New York Mets starting rotation options are plentiful even without Trevor Bauer

The next Mets pitcher that will get a chance to compete for a rotation spot is someone who the team is very familiar with. That player’s name is Jordan Yamamoto, who was traded to the Mets this offseason from the Miami Marlins.

Yamamoto, like Peterson, is very young and has not spent much time in the big leagues. He had an encouraging stint in 2019 and only had four appearances in 2020, most of which were not so great. Yamamoto is 24 years old, and he profiles as a four-pitch starter. He primarily deploys a fastball, curveball, cutter, and slider. In many ways, Yamamoto is cut from the same cloth as Peterson: He is not someone who relies on blowing by hitters with a near triple-digit fastball. Yamamoto’s fastball hovers at around 91 mph.

As a young player, Yamamoto is also a cheap, young, and talented asset. He is under club control until 2026. This means that the Mets, unless they choose to trade him, can hold onto him for a long time. Provided that Yamamoto realizes his potential, there is a strong possibility that Yamamoto could be a fixture in the team’s rotation a couple years from now.

Former Marlins pitcher Jordan Yamamoto is one example of Mets owner Steve Cohen’s commitment to rebuilding the club’s depth.

It is important to note that Mets owner Steve Cohen noted that he wanted to improve the team’s depth. He has been very consistent about this ever since he bought the team. One of his stated goals is to improve the team’s depth, which makes sense because the team’s lack of depth hurt them last year, particularly when it came to starting pitching. The trade for Yamamoto is indisputable evidence that the new ownership and front office is prioritizing quality depth.

With Yamamoto under team control through 2026 and having a minor league option, the Mets could send him to Triple-A without placing him on waivers. And that is what I believe the Mets will do.

Prediction: Yamamoto will start the season with Triple-A Syracuse, headlining the club’s starting rotation. If he performs well there, he will be the first pitcher called up if one of the Mets starters goes on the IL for a significant amount of time.