Shushkewich: Could Bratt be next in the big-league line of Toronto Mets?

Toronto Mets grad LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) hopes to battle for a spot on the Arizona Diamondbacks staff.

January 12, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Mets have been on a roll when it comes to player development for their alumni.

RHP Jonah Tong became the latest player to grace a big league stage, joining the New York Mets late in the regular season, and both OF Denzel Clarke and C Liam Hicks also made their debuts in 2025.

Following behind the likes of those major leaguers is fellow Mets alum LHP Mitch Bratt, who has been a familiar face for those who follow the Canadians. Not only was he a prominent figure on the Junior National Team, but he was also part of the Team Canada squad at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he was given the Herculean task of starting against Team USA.

While Bratt spent the entire 2025 campaign in double-A, the situation has changed for him heading into 2026, which could see him become the next Canadian to debut in the big leagues.

At the 2025 trade deadline, Bratt was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks alongside LHP Kohl Drake and RHP David Hagaman in exchange for big leaguer Merrill Kelly. Bratt was a main part of the transaction, and it was a move that did not catch the 22-year-old by surprise, given the headlines and the rumour mill heading into later July.

“I kind of saw it coming,” explained Bratt. “The guys were giving me the gears in the clubhouse on the day of the trade deadline, like ‘what are you still doing here?’ but everyone was very good about it.

“At the end of the day, I still have tons of love for the Rangers organization, given that they brought me up and made me the player I am today. Stuff like this happens; this is the business side of the game.”

What was Bratt doing when he was informed of the trade?

“I was leading the circle stretches on the field with all the guys,” shared Bratt. “We were laughing and getting loose, having a good time, and then the farm director got off the phone and called my name from across the field, and I knew right away. I started giving hugs to all the boys, and then it was kind of a blur.

“He told me I was traded to the Diamondbacks, and to pack my stuff and get ready to head to wherever the Diamondbacks wanted me to go. I packed up what I could of my apartment, spoke to the D-Backs representative on the phone and then it was a five-hour drive in my car to Amarillo.”

Bratt’s next venture was a familiar spot to him and his former teammates, as both the Amarillo Sod Poodles and the Frisco RoughRiders, the Rangers’ double-A affiliate, play in the South division of the Texas League. He had made three starts against the Sod Poodles this year, holding them to five runs in 16 innings.

Across 122 1/3 innings between both organizations, Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) posted a 3.38 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and a 10.9 K/9 in 24 outings (23 starts). Bratt was dominant with his command, walking 21 batters compared to 148 strikeouts, and finished the season strong in the Diamondbacks organization.

“I took a lot of strides in the right direction this past season,” explained Bratt. “A lot of what I worked on in the offseason translated well to the regular season. The biggest thing for me was throwing strikes and limiting walks while keeping that walk-to-strikeout rate strong. And I was really focused on going deep into games.

“The goal heading into 2024 was 100 innings, which I surpassed, and then for 2025 it was 115, and I accomplished that this past season as well. Just finished really strong and set myself up for success heading into this new season.”

With a new opportunity in the desert, the first order of business for the Diamondbacks was adding Bratt to the 40-man roster early in the winter. The organization didn’t want to expose him to the Rule 5 Draft and wanted to ensure his spot with the team was secure heading into 2026.

“I was really excited to hear I was traded to Arizona,” said Bratt. “It’s a new opportunity in a new organization that really wanted me, and they expressed that right from the get-go. I didn’t burn any bridges with the Rangers, as that organization is obviously special to me, but there is a lot of excitement given my current situation and what could transpire in 2026 that has me really fired up and ready to go.

“The biggest thing this winter is getting ready for big league spring training and working with a lot of different coaches under the Arizona umbrella. I have gone back and forth between Scottsdale and Toronto this winter, but I am starting to get a good feeling with them (Diamondbacks) and getting prepared for spring training with a chance to try and break camp with the big league team.”

Looking at the Diamondbacks’ depth charts, there is a chance Bratt could be donning a big league uniform come April. Arizona enters the new season with Kelly (who re-signed with Arizona this winter), Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt, and newcomer and fellow Canuck Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) all on the starting depth charts.

Corbin Burnes is on the sidelines to start the new year after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season, and there is a path to the big leagues for Bratt despite some internal competition from the likes of Cristian Mena, Yu-Min Lin, Yilber Diaz, Dylan Ray, and Kohl Drake.

With this competition and Bratt looking to make a strong first impression this spring, the Canadian had to make the difficult decision not to pitch for Canada at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The lefty made one start for Canada at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and while the Canadians will be in Puerto Rico in March for this year’s event, Bratt will be staying behind while he tries to forge a spot on the Diamondbacks roster.

“Unfortunately, I just won’t be able to take part this time around,” explained Bratt. “After discussing with my agent and the Diamondbacks organization, and really reflecting on my new environment, I really do want to play for Canada but being so new in the organization and with the big leagues so close, I decided that it was better for me to stay in camp and compete for a roster spot.

“I will be rooting for the boys all the way, and I know they will do our nation proud at the tournament.”

While it is a new organization, Bratt enters camp as the Diamondbacks’ ninth-ranked prospect and does have a shot at playing in the big leagues at some point in 2026, even if it might not be out of the gate.

If he can enter the spring with the same command of his fastball and secondary offerings that he had in 2025, the sky is the limit for one of the most intriguing Canadian pitching prospects heading into the new season.