Next in our organizational depth chart series is starting pitcher, a very top heavy position for the Mets. They boast perhaps the most feared one-two punch in the game, but there are a lot of question marks after that.
Big League Starter
At the top is the obvious: the lethal duo of Jacob deGrom and the newly signed Max Scherzer. Really the only uncertainty surrounding these guys is their age, as both are in their 30s with Scherzer pushing 40. Neither have shown any immediate signs of slowing down though; in fact, in recent seasons, they’ve both pitched as well as they have in their entire careers. The Mets own a two-headed monster better than any other in baseball at the top of their rotation.
After those two, there’s a big drop-off. Carlos Carrasco has been a great pitcher in the past, but he’s coming off a rough, injury-hampered season and is in his mid-30s. Taijuan Walker was an All-Star last year, but he had a terrible second half. Rookie Tylor Megill showed flashes of greatness in 2021, but there’s no certainty of how he’ll perform given a full slate of starts.
The Mets also have David Peterson, who had 15 starts for them last year. Like Megill, he’s shown flashes and stretches of being a rock solid option. He struggled with homers last season though, finishing the year with a 5.54 ERA. It will likely be a battle between him and Megill for the fifth spot in the rotation.
Big League Depth
Jordan Yamamoto only pitched in two big league games for the Mets last year after they traded for him in February, but he has starting experience with the Marlins and could be one of the first guys the Mets call up in the case of injury. Yennsy Diaz also has starting experience in the minors and pitched with the Mets last year as a reliever.
The Mets also signed minor league free agent José Rodríguez, who has 10 games of major league experience, including one start.
Upper Levels Depth
The Mets have some starters bubbling under the water in Triple-A they could turn to. Adam Oller, 27, posted a 2.45 ERA in eight starts with Syracuse last year. Cole Gordon was solid in Double-A and will likely be in Triple-A to start the season, while Connor Grey could be another under-the-radar option. Jose Butto is in the same camp as Gordon, solid in Double-A last year but yet to pitch in Triple-A.
Top Prospects
Matt Allan was the Mets’ third-round selection in 2019, but his stock has dropped slightly due to undergoing Tommy John surgery. He will miss most if not all of the 2022 season.
J.T. Ginn was the Mets’ second-round pick in 2020 and has made strides. Formerly a first-round pick by the Dodgers, he had a successful first professional season in 2021. He posted a 2.56 ERA over eight starts for Low-A St. Lucie, then a 3.38 ERA over 10 starts for High-A Brooklyn. He consistently walked about two batters per nine innings while striking out roughly eight between the two levels.
The Mets’ most recent second-round pick, Calvin Ziegler, is yet to make his professional debut but is a name to keep an eye on. Their third-round pick, Dominic Hamel, pitched two games in Rookie ball last season, throwing three perfect innings with seven strikeouts. Eighth-round pick Mike Vasil pitched three games, giving up one run in seven innings with 10 strikeouts at the Rookie level. Seventeen-year-old Joel Diaz is also intriguing; John Sheridan of Metsmerized featured him in December.
