Heading into the 2017 season, Mets Minors noted Adonis Uceta was a two-pitch pitcher who would not only thrive in the bullpen, but he would quickly rise in the Mets farm system if he were ever converted to a reliever. Uceta’s 2017 season would not just prove this analysis to be correct, but it would also be one of the biggest undersells of the 2017 season.

With the move to the bullpen, Uceta was able to primarily focus on his two best pitches. With his maxing out coming out of the bullpen, and with him being able to focus on those two pitches, the pitches became even more lethal as he became nearly unhittable. Uceta’s fastball went from the mid-90s to the upper 90s.  That fastball looked all the more impressive when it was combined with an exceptional change-up. That change-up is a swing and miss pitch he could throw in any count.

With that improve repertoire, and an improved slider, Uceta set out to dominate the minor leagues.

From May 11th until August 11th, Uceta would go on a 27 game and 36.0 scoreless inning stretch. During that stretch, opposing batters could only muster a .133/.198/.158 batting line against him. He put up an almost impossible 44:9 K/BB ratio while striking out 11 batters per nine innings. This is a large part why Uceta would not only have a 0.75 WHIP during that stretch, but it would also explain his ascendance from Columbia to St. Lucie.

With the dominating season Uceta was putting forth, he would be promoted to Double-A Binghamton at the end of August to help the Rumble Ponies with their postseason push.

During the season, he would rise not just up the ranks in the Mets farm system, but also through the prospect lists. He would go from 71st to 40th on MMN‘s prospect rankings.  He was MMN’s Reliever of the Month for the Month of June and July. He would also be named a Sally League All-Star. In addition to that, Baseball America named his change-up the best in the entire Mets minor league system.

Fact is, Uceta and his dominance is getting noticed. How could you not going 6-0 with 14 saves, a 1.51 ERA, 0.905 WHIP, and a 10.1 K/9 while pitching pitching 59.2 innings over 41 appearances. Looking at those numbers, you would be hard pressed to find another reliever who has had a better season than Uceta in the entire minors leagues, let alone the Mets farm system.

This, among many reasons, is why Uceta is MMO’s Reliever of the Year. Uceta is Rule 5 draft eligible this offseason and needs to be added to the 40-man roster to protect him.

Honorable Mention 

RHP Matt Blackham – After missing the entire 2016 season due to a fracture of the olecranon in the right elbow, Blackham would dominate in the Sally League for the Columbia Fireflies.  In his 40 appearances, Blackham would pitch 56.2 innings going 4-2 with a 1.43 ERA, 0.988 WHIP and a 13.0 K/9.

Our starting pitcher of the year was Corey Oswalt.

Our position player of the year was Peter Alonso.