It was just the first start of the Spring for Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard, but you can’t help but wonder what his upside could be. Could it be higher than that of Matt Harvey or Jacob deGrom? Syndergaard gave us a glimpse last year, but every time he takes the mound he has us wanting more.
“There’s always a debate about who’s going to be the best,” Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters. “This kid’s got a chance to be the guy. He learned a lot and learned fast in the Major Leagues… And he got better. I think he’s coming into this camp knowing he’s a big league pitcher.”
Harvey and deGrom breezed in their exhibition starts. Syndergaard put down the first eight Cardinals he faced, gave up a hit, then got out of the third without a run. In other words Syndergaard cruised.
Perhaps the reason for our attraction or interest in Syndergaard is how hard he throws. He was sitting on 98 mph consistently on Thursday. When he really lets it loose, he’s over 100 mph. Harvey and deGrom put it in the high 90s, but 100 is a special number for a pitcher. That’s Nolan Ryan territory, and he dominated until his 40s before his arm gave out.
“I felt great out there,” Syndergaard said after the game. “It’s just nice getting out there and getting your feet wet. I was a little amped up. It’s been a long wait to get on the mound, and to be able to get out there and compete. But, overall, l I think it was a pretty solid performance. There are a few things I’d like to continue to work on, just to make the game easier than it can be.”
The caveat, of course, is staying healthy. Harvey, deGrom, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler have all had Tommy John surgery. Syndergaard thinks about the same happening to him – a lot.
“I’ve thought about it quite a bit,” Syndergaard said. “But, I trust myself to put my body in the right situations to be able to perform at a healthy level.”
And, a healthy Syndergaard makes us wonder just how high that level can be. My colleague Joe D. believes he’ll be the best pitcher in the game by the end of this season. “He has the perfect mindset, a killer instinct, an incredible arsenal, and he knows exactly what to do with it.”
Do you agree? What are your expectations?
