The Mets were able to beat up Marlins ace Jose Fernandez yesterday in their 6-5 win putting them at 7-6-2 this spring. With the Mets looking to limited their big five to start camp, a good number of the younger pitchers got a chance to pitch already this spring. Here is how they have done up to this point:

• Rainy Lara – Struggled in his lone appearance, giving up four runs on four hits while getting only two outs.
• Duane Below – The veteran lefty has made three appearances allowing six runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings. He was destined for the Las Vegas 51’s bullpen before his bad spring.
• Rafael Montero – Has already been sent to minor league after disappointing in his two innings of work, gave up five runs on eight baserunners with only one strikeout.
• Paul Sewald – The 2015 Binghamton Mets closer made two appearances, he was hit for four earned runs in two innings of work but did strike out three.
• Jeff Walters – Still fighting his way back from TJS he could have put his 40-man roster spot in jeopardy with a bad spring where he showed little command. He has allowed five earned runs and a whopping eight hits in three innings. He has struck out just one batter compared to three walks.
• Chase Bradford – The righty allowed four runs on eight hits in his three innings of work, he will be headed back to Vegas where he spent all of 2015.
• Dario Alvarez– Another guy who could see his 40 spot come in jeopardy soon with the Mets influx of lefties. He showed no control this spring walking five batters in two innings.
• Stolmy Pimentel – His spring started off well before imploding in his last appearance where he allowed two homeruns (wind blowing out though) and was ejected after hitting a batter. Outside of that rough outing he looked good with a strong fastball (93-95 MPH) and a good changeup. He has struck out five compared to one walk. I think we will see him in the big leagues in 2016.
• Akeel Morris – The talented young right-hander pitched three innings, he gave up two runs without issuing a walk. He has been optioned to the minors.
• Robert Gsellman – The 22-year old starter got to pitch in three games and allowed four runs in six innings. He failed to use his offspeed enough this spring, relying on just his fastball that is a contact pitch.
• Josh Smoker – Was a little surprised at how early he was sent to minor league camp, but he back-to-back less than stellar outings his last two times he pitched. Overall, he gave up three runs in 4.2 innings on seven hits and struck out four. Looked like he was working on his slider during his last outing, which is a pitch he is still looking to develop. He should be headed to Vegas, we will see his big fastball in the big leagues soon.
• Zach Thornton – The ground ball pitcher has pitched 4.1 innings this spring, allowing two runs on six hits. He has struck out four and impressed during the first intrasquad game when he struck out five in two innings. He is one of the few non-roster invitees still in big league camp.
• Kyle Regnault – He retired the only batter he faced this spring. Chase Huchingson pitched a scoreless inning in his only appearance rhis spring.

The two minor league pitchers that have impressed me the most to this point are Seth Lugo and Gabriel Ynoa who could both see themselves in the rotation for Las Vegas when the season starts.

Lugo made a spot start for Jacob deGrom when he was scratched with back stiffness and looked great against what was basically the Detroit Tigers A lineup. He struck out Justin Upton swinging on a 93 MPH fastball and hit 95 during that outing. He has also shown off his outstanding curveball this spring. He pitched five scoreless innings allowing only one hit and striking out five in three games.

Ynoa, 22, has made four reliever appearances with three of them being very good and one bad. He has given up three runs in 6.2 innings while showing his normal great command walking only one compared to three strikeouts. The most impressive part for me is the movement he is getting on his breaking ball this spring though, a pitch that eluded him for large portions of the 2015 season with Binghamton.

We looked at how the minor league hitters were doing yesterday here.