Several former Mets prospects quietly authored strong seasons elsewhere, reinforcing the idea that organizational depth can pay dividends long after players move on. Among those who slipped through the Mets’ system were Jake Mangum and Mike Vasil, two players who found meaningful success in new uniforms and carved out useful roles at the major-league level.
Mangum emerged as a steady contributor for the Tampa Bay Rays, posting a .296 batting average while handling center field with speed, range, and consistent energy. Known throughout his minor-league career as a contact-oriented hitter with strong baseball instincts, Mangum translated those skills effectively against big-league competition.
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His ability to put the ball in play, apply pressure on defenses, and provide reliable outfield defense made him a valuable piece for a Rays team that often thrives on versatility and efficiency. While he may not have garnered national headlines, Mangum’s overall production underscored how players without superstar hype can still deliver real value across a full season.
Vasil’s path looked different but proved just as effective. Now with the Chicago White Sox, the right-hander settled into a long-relief role and excelled in it, compiling a 2.50 ERA primarily out of the bullpen. Tasked with bridging innings and stabilizing games when starters exited early, Vasil demonstrated poise, command, and durability. His success highlighted the importance of dependable bullpen arms who may not close games but can quietly swing outcomes by keeping teams competitive over multiple innings. For a club navigating rotation uncertainty, Vasil’s reliability stood out as a major asset.
Neither Mangum nor Vasil reached the level of notoriety achieved by Pete Crow-Armstrong, another former Mets prospect whose rise has drawn significantly more attention. Still, when evaluating organizational decisions, usefulness often matters more than fame. Both Mangum and Vasil could have filled practical needs for the Mets over the past season—whether as a steady defensive outfielder who hits for average or as a flexible pitching option capable of absorbing innings without imploding.
They also weren’t isolated cases. In more limited opportunities, several other former Mets prospects delivered productive performances in the majors, further emphasizing the depth of talent that has dispersed across the league. While not every player becomes a star, seasons like these serve as reminders that development success isn’t always reflected in accolades or headlines. Sometimes, it shows up quietly—on another team’s roster, contributing in ways that winning clubs genuinely need.
1) Jeremiah Jackson
At the 2023 trade deadline, the New York Mets made a low-profile roster move that barely registered at the time. In exchange for veteran reliever Dominic Leone—a fringe major leaguer who was struggling through a rough season—the Mets sent him to the Los Angeles Angels and received a once-promising but seemingly stalled prospect, Jeremiah Jackson. The deal was largely viewed as organizational filler: the Mets moved on from an ineffective arm, while the Angels took a flier on bullpen depth.
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Initially, Jackson showed just enough to keep some intrigue alive. He closed the 2023 season on a positive note, hinting that there might still be untapped upside in his bat. However, the momentum failed to carry into the following year. During the 2024 season at the Double-A level, Jackson struggled for consistency, finishing with a .205 batting average despite managing to hit 19 home runs. While the power was real, it came with too many empty at-bats, and his overall offensive profile didn’t do enough to separate him from other organizational options.
Jackson’s defensive flexibility—primarily across the infield—was helpful, but it wasn’t enough to solidify his future with the Mets. Ultimately, the organization decided not to retain him, and he entered free agency. From there, he signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles, a team already known for its depth and congestion across the infield. At first glance, it seemed unlikely Jackson would carve out any meaningful role, especially given Baltimore’s collection of young talent and established contributors.
Surprisingly, Jackson managed to flip the narrative. Instead of being buried on the depth chart, he forced his way into regular playing time. Over the course of the season, he accumulated 183 plate appearances and emerged as a frequent presence in right field, an adjustment that expanded his overall value. At the plate, Jackson produced a solid .276/.328/.447 slash line while adding five home runs. Though the power numbers weren’t eye-popping, the improved contact quality and overall offensive contribution stood out compared to his previous struggles.
Strikeouts remained a concern, as he went down on strikes in 27.3 percent of his plate appearances. Still, his ability to provide competent defense in both right field and at third base gave the Orioles much-needed versatility. For a Baltimore team that failed to meet expectations despite its talent, Jackson’s adaptability and steady production made him a quietly useful piece.
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Set to turn 26 next March, Jackson remains at an age where improvement is still possible. If he continues performing at this level, the cost-conscious Orioles should be able to find creative ways to keep him involved. What once looked like a forgettable deadline throw-in has turned into a reminder that opportunity, timing, and flexibility can still reshape a player’s career path.
2) Carlos Cortes
Selected by the New York Mets in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Carlos Cortes spent the better part of seven seasons working his way through the organization’s farm system. While he showed flashes of promise at various stops, his progression ultimately leveled off at Triple-A. After the 2024 campaign concluded, the Mets decided to move on, making Cortes available as a minor league free agent. It didn’t take long for another club to take interest, as the Oakland Athletics stepped in to see whether a change of scenery could unlock more of his potential.
That decision quickly looked like a wise one. Once in the Athletics’ system, Cortes caught fire at the Triple-A level, producing one of the most impressive stretches of his professional career. Over a little more than 300 plate appearances, he slashed his way to a .322 batting average while launching 17 home runs. He showed improved consistency at the plate, combining power with an ability to make frequent, hard contact. His performance was impossible to ignore, and it earned him a late-season promotion to the major leagues.
When Cortes finally got his opportunity in the big leagues, the momentum didn’t disappear. In limited action, he continued to contribute offensively, posting a .309 batting average and adding four home runs in just 99 plate appearances. While the sample size was small, the results suggested that his success in Triple-A wasn’t merely a fluke. He looked comfortable against major league pitching, demonstrating a disciplined approach and enough pop to be a threat in the lineup.
Defensively, Cortes’ versatility only strengthened his case for sticking around. Though he has experience playing multiple positions, he most often settled into right field with Oakland. The Athletics’ roster was crowded in several areas, but there was a noticeable opening in the outfield, and Cortes took advantage by making himself a legitimate option. His flexibility allowed the coaching staff to move him around as needed, a valuable trait for a team still sorting through its long-term roster construction.
At 28 years old, Cortes isn’t a typical prospect, but that doesn’t diminish his usefulness. The Athletics aren’t locked into keeping him on the major league roster full-time, as he still has minor league options remaining. That flexibility gives the organization room to maneuver while continuing to evaluate his fit. For a team that found itself lacking reliable depth at times, Cortes represents a practical solution. Even as younger position players showed promise, consistent bench and call-up options were in short supply.
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Ultimately, Cortes’ resurgence highlights how opportunity and timing can reshape a player’s career. While his journey with the Mets ended without a permanent breakthrough, his performance with Oakland has given him renewed relevance. Whether as a regular contributor or a dependable depth piece, he has positioned himself as someone the Athletics can rely on in some capacity moving forward.
3) Eric Orze
This is one former Met whose departure likely didn’t come as a shock, largely because his time with the club was still so recent. Eric Orze made his major league debut in 2024 with the New York Mets, only to be shipped out that November as part of the deal that brought Jose Siri over from the Tampa Bay Rays. Once again, it felt like Tampa Bay managed to squeeze extra value out of a transaction involving the Mets, a storyline that has played out more than a few times in recent years.
What makes the situation sting a bit more is the broader pattern of roster churn between these organizations. This is the same Rays front office that previously moved Mike Vasil—after acquiring him from the Philadelphia Phillies—to the Chicago White Sox, while the Mets received Tyler Zuber in a separate exchange involving Paul Gervase, who has since landed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mets fans can at least hang on to the brief success story of Brooks Raley, but even that feels like faint consolation given how often Tampa Bay seems to come out ahead in these dealings.
Despite never spending a full season in the majors, Orze managed to put together a fairly complete body of work in 2024. He appeared in 33 games and logged 41.2 innings at the big-league level, producing a solid 3.02 ERA in the process. Those numbers are more than respectable, especially for a pitcher who never seemed to fully earn the Mets’ trust when it came to consistent MLB usage. While the organization cycled through bullpen options throughout the year, Orze remained something of an afterthought, bouncing between roles and levels rather than carving out a stable spot.
From a performance standpoint, Orze’s profile was built more on contact management than overpowering stuff. He excelled at limiting hard contact, allowing a hard-hit rate of just 30.7 percent, a figure that suggests an ability to induce weak contact and keep hitters off balance. However, his underlying peripherals may explain why the Mets hesitated to rely on him more heavily. His walk rate sat at a somewhat elevated 4.1 BB/9, while his strikeout rate was relatively modest at 8.6 K/9. That combination—fewer strikeouts and more free passes—can be a red flag for teams prioritizing bullpen dominance, and it likely contributed to his extended stints in the minor leagues during the season.
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Even so, there’s little doubt Orze still has value moving forward. At 28 years old, he’s not a prospect, but he’s also far from finished. The Rays clearly believed there was more to unlock, whether through pitch usage, matchup optimization, or deployment in specific situations. Evidently, that belief didn’t last long, as Orze was flipped again in mid-November, this time to the Minnesota Twins. Still, the fact that multiple organizations see him as a worthwhile asset suggests the Mets may have moved on a bit too quickly from a pitcher who could yet become a reliable major league contributor elsewhere.
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