From College Quarterback to WBC Championship Starter: The Incredible Rise of Nolan McLean

Posted: March 17, 2026 | Mets Prospect Spotlight

Nolan McLean delivers a pitch for Team USA in the WBC Championship | Photo: USA Today Sports

Two years ago, Nolan McLean was a two-way player at Oklahoma State, splitting time between the pitcher's mound and the batter's box. Tonight, the 24-year-old stood on the mound at loanDepot Park in Miami as Team USA's starting pitcher in the World Baseball Classic championship game against Venezuela. Even though Venezuela won 3-2 to claim its first WBC title, McLean's journey to this moment is one of the most remarkable prospect stories in recent baseball history, and it has massive implications for the New York Mets' 2026 season.

Who is Nolan McLean?

If you're just getting into following MLB prospects, McLean is someone you need to know. The Mets selected him in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State, where he was a legitimate two-way talent. He didn't commit fully to pitching until the summer of 2024, which makes what he's accomplished since then almost absurd.

McLean rocketed through the Mets' minor league system. At Double-A in 2025, he appeared in 16 games with 13 starts across 87.1 innings, posting a 2.78 ERA with 97 strikeouts against 38 walks. Those numbers earned him a promotion to the big leagues, and that's when things got really interesting.

In his eight MLB starts with the Mets last year, McLean was absolutely electric: a 5-1 record, a 2.06 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts in just 48 innings. His FIP of 2.97 confirmed that the results weren't just luck. He was the Mets' best starter down the stretch as the team faded out of postseason contention. And here's the stat that blows scouts' minds: he paired a 60% ground ball rate with a 30% strikeout rate. That combination is almost unheard of from any pitcher, let alone a rookie who was still playing two positions in college a year earlier.

The WBC Stage: Pitching After Legends

To fully appreciate what McLean did in this tournament, you need to understand the rotation he was part of. Team USA's pitching staff included Logan Webb, Tarik Skubal, and Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner who finished the WBC with a 1.08 ERA, 9 strikeouts, and just 1 earned run in over 8 innings across his two starts. McLean pitched behind all three of them and still earned the championship game start. Manager Mark DeRosa trusted this kid, with just eight big league appearances to his name, to take the ball in the biggest game of the tournament.

McLean delivered a solid outing. He struck out four Venezuelan batters and kept the USA in the game. A sacrifice fly from Maikel Garcia and a solo home run from Wilyer Abreu were the only damage, staking Venezuela to a 2-0 lead. It wasn't a dominant performance, but for a 24-year-old on this stage, it showed exactly the kind of composure the Mets are counting on going forward. His curveball, which breaks a full 26 inches vertically, and his sweeper, which runs horizontally across the entire width of home plate, were both on display against a Venezuelan lineup loaded with MLB talent.

What This Means for the Mets in 2026

This is where it gets exciting for Mets fans. McLean entered 2026 ranked as the eighth-best prospect in all of baseball and the No. 1 pitching prospect, period. He's the top-ranked prospect in the Mets' system according to multiple outlets, and after his WBC performance, his stock hasn't dropped one bit. He showed he can handle pressure, execute his pitch arsenal against elite hitters, and maintain his composure in an environment where most young pitchers would crumble.

The Mets' 2026 rotation is expected to lean heavily on McLean alongside Freddy Peralta. With McLean slotting in as a foundational piece, the Mets suddenly have a homegrown arm who could develop into an ace. His unique combination of ground ball generation and strikeout ability makes him incredibly valuable because he can keep the ball on the ground while still missing bats. That's the kind of pitcher who stays effective even when he's not at his sharpest.

The Championship Game: A Learning Experience

Venezuela ultimately won the WBC final 3-2, so McLean didn't get the fairy-tale ending. But the story of the game actually highlights why this experience is invaluable. After McLean held the Venezuelan lineup in check early, the bullpen eventually gave up the lead. Bryce Harper smashed a 434-foot two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 2-2, but Venezuela's Eugenio Suarez answered with a go-ahead RBI double off Garrett Whitlock in the top of the ninth. Cubs closer Daniel Palencia, who had 22 saves and a 2.91 ERA last season, slammed the door with a 1-2-3 ninth to seal Venezuela's first championship.

For McLean, pitching in front of a national audience against Ronald Acuna Jr., Luis Arraez, Salvador Perez, Gleyber Torres, and Jackson Chourio is the kind of experience you simply can't replicate in spring training. Every pitch, every at-bat, every moment of handling championship-level pressure goes into the database that will make him better when the Mets need him most during the regular season.

How This Impacts MLB Futures Betting

If you're thinking about Mets futures for the 2026 season, McLean's WBC performance should factor into your analysis. A young pitcher who can step into the WBC final and compete against a lineup featuring multiple All-Stars is the kind of arm that can push a team over the top. The Mets' rotation has been a question mark, but McLean provides a real answer.

Keep in mind that McLean is under team control for years. He's not a rental. He's a cornerstone. And at 24, he's only going to get better. His ground ball rate means he'll limit home runs (always valuable in the small dimensions of Citi Field), and his strikeout ability means he won't need perfect defense behind him to succeed.

The WBC is over, and Venezuela earned every bit of that championship trophy. But for Mets fans and MLB futures bettors, the biggest takeaway from this tournament might be the confirmation that Nolan McLean is the real deal. He went from a college quarterback to a WBC championship game starter in roughly two years. Where does he go from here? Based on everything we've seen, the ceiling is incredibly high.

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