Photo by @KristinBasnett
While most of the baseball world is focused on the postseason, some of the games best young prospects are playing in the desert sun out in Arizona. The Arizona Fall League, or AFL for short, allows players to play versus and with other top talent from all over the league and a quartet of Mets pitching prospects have been doing their best to showcase what they can do.
David Peterson, Jordan Humphreys, Ryley Gilliam, and Blake Taylor have combined to throw 30 1/3 innings, 24 hits, 1.19 ERA, 28 strikeouts, and 10 walks. With the Mets in need of both starting and relief options for the upcoming 2020 season and beyond, these four guys are getting an early start on proving to the organization that their names belong in the conversation.
Former first round pick David Peterson is probably the most known name of the bunch. After being drafted out of Oregon, David has progressed through the Mets system reaching Double-A Binghamton this past season. After going 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA, 3.19 FIP, and career-best 9.45 K/9 this past season the Mets brass has to be encouraged with his 10.1 scoreless innings.
The groundball specialist will likely being the 2020 season in Triple-A Syracuse though could be quick to help at the major league level if the Mets fail to go outside the organization for starting pitching depth.
Just when the 2019 season seemed like a complete loss for Jordan Humphreys, as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery, the 23-year-old right-hander returned to pitch two innings for the GCL Mets in August before heading out to the AFL. In nine 2/3 signings, he has only allowed one earned run, and three walks while striking out five.
The 6’2” Floridian was a promising prospect after posting a 10-1 1.42 ERA for Columbia back in 2017. It wasn’t until after a few starts for St. Lucie after being promoted that elbow soreness turned what was a career-year into a career altering one. The more time he spends on the mound will let evaluators see if he can regain his mid-90’s fastball and above average changeup, which was by far his best secondary pitch. If all his medicals look good going into next season a push to Binghamton maybe in the mix as the Mets look to see if he can become another TJS success story for the organization.
Both Peterson and Humphreys have been named to the Fall Stars Game Roster.
Photo by Ed Delany, MMO
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 draft Ryley Gilliam moved quickly through the system during his first full season. After starting in St. Lucie and a stop in Binghamton, he found himself pitching for Syracuse before the summer ended. While the results weren’t there in Triple-A and he hit the injured list to finish the season, the push through the system shows that the Mets have faith this former Clemson Tiger can figure it out and become a bullpen piece for the future.
The right-hander has pitched 5 1/3 innings of AFL action allowing one earned run on five hits, zero walks, and five strikoeuts. He is certainly a player the Mets see as a reliever who can help sooner rather than later. An invitation to big league camp would be expected and with the lack of bullpen pieces currently on the roster, a good AFL and spring could land him a roster spot at some point during the 2020 season.
The last name on the list is Blake Taylor. Yes, the same guy who was once drafted out of high school by the Pirates in the second round. The same guy who was traded to the Mets to complete the Ike Davis trade. The same guy who up until this year was a starter with a career ERA hovering in the 4-5 range. Yet this year, after a move to the bullpen and a start in St. Lucie to help with the transition, made it to Binghamton where he posted a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings out of the pen.
At a little over a year younger than the average player in Double-A, time is still on his side to figure it out and capitalize on some of the potential he once held. Having given up only two runs on three hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts in five AFL innings, he’s continued what has been a revitalizing season.
Taylor will be a minor league free agent this offseason and Humphreys is Rule 5 eligible.
When you consider that the AFL is almost like a prospect all-star tournament where everyone is trying to make their name known to the scouts in attendance, the Mets have to be pleased with the production of these four pitchers. The Mets system is considered position player heavy yet these guys are definitely making people take notice of the arms in the farm as well.
