MMO 2020 Top 30 Mets Prospects: No. 13 Jordan Humphreys, RHP

Photo by Ed Delany, MMO

No. 13 Jordan Humphreys RHP
B/T: R/R Age: 23 (6/11/1996)
Height: 6’2’’ Weight: 223 lbs
Acquired: Drafted in 18th round of 2015 Draft out of Crystal River HS (FL)
ETA: 2021 Previous Rank: 19
2019 Stats: GCL Mets 0-0 4.50 ERA, 2.0 IP, BB, 2 SO, AFL 0.77 ERA, 11.2 IP

Drafted in 2015 out of Crystal River High School in Crystal River Florida, Jordan Humphreys received a signing bonus of $150,000 ($50,000 over his 18th rd slot) and decided to go pro versus attending St. John’s River Community College.

After only pitching 11.2 innings in his debut season the right-hander started the 2016 season in Kingsport. In his first full professional season Humphreys had a good deal of success and received a late season promotion to the Brooklyn Cyclones. Between the two leagues, Humphreys accumulated a 3.58 ERA, 16 BB, 85 SO, 1.168 WHIP in 75 1/3 innings.

The Mets were impressed with his 2016 season and decided to have Humphreys skip short-season ball and begin the 2017 year with Columbia in A-ball. Humphreys responded to this challenge by having a completely dominating stay in the Palmetto state.

Over the course of 69 2/3 innings, Humphreys went 10-1 with a 1.42 ERA. His SO/BB ratio was an absurd 8.89 as he only walked nine batters in comparison to the 80 he struck out. Humphreys would be named a South Atlantic All-Star and begin to see himself move up the list of Mets pitching prospects. Much like the season before Humphreys had pitched himself into a promotion and was called up to St. Lucie.

Unfortunately, things then drastically changed as after two starts it was found that Humphreys had torn his injured UCL and would need TJS.

Photo by Ed Delany, MMO

Humphreys would miss all of the 2018 season and almost the entire 2019 season as well, until he made his post recovery debut with the GCL Mets pitching two innings before the season ended. With Humphreys eager to pitch and the Mets wanting to see him face in-game competition for a longer stretch than the season provided, Humphreys would go on to pitch in the AFL. Facing age appropriate competition Humphreys would go 1-0 in 11 2/3 innings with a 0.77 ERA and a 1.029 WHIP in the desert.

His performance and promise would lead to the Mets adding him to the 40-man roster this past November. A strong spring showing could result in Humphreys starting the 2020 season with either the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies or an aggressive assignment with Triple-A Syracuse.

Humphreys calling card through this minor league career has been his pinpoint control, as noted by Baseball America, who named him as having the best control in the Mets system after the 2017 season. Through his 181 and a third innings in the minors and the AFL ,Humphreys has only walked 34 batters.

It will be this ability to limit free passes that will help him get to the majors. His fastball sits in the low 90’s reaching 95 at times. While not a flamethrower by any means he uses that control to be able to locate the pitch to all areas of the zone.

A three-pitch pitcher Humphreys also features a changeup and curveball. The changeup is his second best pitch, and sits in the low-to-mid 80’s and he will throw it in any count especially inside to batters on both sides of the plate. Most evaluators consider the pitch to be above average. Rounding out his repertoire is a curveball, that while considered average to flashing above average, shows high spin rate and sits in the low-70’s range.

Prior to his injury, Humphreys was considered one of the Mets top pitching prospects in the lower minors, and even with missing almost two entire sea recovering, he has the talent to become one of the Mets top pitching prospects overall. 2020 will be a big year for him as he looks to show that the surgery has had no effect on his control while continuing to climb his way closer to making his MLB debut.

In his first outing this spring in big league camp, Humphreys fastball was up to 93 MPH.