Familiar face, production help Mets' new top prospect Rojas acclimate to new environs
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PORTLAND, Maine -- Jefferson Rojas won't let a change of scenery slow down the best offensive season of his career to date.
The Mets acquired MLB’s No. 63 prospect at the Trade Deadline from the Cubs in exchange for starter Clay Holmes and outfielder Tyrone Taylor. Rojas became New York’s top prospect upon his arrival and reported to Double-A Binghamton, where he found an old friend -- Christopher Morel -- who was with him in the Cubs' system for about two-and-a-half seasons before the Rays acquired Morel in 2024.
That made it easier for Rojas to start his new chapter with refreshed expectations and the opportunity to build on an already encouraging campaign.
“I just want to thank the organization for the opportunity,” Rojas said Wednesday through translator/Binghamton catcher Chris Suero (NYM No. 16). “It's been great with the guys. I’ve been getting along with everybody and I just feel like this right here is just a great opportunity.”
Between his first six games at Binghamton and the rest of 2026 at Double-A Knoxville (Cubs), Rojas slashed .272/.340/.470 for a .810 OPS. He's quickly made an offensive impact in the new lineup, and that was demonstrated to great effect in Tuesday’s 16-4 win over Portland at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field.
Rojas pummeled his 16th home run of the season -- his first in the organization -- in his first at-bat on a laser over the Maine Monster. He reached base four times, drove three runs in and logged his second three-hit outing in his first six games with Binghamton. His well-rounded offensive output -- blending power, speed and the ability to get on-base -- has been his calling card during a promising season of development for the 21-year old.
“The discipline and the work that I put in during the offseason,” Rojas said was the key to his ongoing success. “I made a couple of adjustments mechanically and I feel like that's what's driven me to the results that I’ve had now.”
Able to hold down either position on the left side of the infield, Rojas has been expanding on that profile with the Mets organization.
“Working every day with the coordinators,” he said. “Working on my hands, my feet movement, my footwork and would love to just keep moving forward.”
It took Rojas just 279 pro games before he first reached Double-A last year. Signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, Rojas made a quick impact a few months later, hitting .303 in 45 games in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. The following year, he became the youngest regular at age 18 in the Single-A Carolina League, the second-youngest batting qualifier at 19 in the High-A Midwest League in 2024 and the second-youngest everyday player in the Double-A Southern League at 20 last July.
Now leading the Mets’ farm system, all Rojas wants to do is keep the trend of success at each level rolling as he ascends the ladder toward Queens.
"It feels like it's the same baseball at the end of the day, no matter where you go,” he said. “The only thing that changes is the league. Just keep working hard and keep doing what I'm doing to just get the results that I want."