Photos from Port St. Lucie: Pitchers and Catchers Arrive at Camp

Pitchers and catchers officially reported to Port St. Lucie for the beginning of Mets spring training, officially kicking off the countdown to the 2023 season.

Among those spotted in uniform were Max Scherzer, who is looking to pitch 200 innings for New York this season after producing a career-best 2.29 ERA in his first season in Queens.

Co-ace Justin Verlander also put on Mets gear for the first time outside of his introductory press conference. The two will bring a combined six Cy Youngs to the front of the Mets rotation.

Outside of Verlander and Scherzer, one of the most intriguing names at camp Wednesday was Kevin Parada, one of the Mets 2022 first-round draft picks and one of the organization’s top prospects. Parada will gain valuable experience this spring catching the likes of Verlander and Scherzer while also seeing big-league pitching up close and personal.

Kodai Senga also made his first spring training appearance after being signed in the offseason to a five-year, $75 million contract. Senga is one of the most intriguing players on the Mets this season, and how quickly he can acclimate to MLB will go a long way in determining how good the team’s pitching staff can be.

While Verlander, Scherzer, Senga, José Quintana, and Carlos Carrasco are likely to open the season as the team’s starting rotation, Tylor Megill figures to be another important piece of the team’s pitching staff. Megill and David Peterson will be the first names up when the Mets need an additional starter, and Megill will be looking to bounce back after a 2022 season that was marred by injuries.

In addition to pitchers and catchers, Mets manager Buck Showalter was also in town as he begins his second season with the team. Showalter was named the National League Manager of the Year a season ago after leading the Mets to 101 wins and a postseason birth.

The Mets position players will join the rest of the club next Monday, and the Mets will begin their spring training schedule with games against the Astros and Marlins on February 25.