No. 14: Jonathan Santucci, LHP

B/T: L/L Age: 22 (12/28/2002)
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 205
Acquired: Second round of the 2024 Draft
ETA: 2027
2024 Stats: Duke University: 58 IP, 3.41 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 90 SO (14 K/9), 36 BB (5.6 BB/9), 4 HR

Overview

Jonathan Santucci was the Mets’ second-round draft pick out of Duke University in 2024, selected as a junior. Santucci has the kind of raw ability that raises eyebrows. His 2024 saw him strike out 90 in 58 innings — a disgustingly good rate. His 6-1 record and 3.41 ERA were also solid, especially against ACC competition.

Santucci’s Duke career was relatively straightforward. He consistently overpowered opposing hitters with his nasty stuff but dealt with minor struggles in control and health. A fractured elbow limited him to 29 1/3 innings in his sophomore year, yet he still managed to rack up 50 strikeouts. In 2024, Santucci missed nearly a month with a rib injury but touched 97 mph on the radar gun upon his return. Across his collegiate journey, Santucci posted a 3.86 ERA with 198 strikeouts in 128 1/3 frames.

Jonathan Santucci. (photo by Duke Athletics)

The 21-year-old’s route to becoming a legitimate major league pitcher lies in his two primary offerings. His fastball sits between 92-96 miles per hour with significant running action, according to MLB Pipeline. It reportedly tops out at 97 mph. He pairs it with a slider that features horizontal and vertical break at 82-85 miles per hour. Santucci also mixes in a changeup against some right-handers, though Pipeline notes it is far more erratic than his fastball and slider.

Santucci’s profile as a potential big leaguer is also largely tied to his left-handedness. FanGraphs has previously compared him to Puerto Rican reliever J.C. Romero. However, the outlet points out that if he can develop a third pitch — likely a second fastball or a refined changeup — he could project as a back-end starter. That path would require meaningful improvements in his command as well.

The worry is that Santucci’s makeup closely mirrors what we’ve seen from pitchers like Calvin Ziegler and Raimon Gómez — the ability to light up a radar gun without much control. So far, their career trajectories haven’t been encouraging. Since 2022, the two have barely surpassed 100 innings combined. And the clock is constantly ticking — time isn’t always on these guys’ side.

2025 Outlook

Santucci has yet to make his professional debut, and it would be surprising, though not impossible, to see him in Low-A St. Lucie to begin 2025. He’ll instead likely report to the Florida Complex League, where he’ll look to gain experience, sharpen his command, and hopefully develop a new pitch to complement his already nasty fastball-slider combination.

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