Elian Pena Talks His Biggest Influences, Takeaways From Early Struggles and Why He Thinks He’s The Best

Meet at the Apple presented by PC Richard & Son brings you inside the 2025 Mets Player Development Awards at Citi Field. Vito Calise and Jon Baron sit down with two of the organization’s most exciting young talents — Elian Peña, the DSL Position Player of the Year, and Osiris Calvo, the DSL Pitcher of the Year. Peña opens up about choosing the Mets, rebounding from early struggles, his family motivation, and why he believes he can “pass Rafael Devers.”Calvo discusses his comeback from injury, modeling his game after Clayton Kershaw, and what makes the Mets’ Dominican Academy truly elite. Plus, Vito and Jon recap the awards, highlight the rising depth of the farm system, and shout out the staff driving the Mets’ player development success. 🔵 Presented by PC Richard & Son⚾️ New episodes every week — subscribe for more Mets interviews and behind-the-scenes access. 🕒 Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Elian Peña on comparisons to Rafael Devers00:31 – Player Development Awards intro01:48 – The “Trickle-Up” effect in the Mets farm02:41 – Introducing Elian Peña interview03:02 – Peña on signing with the Mets03:52 – Why the Mets stood out to him04:09 – “I can pass Rafael Devers”04:25 – Breaking out after a slow start05:17 – Learning from early struggles06:06 – Off-field life: family & gaming06:44 – Idolizing Carlos González07:18 – Fans following his journey early08:15 – His first big purchases after signing08:38 – Coming stateside next season08:58 – Off-season training goals09:17 – Mets Academy’s support system10:01 – Closing thoughts on Peña10:20 – Recapping Peña’s meteoric rise11:19 – Transition to Osiris Calvo12:05 – The importance of education & English lessons13:06 – Osiris Calvo joins the show13:30 – Experience in New York13:52 – Pitching success & focus14:17 – Battling back from injury14:49 – Life at the Mets Academy15:13 – Pitch mix and mentality15:35 – Growing up idolizing Manny Machado16:00 – Bonds among prospects in the Dominican Academy16:23 – Dreaming of Citi Field17:15 – Outro / Review reminder17:59 – Player development staff shoutouts18:57 – Future of the Mets system19:12 – PC Richard & Son ad read19:35 – Closing: “Thanks for meeting us at the Apple” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices