Nolan McLean dazzles in MLB debut
Mets pitcher Nolan McLean on Saturday was called up from the minor leagues and made his MLB debut for the New York Mets as the starting pitcher at Citi Field with 42,978 fans witnessing history. It was a special day for the McLean family as Nolan had his family and close friends on hand cheering him on.
Nolan from Willow Springs North Carolina played his college baseball at Oklahoma State where he was on both the baseball and football teams. On the baseball field, he not only was a star pitcher, but also played the field as a third baseman. His nickname at Oklahoma was “Cowboy Ohtani” which stemmed from his ability to play both pitcher and hitter similar to L.A. Dodger Shohei.
Nolan made history in his debut pitching 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball leading the Mets to a victory. He joins Matt Harvey as the only other pitcher in Mets history to earn a win, strike out eight or more batters, and allow 0 runs in their major league debut. Moreover, he made an impressive defensive play grabbing a ground ball behind his back which led to end of inning double play.
The Mets have an outstanding pitcher on their hands for many years to come. Nolan was drafted by Mets in third round in 2023 draft. He had pitched the past few years in the Mets farm system and was recently named the Mets best pitching prospect in their minor league system. Nolan McLean earned his college degree from Oklahoma State in December 2024.
