Quite a week for Luis Cessa who was named to the Eastern League All-Star roster earlier this week and now has been promoted to AAA Las Vegas where he should be in line to start tomorrow. The 23-year old right-handed pitcher was 7-4 with 2.56 ERA while allowing just two homeruns all year in 77.1 innings. Cessa has good control, 17 walks compared to 61 strikeouts in his 13 starts this year. He has been even better over his last 6 starts going 4-1 with a 1.56 ERA while holding opponents to a .222/.258/.299 slash line.
Cessa throws his fastball in the 94-95 MPH range but actually hit 97 on the gun when I saw him pitching in Portland. His 2nd best pitch is his change-up that has good movement and can certainly be a plus pitch at the Major League level. I have heard hit breaking ball called many things from a curveball to a slurvy slider but to me its more of a power curve. Whatever you call it, this pitch looks better this year than in the past but still needs some work because its inconsistent with both movement and location.
Cessa will make his AAA debut tomorrow vs. Albuquerque at 10:05 ET.
The Mets signed Cessa back in 2008 to be an infielder which he was for his first two seasons in the Mets farm system in the Dominican Summer League. After hitting just .162/.230/.191 in 210 the Mets decided it was time for the 6’3 Cessa to start pitching. Since then he has made 83 appearance (74) going 31-24 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.180 WHIP in 451 innings.
Cessa was suppose to start tonight for Binghamton but instead the Mets will reach down to Brooklyn and call up right-hander Michael Gibbons to make the spot start. In less than a month Gibbons has gone from never throwing a pitch in affiliated ball to starting a game in AA, quite a story. He has made three starts this year, two with Brooklyn (2-0, 5.91) and one very good start for St. Lucie going 7 shutout innings allowing only two hits while striking out four. Michael was undrafted out of Wheaton College and was pitching in the Futures Baseball Collegiate League when the Mets signed him last August.
Today Jack Leathersich and Tyler Pill were placed on the 7-day disabled list for Las Vegas both retroactive to June 30th. In Leathsichs’ last outing manage Wally Backman had him throw a career high 57 pitches after having 8 days off in between appearances.
Yesterday catcher Natanael Ramos and 1B Michael Katz were promoted to Savannah after both started the year in Brooklyn with the Cyclones. Joe Tuschak has been placed on the DL for the Sand Gnats with Patrick Biondi being activated. New York native John Mincone also announced he was retiring from baseball, he has pitched for St. Lucie and Binghamton this year picking up a win in his only appearance for the B’Mets.
The Mets have also signed right-handed pitcher Mickey Jannis and assigned to the St. Lucie Mets. Mickey is a former 2010 44th round pick by the Rays and was pitching for the Long Island Ducks were he lead the lead with a 1.18 ERA, 67 strikeouts, and 83.2 innings pitched while holding hitters to a .182 average against.
