Mets minor league pitcher Seth Lugo has gone unnoticed for most of his career, but he is now starting to gain more recognition due to an impressive start to the 2015 season.
In 19.2 innings for Double-A Binghamton, Lugo is 2-0 with a stellar 1.37 ERA.
During his last outing on Tuesday, Lugo allowed just one run and five hits in 6.2 innings.
“He certainly has major league potential,” Paul DePodesta, the Mets VP of player development and amateur scouting, said.
“He’s certainly showing right now he has the stuff to start. I think he has the repertoire to do it.” (Mike Vorkunov, NJ.com)
As the Mets 34th round pick in 2011, Lugo overcame a lot adversity to make it this far.
Lugo did not even expect to get selected, but he caught the attention of Mets’ scout Jimmy Nelson.
Nelson eventually convinced amateur scout Tommy Jackson to invite Lugo to a workout two weeks before the draft.
“When I say I didn’t see him till late, that’s what I meant,” Jackson said. “I didn’t see him till late. It was late, late. Sure enough, he’s telling the truth. We got him out of that workout.”
Lugo also underwent a major surgery in 2012 to repair displaced vertebra in his spine, which cost him the entire season.
In his first year back on the mound in 2013, Lugo flashed a lot of potential with a 2.53 ERA and 1.13 WHIP while pitching for Single-A Savannah and Single-A Brooklyn.
“When he came back from rehab he kind of came back a different animal,” Jackson said. “He really was focused.”
“I think to some degree we’re all a little – I think he’s exceeded expectations,” Jackson said.
“He exceeded the general expectations of any other 34th round draft pick.”
