26-year-old reliever Nate Lavender made his MLB debut for the New York Mets on August 4th. In his first appearance as a Met, Lavender threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He only gave up one walk and recorded his first career strikeout the same night. Ever since that night, Lavender hasn't looked back, as he has continued to dominate each time he steps onto that mound. He has appeared in 12 games for the Mets so far, pitching a total of 12 2/3 innings, and he has yet to give up a run since being called up. Lavender is making a name for himself in that bullpen and is making a case for a spot on the 2027 roster .
Sep 6, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nate Lavender (94) pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Lavender's totals for the season are 14 strikeouts, just five hits, and three walks through his first month as a major leaguer. The Mets can't ask for much more than what Lavender has been giving them night in and night out. He has been a very nice piece out of a bullpen that has been pretty solid for most of the season. He hasn't had the easiest road in his journey to MLB, as he has had his roadblocks while in the minors.
The Mets originally drafted Lavender in the 14th round in 2021. He made his professional debut for the Florida Complex League Mets team that same year. He would start in St. Lucie in 2022, and by the end of 2023, he made his way through the minors, all the way to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. Sadly, a roadblock would hit Lavender and his dream of making the major leagues.
In May of his 2024 season, Lavender had to get Tommy John surgery and ultimately miss the rest of the 2024 season. Lavender was later selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the Rule 5 draft, ending his first tenure in the Mets organization. While with the Rays, Lavender didn't do any pitching with them, as he was still recovering from surgery during the 2025 season. He was then DFA'd on November 6, 2025. Lavender returned to the Mets just a few days later. He had a solid stint in Triple-A earlier this season, and the rest is history.
If Lavender continues to do what he has been doing for the last 20-plus games of this season, there should be no question that he will have a spot on this roster in 2027. Even if it has been a smaller sample size with only 12 games, he has made his presence known and has shown he can come into different situations and get the out when needed. The Mets would be out of their minds not to have a spot for Lavender on the roster for 2027. A solid lefty out of the bullpen is a big need for any MLB team, and Lavender has shown he can compete time and time again.
No matter what happens to Lavender, whether he stays a Met or not, he certainly has a bright career ahead of him. He would be a very big help to this Mets bullpen for next season, as there are a lot of decisions for the ballclub to make headed into next season. With all the uncertainties for the future of this team and which way they'll be headed and who will be the Mets' skipper come next year, one thing that should be a certainty is keeping a spot open for young Nate Lavender.
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Main Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
