Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean, both drafted ahead of him, are already on the major league roster and making significant strides at the highest level. While they’ve been testing themselves against MLB hitters, Hudepohl has been sidelined, making this AFL assignment his first real opportunity to close the gap. The 23-year-old righty made his mark in the 2023 draft as the Mets’ fourth-round pick, right behind Brandon Sproat (2nd round) and Nolan McLean (3rd round). In 2024, he got a taste of professional ball with the St. Lucie Mets, making eight appearances, seven of them starts. The stakes are clear: Sproat and McLean have already made the jump to the major leagues, each establishing themselves at the highest level.