What happened: Yahoo's June prospect report card handed out top marks to right-hander Nolan McLean and outfielder Carson Benge, both graded A after climbing from B-tier evaluations. McLean bounced back from a rough May with a strong month on the mound, while Benge kept raking after a slow start to his major-league time. Pitcher Jonah Tong moved the other direction, dropping to a D+ amid pointed criticism of how the organization has handled his development.

Why it matters: The Mets sit at 35-50 and near the bottom of their run-scoring and run-prevention marks, so the state of the farm matters for how quickly the roster can be reshaped around cost-controlled talent. McLean profiling as a solidly above-average starter and Benge settling in as a productive bat would give the front office cheaper building blocks. Tong's downgrade, tied to a debated role change, is the kind of player-development question that shapes the pipeline's ceiling. This follows Yahoo's May grading of the same Mets prospect group.

What to watch: Watch whether McLean sustains his sub-3.00 recent form and whether Benge trims his strikeout and walk gaps as the season wears on. Tong's usage and role will be the pipeline storyline to track.