With mock draft season about to get into full gear as the July Amateur Draft draws closer, MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo put out their latest mock earlier this week, and it has the Mets switching gears just a touch, though staying in the same demographic: collegiate right-handed starting pitching.

In their previous mock, they had the Mets taking Ole Miss righty Gunnar Hoglund. But with Hoglund being scratched from his start last Friday as a precaution due to general tightness, another name has popped up that could certainly fit the same bill. And perhaps then some.

At 10th overall, Pipeline’s latest scenario has the Mets calling the name of the big Wake Forest right-handed starter, Ryan Cusick.

And by big, I mean BIG.

Cusick, at 6’6″ and 225 pounds is not only grand in stature, but his arsenal is anything but slight.

The first thing that jumps out is the velocity. Cusick has routinely sat 94-98 mph with his four-seam fastball this spring, and has dialed it up to triple digits on multiple occasions. The pitch projects to be a plus or even double plus offering in the majors, depending on how well Cusick learns to locate and command it. This is especially so thanks to it’s underlying secondary traits, such as the plus extension and vertical movement he gets on the pitch.

To help round out the package, Cusick throws a traditional 11-5 power curve in the low 80’s. It not only features desirable shape, bite and velocity when he nails his release point, but it’s primarily vertical movement tunnels well with the four seamer. However, Cusick’s feel for it’s release has been inconsistent, and honing that will be a big objective for him moving forward.

With a very firm changeup that would likely need to come along quite a ways as a pro to remain a starting pitcher at the highest level, Cusick has nonetheless been able to use his power fastball-curveball combo to dominate Division 1 hitters this year with an impressive 74 punchouts in 46 innings.

But as with all prospects, they’re still only suspects until they make it happen as professionals, and the most suspect aspect of Cusick’s game has been his command.

Cusick walked nearly a batter per inning in his shortened sophomore season at Wake Forest last spring, but this year, he has cut that down a bit to a more sightly 4.5 BB/9. While Cusick’s mound operation is relatively simple, it’s not terribly athletic, and projecting better command down the line could be a tricky thing for his big frame. At 10th overall, the Mets would want to hit it big, but if the relative floor is a really good power reliever that can miss bats, that’s nothing to sneeze at either.

To see Cusick very recently in action, you can check out some video shot by Baseball Prospectus’ Keanan Lamb here.

Still, the Mets homework as they prepare for their first and subsequent picks in this July’s 20 round draft is hardly finished.

Hoglund might take the mound this week, and with a clean, athletic, (some would say ideal) mound operation, he still figures to be very much in play where the Mets are picking.

With prep pitching sensation Jackson Jobe riding his reported 3300 rpm slider all the way into top 10 consideration lately, perhaps Boston College center fielder Sal Frelick and his exciting speed/hit tool combination could fall to the Mets at 10.

In the above-discussed mock, California prep shortstop Khalil Watson is noticeably still on the board at 10, with his high school season still barely having gotten underway. His explosive 5’11 package exudes upside in every facet of the game, and some timely performance will dictate how high he goes.

Surely, this is one of many mocks, and Cusick’s name will hardly be the last to be linked to the Mets for their first pick. Keep checking back here throughout the spring for future updates and analysis.