Potential. It’s always been about potential with Domingo Tapia and unfortunately, it looks like it’ll be about potential for a little while longer. Tapia is coming off a less-than-stellar year in St. Lucie, partially influenced by some lost time due to a burned hand. Tapia never really found himself after the injury, struggling mightily with a string of bad starts and having his prospect status get thrown under questioning.
His overall stats on the year saw him stand at 3-9 with a 4.62 ERA in 101.1 innings pitched. He allowed 87 hits, 63 walks, and struck out 89 batters. He was still able to hold opposing hitters to a .231 average, but 63 walks in only 101 innings is a really high rate. After a 2.7 BB/9 walk rate in Savannah last year, it skyrocketed to 5.6 per nine this year, which is more than double his rate from ’12. Tapia’s K/9 hovered around eight again (7.9) which is a little suspect for a guy who throws as hard as he does.
Remember, Tapia rocks a sinking fastball that sits in the high 90s, a two-seam fastball that works in the low-mid 90s, and a change-up that works in the high 80s. His claim to fame is his heavy fastball that is labeled as a sinker — but it came in straight more often than not this year and he seemed to have control issues all throughout the year. He uncorked a career high nine wild pitches this season as well. Tapia has been profiled as a reliever because of his skill-set by most, due to the lack of a true breaking pitch, but I think I’m ready to give him another year as a starter.
It’s hard for me to give up on Tapia — he’s a personal favorite of mine, even though he’s no Gabriel Ynoa. Jokes aside, a guy with this much raw potential needs to be given a longer leash. His HR/9 rate is microscopic at 0.2, as he’s only given up eight home runs in 324.2 innings pitched, and although I wish he’d be able to overpower more hitters, he gets by with a healthy amount of strikeouts. He also finished the season on a mini hot streak, with 12.0 straight innings without allowing an earned run, while allowing just six hits.
I’m not sure if the Mets plan to have him start the year in St. Lucie again as a starter, but I certainly wouldn’t send him to Binghamton yet unless they decide to make him a full-time reliever. And again, when you’ve got as much raw potential as Tapia has, it’s good to have a long leash. If he gets it together, he can join the long list of Mets right-handed pitching prospects once again.