Mets facing crucial choice on up-and-coming player, with Frankie Montas transitioning to the relief pitcher role
The Mets are poised to unveil their top pitching prospect to fill the void left by the struggling Frankie Montas in the starting rotation, with Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean emerging as the leading candidates for the coveted spot.
Both Sproat and McLean are highly regarded prospects currently playing in Triple-A Syracuse. Sproat, the fifth-ranked prospect, has shown significant improvement recently, going 4-0 with a stellar 1.15 ERA over his last seven starts. McLean, the third-ranked prospect, has been slightly ahead of Sproat on the internal depth chart, posting a 2.78 ERA over 16 games (13 starts) at Triple-A Syracuse.
Montas, who has struggled with a 6.38 ERA in eight appearances for the Mets, was demoted to the bullpen on Tuesday due to a string of underwhelming performances. In his last appearance on Saturday, Montas threw 72 pitches over three innings, allowing three runs.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has indicated that Sproat and McLean are the primary options to step into Montas’ rotation spot starting this weekend. However, Mendoza has not yet announced the selection for the top pitching prospect spot.
If Nolan McLean is called up for his major league debut, he would be on five days of rest. Meanwhile, the Mets recently promoted Jonah Tong, a 22-year-old pitching prospect, to Syracuse on Sunday. The Mets do not expect Tong to pitch in the major leagues this season.
Mendoza emphasized the importance of attacking hitters and avoiding deep counts to extend the length of a start. The Mets could use length from a starter, as no starter has pitched at least six innings since June 7.
Montas' contract contains an opt-out after this season, raising questions about his future with the team. The Mets hope one of these prospects can provide more stability and possibly contend for a postseason rotation spot if their performance continues.
Meanwhile, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, and Frankie Montas did not last five innings in the Mets' three-game sweep at Milwaukee, highlighting the need for a reliable starter.
As both Sproat and McLean continue to impress in Triple-A, the Mets are optimistic that one of these prospects can help solidify their rotation and potentially lead them to a postseason berth.
Sproat and McLean, the highly regarded prospects, are optimistic about potentially leading the Mets' rotation, with Sproat, the fifth-ranked prospect, showing significant improvement and McLean, the third-ranked prospect, having a slight edge on the depth chart. However, the Mets have not yet announced who will replace the struggling Frankie Montas in the rotation.
