; ;

Mets Re-Sign Alberto Baldonado

By Jacob Resnick

September 26, 2016 No comments

"<strong

According to Baseball America, the Mets have re-signed LHP Alberto Baldonado to a minor league contract. The 23-year-old spent the 2016 season with the Binghamton Mets and the St. Lucie Mets.

After joining his native Colombia for the World Baseball Classic qualifiers in March, Baldonado opened the regular season with St. Lucie of the Florida State League, and posted a stellar 0.93 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 19.1 innings out of the bullpen. He was named a FSL mid-season All-Star before earning a promotion to Binghamton of the Eastern League on May 24. There, Baldonado made 34 relief appearances and struck out 47 batters in 40.1 innings.

Originally signed by the Mets in September of 2009, Baldonado has pitched to a career 10-18 record in 141 games (25 starts), where he has posted a 3.28 ERA, a 9.6 K/9, and a 1.337 WHIP. Armed with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and tops out at 94 mph, Baldonado mixes in a big curveball that has proven to be an effective out pitch.

Given Baldonado’s success with St. Lucie, and promise with Binghamton, it would not be a surprise to see him rise up the ranks in 2017. Now that Josh Smoker has graduated to the major leagues, the outlook for left-handed relievers in the upper levels has become thin, but Baldonado could be poised to make an impact going forward.

mmn-footer