KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette The New York Mets Starling Marte signs autographs for Little Leaguers after landing at the Williamsport Regional Airport on Sunday morning.

Just one week ago, New York Mets rookie pitcher Nolan McLean was playing for the AAA Syracuse Mets. On Sunday, he was less than 24 hours off of a stellar Major League debut, throwing 5 1/3 scoreless innings in a Mets win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday at Citi Field.

It’s been a whirlwind week for McLean, and he capped it off by joining his teammates at the Little League World Series Complex on Sunday as part of the festivities for the MLB Little League Classic held at Bowman Field between the Mets and Mariners.

“There’s been a lot going on for me and my family, obviously,” McLean, 24, one of the top prospects in baseball said. “It’s just surreal that this is happening and that I get to experience it. I get to come out here and see a bunch of kids who are trying to live the same dream we are.”

Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley took in a few innings of the game between Australia and Canada at Volunteer Stadium Sunday morning.

“We get to play in front of a lot of great crowds, but it’s super cool that these kids are able to enjoy these kinds of crowds as well. There’s so much energy and excitement in the building,” Raley said.

New York Mets ace Sean Manaea was thrilled upon his arrival to the Williamsport area.

“I never got to do anything like this as a kid, but being here is big. It’s super awesome,” he said.

Mets players arrived at the Little League Complex around 11 a.m. and were inundated with autograph seekers and those wanting selfies from Little League World Series participants and the general public. The most popular players were franchise players shortstop Francisco Lindor, outfielder Juan Soto and first baseman Pete Alonso, who broke the Mets all-time home run record of 252 previously held by Daryl Strawberry on Tuesday.

Alonso was impressed with what he saw on the field in Canada’s 12-0 win to keep their title hopes alive.

“I mean, this is really special. You could just see the love of the game that these kids play with,” he said. “As a kid, every 12-year-old kid just wants to get here and feel like these kids. It’s an earned privilege to get here.”

Mets players were quite excited for the chance to play in a unique atmosphere in an intimate setting at Bowman Field on Sunday night.

“It’s going to be awesome. I mean the atmosphere (at the Little League World Series Complex) is already incredible, so I cant’ wait to see what it looks like tonight,” Mets infielder Brett Baty said.

Mets centerfielder Cedric Mullins, whom the team recently acquired from the Batlimore Orioles at the MLB trade deadline last month, was here as a member of the Orioles for the 2022 Little League Classic, a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox.

“It’s great to be back. It was a lot of fun last time and I think it will be the same this time around,” Mullins said.

The Mets have played in the Little League Classic once before, beating the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-2, in 2018.