Tylor Megill
Player Data: Age: 28 (07/28/1995), B/T: R/R
Primary Stats: 25 GS, 9-8, 126.1 IP, 4.70 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 105 SO, 58 BB
Advanced Stats: 90 ERA+, 4.96 FIP, 7.48 SO/9, 18.5% SO%, 10.2% BB%, 43.9% GB%, 0.7 bWAR
2023 Salary: $750,000
Grade: C-
2023 Review
This season, Tylor Megill took on the largest MLB workload in the three years since he’s been in the major leagues. He threw 126 1/3 innings for the big club after combing for 137 over the previous two campaigns — and only 47 1/3 in 2022. He also threw 27 innings for Triple-A Syracuse.
Megill was a bit of a pleasant surprise when he first came up in 2021, but it’s been a bumpy road for him ever since. While he hasn’t cemented his spot as a major league starter just yet, his performance has come with enough bright spots to at least stick around and earn himself more chances.
After a solid April, things went roughly for Megill in May and June. He wrapped up May with back-to-back starts of giving up six runs in four innings or less, then gave up nine runs in 3 2/3 innings in his second start of June. On June 22, he was sent down to Triple-A, where things only got worse for the right-hander. He posted a disastrous 8.67 ERA in six starts — including an outing where he gave up eight runs in two innings.
Despite a lack of good results in Syracuse, and a personal campaign that had been trending downward ever since its promising start, Megill was brought back to Queens on August 5. At a point when most onlookers’ faith in him was probably at its lowest, he returned pumping fastballs in the upper 90s.
His first two starts back from the minors were rocky, but he settled in over his final eight outings of 2023. He posted a 3.00 ERA in 45 innings, going at least five innings in all but one. He capped the season with his best start of the year, striking out seven in 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball against the Phillies.
Speaking of strikeouts, Megill’s peripherals were generally down in 2023 compared to his previous marks. His K/9, which was above nine in each of his first two major league seasons, fell to 7.48 even with the uptick in velocity. His BB/9, which was below three in his first two years, rose to 4.13. Granted, this was in a larger sample, but neither trend is encouraging. He did, however, post the best HR/9 of his career at 1.28, and the .324 BABIP was the highest against him, too, despite an improved ground ball rate.
Overall, he made 25 major league starts and six minor league ones, which adds up to a 31-start body of work. Consistency is still an issue with him, but considering how poorly things were going in June, it’s hard to complain too much about where he ended up.
2024 Overview
Now, that’s the key for Megill in 2024: consistency. Considering the state of the Mets’ rotation, he should have plenty of opportunities to make a bid for a starting spot, as will David Peterson. But the Mets aren’t going to be handling Megill with kid gloves much longer, since he’ll be turning 29 years old during the 2024 season and will already be in his fourth major league campaign.
It is worth noting that Megill didn’t make a single bullpen appearance in 2023, since his repertoire might be better suited there if he doesn’t make it as a starter. His high-velocity numbers are encouraging, but he’s struggled to convert them into strikeouts or maintain them deep into starts. It’s possible he could really thrive in a one-or-two-inning relief role where he doesn’t have to worry as much about pacing himself, and can just come out of the bullpen as a hard thrower like his brother, Trevor Megill.
A move to the bullpen could still be in Megill’s future, but it’s clear that as of now, he and the Mets both want him to be a starter. He’ll certainly get his shot in 2024 — the question is whether he’ll seize it.
