The New York Mets opened a big three-game series on Monday night with their division rival Washington Nationals, who took the first game by a score of 11-4 over the Amazins.
And while they won’t be facing Washington ace RHP Stephen Strasburg, who was placed on the 15-day DL on Sunday with an upper back strain, they will instead be facing the Nationals’ number one prospect, and MLB’s number one ranked prospect RHP Lucas Giolito on Tuesday.
Giolito, who turns 22 in July, is a tall, broad right-hander who was drafted number one by the Nationals (16th overall) in the 2012 draft. Giolito wouldn’t make his full season debut until 2014, due to Tommy John surgery. Interestingly enough, the Nationals knew that Giolito had the elbow issue before the draft, which scared some teams away. They were able to swoop in and select him at 16th, and gave him a $2.925 million signing bonus.
This season Giolito has been pitching in the Eastern League for Double A Harrisburg Senators, where he went 5-3 with a 3.17 E.R.A. In 14 starts he threw 71 innings, giving up 67 hits, 37 runs, and sported a 1.42 WHIP. While Giolito does average about a strikeout an inning (has 72 to date), he does have trouble with the strike zone at times, hence why he has 34 walks this season.
The following text is MLB Pipeline’s scouting report on the young flame-thrower:
“Giolito has the highest ceiling among Minor League pitchers, boasting an elite fastball that sits mid-to-upper-90s and a 12-to-6 curveball that he throws with power and hard, downer action. His changeup has steadily improved in the past two seasons and his confidence along with it, giving him a legitimate weapon against left-handed hitters.
“The sky is the limit for Giolito, who has the stuff, physicality and command to develop into an ace.”
This won’t be the first time the Mets have squared off against top pitching prospects this season. The Mets faced Los Angeles Dodgers LHP Julio Urias as he made his MLB debut on May 27th. Urias lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits while walking four and striking out three. The Mets would go on to win that game on a walk-off home run from Curtis Granderson.
The Mets also faced Pittsburgh Pirates top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon twice, including his MLB debut on June 8th. Taillon went six innings in that game, giving up three runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The following week the Pirates came to Citi Field for three games, and Taillon once again faced the Mets, this time with much better results. Taillon carried a no-hitter into the seventh, and went on to pitch eight innings giving up only two hits, no runs, and striking out five. The crazy part was Taillon was sent down after his debut the week prior, and was recalled to replace the injured Gerrit Cole who had a right triceps strain.
The Mets counter with Matt Harvey Tuesday, their former number one pick and top prospect. Harvey has been up and down all year, looking like he’d lost his way in his first ten starts, but has pitched better from the end of May on.
His last outing came against the Braves on Thursday, where he went six innings of two-run ball. He gave up eight hits and struck out three on the night. His pitch count was low for the game (91), and has seen his velocity return to form with more consistent bite. According to BrooksBaseball.net, Harvey has seen an increase in average four-seam velocity in June, up to 95.93 compared to May where he was at 95.06.
