Here is another check-in on PLV and Fan4+ darlings around the minors. Instead of looking at the biggest names, let’s look at some of the best recent performers who may not have the prospect profile to earn dynasty respect, but could make their real-life value known soon.
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Checking in on Big-name Prospects:
Nolan McLean, 24, New York Mets
MiLB Season Stats: 18 G (15 GS)/98.0 IP/2.57 ERA/26.5% K%/10.1% BB%/1.15 WHIP
Weekly Stats: 1 GS/7.1 IP/2.45 ERA/22.2% K%/0.0% BB%/0.55 WHIP
The New York Mets selected then-two-way talent Nolan McLean 91st overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, betting on the upside of the Oklahoma State product if he focused solely on pitching. Less than two years later, that vision is materializing—and just in time for a team still navigating its 2025 pitching depth.
McLean followed a career-high 10-strikeout outing on July 10 with the longest start of his professional career: 7.1 innings of two-run ball against Triple-A Omaha. His arsenal has grown rapidly in 2025, with six different registered pitches so far this season. July has featured a dominant mix of sweeper, four-seam fastball, and sinker, with only two barrels allowed all month. But it’s the curveball that’s really stood out—flashing a 59.1% whiff rate and pairing seamlessly with both his sinker and cutter.
Since his promotion to the International League in May, McLean leads all qualified pitchers with a .200 opponent average and ranks second with a 3.01 ERA and 77 strikeouts. Whether it’s the eye test, the box score, or his Baseball Savant page, McLean has been one of the most fun arms to follow in the minors.
The Mets are reportedly considering both McLean and fellow Triple-A arm Brandon Sproat as potential bullpen reinforcements depending on how the trade deadline shakes out.
“If that doesn’t happen for some reason,” team president David Stearns said, “then we probably have to begin to think about some of the arms at Triple-A and whether those guys at some point can impact us in the bullpen.”
Converting McLean to relief isn’t a simple decision. “The challenge with [converting] in-season is once you do that, you can’t reverse yourself in the same season,” Stearns added. “Once we shorten someone up to give them a chance to be a member of our pen, really tough to build them back up if you need them as a starter. So we want to be very cautious.”
Even if McLean never throws a pitch for the 2025 Mets, he’s a pitcher worth investing in. He’s remained remarkably healthy and has shown elite pitch consistency on a start-to-start basis. His athleticism supports both his delivery and stamina, while his secondary arsenal continues to evolve with professional instruction. No offense to Oklahoma State, but McLean looks like a completely different pitcher now—polished, confident, and overpowering. His floor as a backend starter may be the ceiling for many of his peers, but McLean’s true potential lies higher. He’s absolutely a candidate for a No. 2 or 3 role in the Mets’ long-term rotation. With Stearns’ track record of developing arms in Milwaukee, McLean is in the right hands—and on the right path.
Fantasy managers who already roster him should feel great. For everyone else, the buy-low window is closing.
Take a look under the PLV hood:
Weekly Four-Seam Standouts
As the season wears on, it has been interesting to watch how fastballs improve or change down on the farm. As new faces break into rotations or small tweaks turn from blips to consistent factors, it is important to keep an eye on pitch shapes. Pitcher List’s Fan 4+ is a model based on the “Fan-Tastic 4” stats: velocity, extension, induced vertical break (iVB), and height adjusted vertical approach angle (HAVAA), compared to the average four-seam fastball. What are some marks from Triple-A and Low-A’s Florida State League that jumped off the page this week?
Andrew Painter, 22, Philadelphia Phillies
Weekly Four-Seam Grade: 111 Fan4+ on July 24, 2025, start
MiLB Season Stats: 17 GS/73.0 IP/4.68 ERA/24.3% K%/7.8% BB%/1.30 WHIP
Right-handed pitcher Andrew Painter remains the consensus top prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies system—and for good reason. The towering 22-year-old hadn’t pitched in a game since 2022, yet looks like he hasn’t missed a beat in his 2025 return. Painter leans heavily on a four-seam fastball that can touch triple digits and remains a highly reliable offering. His slider command was shaky early in the year, but he’s grown more comfortable with the pitch as the season has progressed. What continues to stand out are the pitch overlays—particularly between his fastball and changeup—which are nearly indistinguishable out of the hand. However, one Fan4+ reading from his July 24 start raised a red flag: a 0.3 HAVAA, the lowest of any Triple-A starter that day. That’s likely a byproduct of his 6-foot-7 frame, but it’s still an interesting and potentially concerning data point.
Didier Fuentes, 20, Atlanta Braves
Weekly Four-Seam Grade: 126 Fan4+ in July 22, 2025, start
MiLB Season Stats: 11 GS/46.0 IP/5.48 ERA/27.5% K%/7.0% BB%/1.24 WHIP
How different would dynasty managers feel about Didier Fuentes if not for his disastrous four-start stretch with the Atlanta Braves? The 20-year-old is still one of the youngest pitchers in Triple-A, even if the results remain inconsistent. Fuentes pairs mid-90s velocity with a plus slider and a developing changeup—an arsenal that projects as above average. He’s already flashed elite whiff rates, tying a season-high with nine strikeouts for Gwinnett on July 27. He’s still a raw project, and his ceiling hinges on the performance of his fastball. The arm-side run is intriguing to watch, but when Fuentes loses feel for the pitch, things can unravel quickly. If hitters can be streaky, Fuentes’ command feels even more so. That July 22 outing was impeccable—and it may only have been outdone by his next start.
Adrián Bohórquez, 20, Minnesota Twins
Weekly Four-Seam Grade: 115 Fan4+ in July 24, 2025, start
MiLB Season Stats: 13 G (9 GS)/44.1 IP/4.67 ERA/24.9% K%/12.2% BB%/1.22 WHIP
Forgive yourself if you haven’t heard of this Venezuelan-born hurler yet. Adrian Bohórquez is still deep in the Minnesota Twins system, currently pitching for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. He ranks 27th on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Twins prospects list, thanks to an established four-pitch mix and some back-of-the-rotation upside for the AL Central club. Bohórquez still needs refinement, particularly with his control and ability to execute pitches in high-leverage moments. He’s not a true starter at this stage, logging two bulk relief outings in his last four appearances. His ERA is still rebounding from an eight-run blowup to start the year, but he hasn’t allowed an earned run since his June 26 outing. The fastball is legit—touching 98 mph with life from the right side—while his slider and curveball are both quality breaking pitches. Of the two, the slider appears to be the more consistent and trusted option. Right now, Bohórquez looks like a potential future weapon in the late innings, but the Twins remain committed to developing him as a starter—or at least a rotation tweener.
Welcome to the Bigs
Troy Melton, 24, Detroit Tigers
MiLB Season Stats: 18 GS (16 GS)/75.1 IP/2.99 ERA/32.4% K%/6.4% BB%/1.23 WHIP
Debut: 5.0 IP/10.80 ERA/29.2% K%/8.3% BB%/1.80 WHIP
Expectations were cautiously optimistic as Detroit Tigers right-hander Troy Melton—ranked among the club’s top 10 prospects—took the mound at PNC Park for his MLB debut. Called up amid a rotation shuffle due to Tarik Skubal’s placement on the paternity list, Melton’s start against the Pittsburgh Pirates was low-pressure on paper but still an important early look at a high-upside arm.
In what became his first big-league loss, the 24-year-old logged five innings, allowing seven hits, two walks, and six earned runs—including a second-inning grand slam by Spencer Horwitz. But Melton also showed off his strikeout potential with seven punchouts, the most by a Tigers starter in a debut since Casey Mize in 2020. He found a groove late, striking out five over his final two frames as he faced the Pirates lineup a third time. Detroit dropped the game 6–1, completing a sweep for the Pirates and punctuating a worrisome series for the AL Central-leading Tigers.
“All the shapes were good,” Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler said. “I know he was pretty amped up as everyone in his situation would’ve been, but I was impressed with how he carried himself and what he has to offer for us. I think it’s going to be really good.”
Melton leaned on a balanced pitch mix, throwing his four-seam fastball (29%), slider (27%), and sinker (21%) all at least 20% of the time. His sinker graded best overall with a 5.29 PLV, but it was his slider that drew the most praise. Pirates hitters whiffed on half their swings against the pitch, and it accounted for three of Melton’s strikeouts. Though he didn’t land it in the zone often, it proved an enticing chase pitch that’s already showing swing-and-miss upside. His fastball, however, was a different story. Melton pushed it up in the zone, averaging 97 mph, but the pitch got punished. Pirates hitters posted an absurd 33.3% barrel rate and 66.7% sweet-spot rate against the heater, with four of their seven hits—including a double and a homer—coming off it.
What does this rough outing mean for Melton? According to Detroit skipper A.J. Hinch, it is not the end of the world.
“I think my expectations are just for him to settle in now and learn,” Hinch said. “It’s not going to be the last guy he walks. It’s not going to be the last homer he gives up. But it’s important for him to take a deep breath after a really emotional and important day for him.”
Melton’s ceiling remains high. The strikeout stuff is there, the pitch mix is promising, and the poise is evident. But this was a true “Welcome to The Show” moment—a reminder that the margin for error at the big-league level is razor thin, even against one of the league’s weakest offenses. If he learns from it, better days are coming.
Pitchers that made their MLB debuts this past week:
