout.
	02/16/2022	RHP Nolan McLean and assigned to Oklahoma State Cowboys.
	03/14/2021	3B Nolan McLean assigned to Oklahoma State Cowboys.
	03/14/2021	3B Nolan McLean assigned to Oklahoma State Cowboys .
	08/08/2019	RHP Nolan McLean assigned to PG East.
	07/19/2019	OF Nolan McLean assigned to UA American.