David Peterson/Photo by Ed Delany
After hitting two home runs in an instrasquad Spring Training game, reporters gathered around Michael Conforto to discuss his rehab and the homers. During the scrum, Conforto was quick to point out how he needed to get revenge on David Peterson for striking him out in an earlier at-bat. Overall, Conforto came away impressed with the young left-handed pitcher who he believes showed a really good sinker. Conforto is far from the only person in the Mets organization who has come away impressed with Peterson this Spring.
Mets Director of Player Development Ian Levin said of Peterson, “First of all, he’s an excellent worker — a guy who puts in the time that it takes in order to become a good player and takes pride in all of the things that he does on and off the field. He sets a good example for everybody. Now it’s just a matter of getting him on-mound experience.” (MLB.com).
After a long season for the Oregon Ducks, the Mets had opted to let Peterson just dip his toes in the water making a few appearances for the Brooklyn Cyclones last season. With that in mind, this will be the first real season the Mets and Peterson will get to work getting him prepared to be the front line Major League starter both envision will be standing on the Citi Field mound in the not too distant future.
It ceratinly helps Peterson he has already impressed his future manager Mickey Callaway. What really separates Callaway apart from other people in the Mets organization is he has the ability to look at Peterson both through the prism of a manager and a pitcher coach. No matter which he looks at Peterson, Callaway comes away both impressed and with an eye towards how a pitcher who struck out Conforto can get better.
Ultimately, Callaway’s assessment was, “He looked good. I think that tall lefty with good stuff had some run on his ball which is good to see, some life. He looked composed. Under control for as big a guy he is. If I were still a pitching coach analyzing what he’s doing I’d like to see him use his lower half a little better because there’s probably some stuff in the tank he’s not using but really impressive young guy.” (northjersey.com).
So overall, in a day when Mets fans came away excited about the immediate future with Conforto nearing his return to the Mets, the Mets organization came away impressed with a future left-handed starter who could one day soon join Conforto on the Mets roster.
