PORT ST. LUCIE — Brandon Sproat doesn’t rise up on the mound attempting to hit 99 MPH along with his fastball. Whether or not it’s 95 or 100, the Mets’ high pitching prospect prioritizes command and attacking the zone greater than velocity.
“If I throw 99, that’s cool,” Sproat stated Friday at Clover Park. “I mean, it’s not something I’m worried about.”
Sproat doesn’t have to fret, he got here out firing in his first Grapefruit League begin, hitting 98 on his first pitch of the sport.
The rate is one cause why the Mets drafted the College of Florida product twice, as soon as within the fifth spherical in 2022, and once more within the second spherical in 2023. The 6-3, 215-pound right-hander has all of the makings of a giant league starter.
Sproat threw two scoreless innings within the Mets’ 7-0 win over the Washington Nationals, placing out one. They have been two comparatively straightforward innings, with three groundouts within the high of the primary, all three of which got here off of his sinker.
“The sinker — the two-seam — is a pitch he’s working on, and I thought it was really good,” stated supervisor Carlos Mendoza. “He got ground balls with that. The changeup was advertised. I mean, pretty electric there for a couple of meetings. His first time pitching in big league camp, so it was a good first impression.”
The electrical energy got here from the fastball. It doesn’t have a ton of journey and minor leaguers took benefit in Triple-A, however Sproat additionally throws that sinker fairly arduous. The soft-spoken 24-year-old regarded each bit like he belonged Friday. He had some nerves, however these are normal for him earlier than each begin. A packed crowd did little to intimidate him, with Sproat taking a second to understand the chance earlier than he threw his first pitch.
“A cool experience,” he stated. “The game plan would just go up there and just just attack and let everything kind of take care of itself. It was a lot of fun. Great weather and great fans, good turnout.”
If all goes effectively, Sproat may be a part of the Mets rotation in some unspecified time in the future this season. Whereas he struggled in Triple-A final yr, he figured it out by the tip of his time in Syracuse. It might be an enormous win for a participant improvement division that has struggled to develop beginning pitchers during the last decade.
TAKING SHAPE
The Mets used a lineup with 5 of their greatest hitters consecutively in opposition to Washington. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos went 1-5, with 4 of the 5 producing offense within the win.
Lindor, Alonso and Nimmo loaded the bases on left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara and catcher Luis Torrens plated two with a line drive to proper area. With one on and two out within the third, Soto belted his second spring coaching dwelling run in a 3rd.
Nimmo was the one one of many group to not document a success, going 0-for-1 with a stroll and a run scored. In his first spring coaching recreation of the season, the Mets performed it cautious to keep away from triggering the plantar fasciitis in his foot.
“I liked it,” Mendoza stated. “There’s one good bat after another one, so it’s a deep lineup. And when you see it play out like that, it’s a good feeling. Again, it’s still early, but a good day overall.”
The lineups right now of yr are constructed in numerous methods to ensure some gamers get a specific amount of at-bats, and to see how sure hitters work in sure conditions. With none cuts having been made, the minor league hitters will get loads of probabilities to play in Grapefruit League video games as effectively. The Mets will proceed to maneuver bats up and all the way down to see what works and what doesn’t forward of Opening Day.
PITCHING DEPTH
The Mets signed veteran right-hander Jose Ureña to a minor league contract this week. The plan is to stretch him out as a starter, however Mendoza additionally famous that he can be utilized as an extended reliever. Ureña may compete for a beginning job out of camp, however proper now, the Mets view him to be in a gaggle of second-tier depth starters with right-hander Justin Hagenman and left-hander Brandon Waddell.
The 33-year-old went 6-8 with a 3.80 ERA and a 4.62 FIP and one save in 33 video games (9 begins) for the Texas Rangers final season.
