The previous season, the New York Mets started ten pitchers.
The Mets’ current starting rotation consists of four reliable pitchers: Kodai Senga, José Quintana, Luis Severino, and Adrian Houser. Tylor Megill is the front-runner for the fifth place. José Butto and Joey Lucchesi are the other candidates, although neither one has anything particularly noteworthy to contribute.
Due to injuries and performance, New York will go deeper into its roster despite David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the Mets, showing interest in Lucas Giolito. Senga also played a large portion of the season with one extra day of rest. Thus, prospects have an opportunity to make an impact. Mike Vasil, who made it to Triple-A last season, is one to keep an eye on because he has the experience and pipeline, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
Mike Vasil is especially intriguing to a team in desperate need of pitching assistance. Vasil, the team’s eighth-round selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, performed admirably in his first experience in the upper Minors the previous season, amassing a 3.71 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A Binghamton.
Vasil, who ranks ninth among the Mets’ prospects according to MLB Pipeline, suffered a little after being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse in the middle of the season, but he still fits the profile of the pitcher most likely to have a big impact in 2024. He might set himself up for a first-half season debut with a successful spring.
The Mets selected Vasil in the eighth round of the 2021 draft. After 202 1/3 minor-league innings, the right-hander has a 4.14 ERA and a 10.4 K/9 record. However, the 23-year-old’s 5.30 ERA in 73 innings (16 starts) in Triple-A the previous season suggests that the Mets will probably want to see progress there, especially in spring training when he will probably face major-league hitters.
Vasil, a four-pitch right-hander with a fastball that can reach 95 mph, was ranked No. 9 by Baseball America going into 2024. The publication described Vasil as a “high-probably starter who might fit at No. 4 or No. 5 in the rotation.” Thus, while not very attractive, his value was further shown this summer when back-end starting Michael Wacha agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal with the Kansas City Royals.