Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
With spring training games in full swing, a few standout performers emerged for the Mets last week.
Ronny Mauricio, one of the team’s top prospects, picked up right where he left off from winter ball while David Peterson earned his first start and turned in a pair of strong outings for New York.
Hitter of the Week
Ronny Mauricio turned heads last week with a pair of home runs to go with four RBIs and a slash line of .400/.455/.1.100 across seven games and 10 at-bats.
Mauricio’s first homer of the week came against the Cardinals on Feb. 27. He blasted an 81 MPH changeup from Tommy Parsons 413 feet to right center, recording an exit velocity of 108.6 MPH in the process. His second homer came on Mar. 1 against the Marlins, as he crushed a 93.9 MPH four-seam fastball from Sean Reynolds 413 feet out to center field.
Mauricio also recorded a walk against the Astros on Feb. 28, a double against the Nationals on Mar. 3 and a single against the Marlins on Mar. 4 to account for his total production on the week.
Mauricio’s recent string of performances is a welcome development for the Mets. If he continues to mash the ball and improve his plate discipline, perhaps it could signal that he is ready for meaningful big-league action sooner rather than later.
Pitcher of the Week
David Peterson got the short end of the stick this offseason, being tentatively removed from the rotation following the additions of Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga and José Quintana. However, he should still factor in down the road after a strong 2022 season and he has created additional buzz for himself during spring training.
Peterson’s first appearance of the week came in a two-inning start against the Cardinals on Feb. 27. He pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts, mixing in five different pitches while touching 94.4 MPH with his four-seam fastball. His next outing in relief of Verlander five days later against the Marlins, as he once again completed two scoreless innings in spite of his control issues rearing its ugly head with two walks.
Peterson appears ticketed for Triple-A Syracuse to open the season, but he has shown his worth in the past as a valuable and versatile chess piece for the Mets either in the rotation or out of the bullpen. With reports that the team is likely to use a six-man rotation at points in 2023, his potential role could be of major importance, and he has succeeded in his audition for it thus far.
