The New York Mets have activated pitching prospect Will Watson from Double-A Binghamton’s 60-day injured list. The 23-year-old right-hander made his return start against the Reading Fightin Phils on Thursday after missing nearly four months with an oblique injury.
Watson sustained the season-altering oblique strain during a start against Hartford on May 5, leaving after throwing two outs and allowing a grand slam. Binghamton placed him on the 7-day injured list the next day before shifting him to the 60-day list on July 27. His rehabilitation process began at Single-A St. Lucie on August 2, where he delivered six scoreless innings across three outings, followed by a brief stint with High-A Brooklyn. To make roster space, Binghamton promoted right-hander Saul Garcia to Triple-A Syracuse.
Control remains his main development challenge. Watson has logged a double-digit walk rate at every minor league stop since signing out of USC in July 2024.
The seventh-round pick faced early struggles in 2026, compiling an 0-5 record with an 8.55 ERA across six Double-A starts while striking out 19 in 20 innings. That form differed from his impressive 2025 campaign, where he advanced through three levels to record a 2.60 ERA and 142 strikeouts over 121 1/3 innings. Watson throws from a low three-quarters arm slot, featuring a fastball that sits between 94 and 96 mph, a mid-80s slider, and a fading changeup.
As the Mets open a three-game series against the Houston Astros, the front office is focusing on Watson’s long-term projection. Evaluators rank him among the organization’s top pitching prospects, but his command will dictate his future path. His pitch distribution over the final month of the season will decide whether New York enters 2027 viewing him as starting rotation depth or a high-velocity bullpen option.
