Prior to the annual Rule 5 MLB Draft on Tuesday, the New York Mets added 22-year-old outfielder Nick Morabito to their 40-man roster. Morabito is the club’s No. 16 prospect and a breakout player. Before the 6 PM deadline, teams are able to protect players from exposure to the Draft. Players with between four and five years of minor league service time must join the 40-man roster or become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft – and with a prospect of Morabito’s caliber, the Mets simply couldn’t risk losing him.
Nick Morabito Added to Mets 40-Man Roster
A second-round pick back in 2022, Morabito is most known for his speed, having stolen 108 bases across the last two seasons. He also swiped 16 bags in just 17 Arizona Fall League games. Overall in the AFL, he posted a .362/.450/.464 slash line with an impressive .914 OPS. He added a home run, a triple, and two doubles, ultimately earning himself a spot on the league’s All-Star team. Morabito’s future will mostly hinge on his ability to reach base. This year at Double-A Binghamton, he produced a .348 OBP, but with little power, hitting just six home runs in 492 appearances. His defense is a very valuable part of his game; the former shortstop turned outfielder has seemingly adjusted quite well and can play all three outfield positions at a high clip.
The @Mets added No. 16 prospect Nick Morabito to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft:
Here are top prospects who are eligible and have been protected: https://t.co/YsFPcU75i3 pic.twitter.com/JSAEhLUvwB
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 18, 2025
A Potential Challenge
Morabito will have a chance to make the team’s 2026 Opening Day roster, as any player who is on a team’s 40-man squad is given a guaranteed invitation to major league spring training. But as always, that comes with challenges along the way. During the General Manager Meetings last week, Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said that fellow 22-year-old outfielder Carson Benge – the team’s 2024 first-round pick and No. 2-ranked prospect – will also have a chance to make the team come Opening Day. Benge is way more favored, having skyrocketed through the Mets’ system in just one full year.
Morabito’s Potential Role
Still, whether he makes the team or not, Morabito could perhaps serve a role with the Mets as a potential fourth outfielder. Stearns values defense and “run prevention,” as he has said many times, most notably during the POBO’s end-of-season press conference, where he talked of run prevention numerous times. Morabito was the Mets’ lone roster addition ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Other candidates included 2022 first-round pick Kevin Parada and fifth-rounder D’Andre Smith, both of whom are coming off improved seasons at Binghamton. If any team selects them in the Rule 5 Draft, that club must keep them on its active roster for the entire season – or release them.
Either way, Morabito enters 2025 as one of the more intriguing developmental bats in the Mets’ system.
Main Photo Credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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