The Mets are proud of the Class of 2021 as they consider their pitching prospects.
Though it’s unlikely that Christian Scott, Mike Vasil, and Dominic Hamel will break camp with the team, major league spring training will provide the three top organizational pitching prospects—all selected by the Mets in July 2021—with their first meaningful opportunity to be evaluated.
Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner stated that Tylor Megill, Jose Butto, and Max Kranick will now start the Mets’ first three preseason games this spring instead of the quartet that was initially supposed to start them. This change was made approximately two weeks ago.
However, Scott, Vasil, and Hamel are still scheduled to play in games later in the opening week.
“Coming into camp we have a pretty good idea who they are as pitchers,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The big key is they are getting ready for their season as well. There is no rush and don’t try to do anything crazy, especially early in camp. But we know who they are.”
The Mets have depth behind their anticipated starting five of Kodai Senga, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea, and Adrian Houser in Megill, Butto, and Joey Lucchesi, among others.
However, Mendoza sees an opportunity for the prospects this season.
“To get to 162-plus [games] you are going to need a lot of them and they are right there in the conversation,” Mendoza said. “We’ll be talking about depth, and they provide that in the quality arms. They have got things they need to continue to work on, just like all of them, but it’s important to have guys that are knocking at the door that at some point are going to be a big part of what we’re trying to do.”
After a season in which he started 19 games at three levels, including Double-A Binghamton, Scott, 24, is considered the organization’s best pitching prospect.
In 87 ³/₃ innings thrown, the right-hander recorded a 2.57 ERA while striking out 107 batters.
It wasn’t until last year that the University of Florida product transitioned from relief to full-time starting role in his professional career.
Early in the season, Scott suffered an oblique issue that forced him to alter his mechanics, use his lower body more, and improve the play on his fastball.
“As a reliever coming up I only had to go out for an inning or two and being able to stay consistent for six or seven innings takes an adjustment or two,” Scott said.
The 23-year-old Vasil admitted he had trouble at first adjusting to Syracuse’s automatic strike zone after arriving in the second half of the previous campaign. The fact that he gave up three earned runs or less in six of his final eight starts gave him hope.
“No excuses, but it definitely was an adjustment at first and I would say it played more of a mental game than physical game because once I got used to it I knew I could throw strikes like I typically do,” Vasil said.
“But I think at first when you are not getting calls you think you would because it’s an automatic zone and that definitely messes you up. I think once I got in a groove there at the end of the year, those last six to eight starts I finished strong and I was really happy about it.”
During spring training last year, the right-hander made an appearance for the Mets, traveling to start a game against the Braves. Vasil’s coolness during the outing impressed team officials.
The former Virginia standout threw to a 4.79 ERA overall in his 26 starts for Binghamton and Syracuse during the previous season.
Hamel, who was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year in 2022, played his whole season with Binghamton, making 26 appearances and striking out 160 batters in 124 innings while pitching to a 3.85 ERA.
Hamel, who added a sweeper and cutter, said, “I definitely started off well the first third of the year and then went through a rough patch, just figuring out my usage with a couple of new pitches.”
The 24-year-old Hamel is aware of the chance this season presents itself for him, Scott, and Vasil.
“It’s cool watching them pitch and be successful in their own ways,” Hamel said. “It’s even better knowing we’re from the same draft class.”