Who have the best chance of moving up the depth chart?

Will any of these pitchers move up the depth chart by making the most of their springtime innings?

Both returning players and some new ones to the New York Mets organization will be shown in action during spring training. A number of prospects have been invited to the MLB camp, and although it is unlikely that there will be any major changes to the projected Opening Day roster—aside from injuries—there is still a chance that players will move up or down the depth chart.

Making a good first impression is highly motivated when considering the pitching. There’s a fair amount of overlap among the starting pitcher options. Spring training is a chance for the numerous minor league relievers that have been signed as well as those moving up the farm system ranks to set themselves apart from the competition.

These four pitchers possess the greatest potential to rise in the spring.

1) Jose Butto

Jose Butto wasn’t a personal favorite until the end of the previous campaign. Though it’s still unlikely that Butto will be more than a fifth starter, his performance at the end of 2023 gave some optimism for the future. He may have an opportunity to move up the depth chart and surpass pitchers like Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi as a starting option as he prepares to enter his 26th season.

The previous season, Butto didn’t have a great year in Triple-A. He had a 5.93 ERA and a 3-7 record in 19 starts. Despite everything, he was forced to make it to the major leagues. Overall, Butto would go 1-4 with a 3.64 ERA in 7 starts and 2 relief appearances.

Butto still needs to work on a few aspects of his game. Last season, he walked nearly five batters per nine in both the major and minor leagues. His strikeout rate was the same, averaging 8.1 out of every 9.

After Butto is judged MLB-ready, the Mets’ best option appears to be to move him eventually to the bullpen. Although it is a bit of a stretch to see him in a major league rotation on a contending team, he is still valuable as a starter. For this season at least, spring training will be his chance to establish himself as the Mets’ go-to pitcher in the event that a starter or perhaps a bullpen arm is hurt.

2) Danny Young

Left-handed We’ll get a look at Danny Young, a non-roster invitee, this spring. Not much about him is revealed by his 2.45 ERA and 14.2 innings of big league experience. With a fresh start and the opportunity to advance up the depth chart during spring training, he is a guy starting his Mets career.

Throwing left-handed gives Young a clear advantage over some of his colleagues. This should keep him in the running to be added to the 40-man roster for the entire season and to be promoted the instant one of the Mets’ southpaws is lost to injury. There isn’t much rivalry. Young can be optioned as well, so the Mets should be hesitant to call him up whenever needed

Where Young starts the season on the depth chart may depend on how effective he is against lefties in spring training. Does he distinguish himself in any way, or does he blend in with all the other minor league free agents?

Josh Walker, who didn’t exactly shine in the majors the previous season, and a younger lefty who can quickly render Young irrelevant will be Young’s rivals. We are going to move on to this guy.

3) Nate Lavender

In 2024, Nate Lavender has a good chance of emerging as one of the Mets’ most significant prospects. Danny Young is a left-handed reliever, so all of his advantages apply here, plus a ton of extras. At twenty-four, Lavender will pitch for the entire upcoming season. Since the beginning of his professional career in 2021, he has performed admirably. The Mets ought to give him some big league innings during this season.

When Lavender pitched to a 1.70 ERA in 47.2 innings at A-Ball and High-A in 2022, he initially gained notice. He had another successful campaign the previous year. He was promoted to Triple-A after just 10.1 innings in Double-A baseball. With 54.1 innings pitched, the totals include a 4-3 record and 2.98 ERA.

Lavender has a high strikeout rate, averaging 13.7 per nine innings pitched. Though not to the point where he will no longer be considered for a major league opportunity, control has been an issue. It’s something to work on at 4.5 walks per 9, but it’s not a major disadvantage right now. Think of a few of those walks as nothing more than chances he would never have again.

Don’t underestimate Lavender, but the Mets’ starting pitching prospects are the more intriguing ones going into the season. A complete season requires a village of relief pitchers. As long as he doesn’t run into a wall at the beginning of the season, Lavender ought to be one of those villagers they go to. At minimum, a good spring will make him a candidate for an early promotion.

4) Mike Vasil

Mike Vasil, who was selected in the same 2021 draft class as Nate Lavender, is now far more well-known to Mets supporters. His numbers aren’t particularly impressive, to be honest. And with Vasil last year, there was that same fear of Lavender running into a minor league wall in Triple-A. His Double-A ERA of 3.71 rose to 5.30 in Triple-A.

It’s common for a player to hit a wall and have weeks or months of difficulty. At every level, Francisco Alvarez usually slumped as soon as he got there. Once he adjusted, he recovered. Vasil experienced this last season, when some of his early starts following a promotion contributed to his subpar Triple-A numbers.

Vasil will have an opportunity to join the fray among pitchers vying for a promotion to starts during spring training. Even though he’s a bullpen option for the Mets, that probably wouldn’t happen with him until later in the season. The main goal of his spring training performance is to demonstrate that he is prepared to make the next move. Health will determine how soon the Mets actually need to use one of their other starting pitchers in addition to the anticipated five. Vasil could be called up if an early injury occurs, particularly if it’s a serious one and he pitches well in February and March.

This spring, Vasil’s position on the depth chart can fluctuate. At the absolute least, he will have to hope that he stays in Triple-A, sandwiched between starting pitchers with major league experience and those without.