This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo's Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Mets’ big league success this summer served to overshadow how well, relatively speaking, things are going in the Minors. While the organization is still in the process of building the farm system back up to the levels needed to provide a consistent pipeline of Major League talent, the debuts of Francisco Álvarez, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos gave the Mets a taste of what future seasons could look like. Meanwhile, one of the busiest Draft weeks in team history helped restock the system.

Owner Steve Cohen’s vision for the Mets involves creating a farm system so deep and successful that it can allow the team to remain perennially competitive regardless of how much they spend in free agency. It’s a goal that will take some years to achieve, even as the Mets begin to edge closer to it.

3 players who forced their way onto the radar this year

OF Alex Ramirez (Mets' No. 4, No. 85 overall)

Ramirez solidified his standing in the system with a strong summer, which included 11 home runs and 21 steals split between Single-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. He enters the offseason as New York’s No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and could soon be No. 2 if Álvarez and Baty stick in the big leagues.

1B/3B Mark Vientos (No. 7)

Vientos may not be a breakout in the classic sense, as he’s succeeded at every level of his career thus far, but he became impossible to ignore while hitting 24 homers over 101 games for Triple-A Syracuse. That earned him a callup to the Majors, where he played sparingly down the stretch and did not make the Mets’ playoff roster. Vientos is still a man without a position, as he’s blocked at third base by both Eduardo Escobar and Baty. But the Mets will have little choice but to include him in their 2023 plans unless he’s traded this winter.

RHPs Dominic Hamel (No. 12) and Mike Vasil (No. 11)

The third spot here is a tie between two pitching success stories from the 2021 Draft: third-rounder Hamel and eighth-rounder Vasil, who both made it to Brooklyn in their first full professional seasons (and, in Vasil’s case, continued pitching in the Arizona Fall League). The pitching-starved Mets will be looking for both to continue their success next summer and become possible rotation solutions by late 2024.

2 possible breakout players to watch in 2023 

SS Jett Williams (No. 5)

When evaluating New York’s farm system, it would be easy to overlook Williams for several reasons. One, despite being a first-round pick, he was the organization’s second selection in this year’s Draft and thus didn’t receive the same acclaim as top pick Kevin Parada. Two, Williams’ 5-foot-8 frame will always limit him in the eyes of some scouts. But make no mistake: Williams is legit, as evidenced by his .804 OPS and six stolen bases over 10 games in rookie ball. His first full professional season could turn him into one of the top-rated prospects in the game.

RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 8)

The Mets’ second-rounder in the 2022 Draft, Tidwell is also one to watch. Upon signing, Tidwell helped Single-A St. Lucie win the Florida State League championship, producing a 1.93 ERA overall in five professional appearances. Already the top-ranked pitcher in New York’s system at No. 8 overall, the Tennessee product could shoot up MLB Pipeline’s list if he continues to pitch well. 

1 big question for next season 

Will the Mets stay the course in terms of holding onto their talent? From 2019-20, ex-general manager Brodie Van Wagenen spent significant prospect capital in what ultimately became a fruitless effort to push the Mets into the playoffs. Current GM Billy Eppler has vowed not to do the same, saying in August that he did not want to trade any of the organization’s "Top 19 prospects" at the Trade Deadline. This offseason will be a test of Eppler’s willpower, as teams will surely come calling on Álvarez, Baty and other top names in the system. It will be difficult for the Mets to flesh out their pitching staff without dealing any of their prospects, making Eppler’s needle a tricky one to thread.