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Showing posts from April, 2024

Is This The Mets Most Underrated Pitching Prospect? An Analysis of Tyler Stuart

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An Analysis of Tyler Stuart Tyler Stuart grabbed the attention of some prospect watchers last season after he finished with the lowest ERA in the minor leagues at 2.20.  However, there is more behind this shiny number  as  the peripheral numbers are not as  nice  for Stuart.  He racked up many of his good numbers while pitching for the Mets high-A affiliate in Brooklyn, a  stadium that is notoriously hard to hit in .  When he got called  up  to  double-A  his numbers regressed, posting a 3.60 ERA.  Despite his impressive  2023   Stuart's  future as a starter is far from certain  but  that does not mean he  can’t  be a valuable asset for the Mets.  The intrigue around Stuart starts with his height , standing  at 6- 9  Stuart is an imposing presence on the mound.  Naturally, he has elite extension  making  his fastball  which  sits around 92-96  look  even faster  the pitch  also features  above above-average  sink due to his low arm slot.  Recently  Stuart  seems to be throwing dist

Do the Mets really have the next Ohtani?

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A (pitching) analysis of Nolan McLean.  After the emergence of Shohei Ohtani, teams are eager to find the next two-way star. So when the Mets drafted Nolan McLean in the third round and allowed him to continue to hitting and pitching it was not a surprise. But can he really pitch and hit at the MLB level? I can only answer the pitching part of that question and the answer is yes. As @James_Schiano said on @MetsdUp McLean's slider is good enough to be an MLB reliever right now. It is special, with 3,200+ RPMS and speeds approaching 90 MPH it would be one of the best in the MLB. As a reliever McLean reminds me of Orion Kerkering, you might remember him as the young Phillies reliever who dominated the mets last year. His slider was thought to be one of the best the league had ever seen, and McLeans slider might be even better. Kerkering’s slider peaks at about 3,000 RPMS where as McLean regularly touches 3,200. The slider paired with his fastball that touches 98 would make him a letha

The Mets next high-rising pitching prospect - An analysis of Jonah Tong

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*This article is an expanded version of a thread on Twitter/X follow me there - https://twitter.com/isaacgroffman* The Mets next high-rising pitching prospect. An analysis of Jonah Tong.   By Isaac Groffman With the latest crop of young Mets Pitching prospects climbing MLB prospect rankings, it's time to talk about the next class of Mets pitchers who will begin showing up on top prospect lists this summer. Leading this class is 20 year old Jonah Tong. The 7th-round draft pick out of Ontario has gotten off to a roaring start striking out 21 batters over 8 innings in his first two starts of 2024.   When watching Tong the first thing that stands out to me is his delivery. It is unique because he strides down the mound almost hiding the ball behind his back. Then he brings his arm way over the top (Video courtesy of Prospects Live on YouTube).   This over-the-top motion almost reminds me most of a much shorter Tyler Glasnow. Like Glasnow Tong also has a high spin fastball, thrown from

There is a Pitching Injury Crisis and It starts in little league.

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A Quick Note:  I wrote this paper in December, but it is more relevant today than ever. With recent news that aces Spencer Strider, Gerrit Cole, and Shane Bieber are having elbow troubles, fans are desperately searching for answers, and it seems like each fan has their own theory as to why these injuries are happening. As I will explain, after researching my own theory is that it all starts in Little League with the toxic culture that can develop and, as a result, the pursuit of high velocity. I also question the effectiveness of pitch and inning limits, the long-proposed solution to this issue. The Youth Baseball Injury Crisis Isaac Groffman Many American children grow up with fond memories of playing youth sports, getting out of the house, being around friends, and learning lifelong lessons in front of their coaches. Youth sports in the United States today are no longer about kids having fun; they have become a circus of clubs and travel teams. Parents are putting pressure on their k