MLB

Prospects’ future arriving soon

ATLANTA — The future may not be now for the Mets. But it could be tomorrow.

The Mets are sending a contingent of executives to Buffalo tomorrow to watch Matt Harvey’s Triple-A start against a horrible Toledo team. If they like what they see, Harvey could start Saturday at Citi Field against the Dodgers.

That likely would trigger the promotion of their best prospect, Zack Wheeler, from Double-A to Triple-A — an elevation that is coming sooner than later, regardless. Asked if Wheeler also could make the final step to The Show this year, Terry Collins said, “He’s not out of the mix.”

This is the Mets’ July intrigue. Yes, they are trying to upgrade via trade. As I reported last week, they have prioritized Colorado’s Ramon Hernandez to try to improve at catcher, with Boston’s Kelly Shoppach and Seattle’s Miguel Olivo as fall-back options. I also hear they would consider Oakland’s Kurt Suzuki, though the $7.1 million he is owed beyond this year (including a 2014 buyout) and his declining offensive punch are hindrances.

They also continue to hunt a righty reliever, but keep being underwhelmed by options such as Milwaukee’s Francisco Rodriguez and Houston’s Brandon Lyon. They have talked to Minnesota about Matt Capps.

BOX SCORE

But all of that is about improving at the margins, trying for better offense than Mike Nickeas provides and attempting to find outs the Ramon Ramirezes and Jon Rauches are not getting. The Mets are not going to spend enough in money or prospects to land a difference-maker in either role.

Thus, a significant upgrade only can come from within, hence the increasing conversations about Harvey and, potentially, Wheeler. They are young, which portends missteps and nerves and learning curves. But they also are talented, something that could not positively be said about, say, Miguel Batista, who is written in easily erasable pencil to start Saturday against the Dodgers. And the Mets also must wonder about the sustainability of Chris Young’s 84-mph fastball and brittle shoulder.

“I’m going to tell you something: Right now, in our organization, if you’ve got talent and you show you can get people out, your name is going to be on that list [for a call-up],” Collins said.

Bravo to that. In general, I agree with the conservative approach Sandy Alderson has brought to handling his high-end youngsters. He was hired to create a feeder system that would foster contention for years and reject knee-jerk maneuvers to briefly satiate fans or ownership. It would be an all-too-familiar stupid Met trick to start Harvey on Saturday just to fill Citi Field.

But if the Mets’ officials deem Harvey and ultimately Wheeler are ready and not at undo risk to injure themselves, then there should be no restraint in summoning them.

At worst, two key future pieces will get New York and playoff-chase experience. At best, they will give youthful energy to a whole roster trying to make a long-shot run to the postseason. Those odds have gotten longer the past two days as Young and R.A. Dickey managed just eight total innings in two Mets losses to Atlanta, including an 8-7 bullpen collapse yesterday.

Yes, I hear the argument about forever harming the psyches of big-time prospects if they come before they are ready and get beat up. But one AL personnel man summed up my beliefs by saying, “If they are that fragile, they shouldn’t have been on that list [as top prospects] anyway.”

Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen said, “Lots of guys have gone up and down, gotten their [bleep] beat. You have to go through it. Everyone goes through failure.”

Collins noted his longtime pal, Sandy Koufax, endured years of setbacks before becoming arguably the best lefty ever: “You do worry about guys coming up if they have doubt in their ability because then if they get beat up, they will have problems.”

However, if there are those doubts, again, you probably shouldn’t be viewed as a top prospect. Plus, Collins raved about Harvey’s makeup. As opposed to Wheeler, who projects as an ace, Harvey is viewed more as a high-end No. 3 or No. 4, specifically because there are questions about his secondary stuff, notably his changeup. But Warthen said his reports are the changeup is much better.

Harvey gets a chance to demonstrate that tomorrow in Buffalo before the rapt attention of his bosses. He receives this opportunity for himself and the Mets: to make the future now.

joel.sherman@nypost.com