Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News is reporting that the Mets have promoted right handed starting pitcher, Tobi Stoner. He is expected to join the Mets on Tuesday now that Triple-A Buffalo’s season has officially come to an end.
The 24-year-old Stoner, was a 16th-round pick in 2006 June Draft out of Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia. His numbers were mediocre this season as he finished with a 7-7 record and a 3.96 ERA in 16 starts for the Bisons. He missed the first two months of the season with a shoulder injury.
I don’t know exactly how much pitching he will do for the Mets, as Manuel has to continue giving starts to Pat Misch, Mike Pelfrey, Nelson Figueroa and John Maine to assess their chances for the rotation next season.
Stoner may have been promoted so that the Mets could add him to the 40 Man Roster and not risk losing him in the Rule 5 Draft later this off season during the Winter Meetings.
Stoner is currently ranked 19th among Mets prospects by Baseball America. His fastball tops out at 86 mph and he’s not very highly regarded. Considering the lack of depth at the AAA level, this just may be a move geared toward making sure he will be back with the Bisons in 2010. Especially when you consider that AA prospects Holt and Mejia struggled in Binghamton and are not ready to move up to Buffalo.
Sorry Mets fans… Nothing to get excited about here…
