Three Mets prospects who could find themselves in the rotation this season

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BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 15: A detailed view of the ball bag for the New York Mets sits by the dugout before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 15, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

The New York Mets have pitching depth at the major league and minor league levels. A mix of youngsters, veterans, and castoffs from other organizations, there’s no shortage of arms we could see enter the rotation at any point this season.

Today, I’d like to look at a few of the notable prospects we could see join the rotation at some point in 2021. To be considered a prospect, they’ll still need their rookie status intact.

Who are these three pitchers and how likely is it that we’ll see them enter the rotation? You’ll have to tune in right below for the answer.

Thomas Szapucki – Mets number 9 prospect per MLB.com

There’s little doubt we’ll see Thomas Szapucki pitch for the Mets at some point in 2021. Outside of a trade before making his debut with the club, the 24-year-old lefty is one of the longest-tenured highly-rated prospects in the organization.

Szapucki might be a little behind schedule in part because of injuries. He made only six starts in 2017 and missed all of 2018. When he returned to action in 2019, Szapucki logged just over 60 innings. The result was a 2.63 ERA with an average of 10.5 strikeouts per nine.

Last year was a wash for all minor leaguers which put his progress on hold. This year, if all goes well for the number nine ranked prospect in the system, he could become a candidate to join the rotation.

The likelihood of this is still not too great as he has yet to even pitch at the Triple-A level. For two positives, he’s already on the 40-man roster and throws left-handed. These two put him in line as a candidate to put “major league pitcher” on next year’s tax returns. Still, I think I’d put him behind our second guest on this list.

MESA, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 24: Sam McWilliams #52 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch during the spring training game against the Oakland Athletics at HoHoKam Stadium on February 24, 2019 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Sam McWilliams – Mets number 16 prospect per MLB.com

The Mets went out and signed a guy this winter to become their number 16 prospect. An uncommon occurrence because free agents aren’t usually of this ilk, Sam McWilliams is one of the most interesting additions to the franchise from this past winter. He has zero MLB experience yet managed to snag a major league contract.

The Mets seem to really like the guy and I think we will get to see why this year. It might not be as a starter, though. McWilliams could end up as a more immediate solution to any bullpen woes they could face. I would say he’s ahead of Szapucki on a major league promotion simply because he’s already getting paid big league bucks.

Depending on how he performs, McWilliams might even rank higher than some of the veterans the Mets signed this winter to fill out the Triple-A depth chart. He had only an outside chance of making it onto the Opening Day roster. With options left on him, the Mets took advantage and will test-fly him in Syracuse first—unless they need him before the season down/up there begins.

McWilliams is a candidate to not only have a few starts this year but to also potentially fight for a spot on the 2022 roster. The franchise’s commitment to signing him this winter shows they have a willingness to see what he can do. It might not be immediate, but I strongly believe we’ll see McWilliams start for the Mets at some point this year.

Hopefully, it’s not for long because that only means someone else ahead of him on the depth chart has gone down.

Aug 17, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Franklyn Kilome (66) delivers a pitch in the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Franklyn Kilome – Mets number 22 prospect per MLB.com

Our final entrant is a man who has already pitched for the Mets. Franklyn Kilome, the number 22 prospect in the system, logged 11.1 innings in relief for the 2020 Mets. The results weren’t great. He posted an 11.12 ERA and took home a loss.

This isn’t the end of the experiment with Kilome. Acquired in the 2018 trade which sent Asdrubal Cabrera to the Philadelphia Phillies, he’s a man about to enter an important season of his career.

Kilome has already undergone a major injury which knocked him out for all of 2019. Now healthy again, the 2021 season is about a few things for him. He has to prove he is healthy and effective. In addition to those obvious goals, he needs to stand out from the rest of the starting pitcher candidates.

I don’t see Kilome slotting in as a starter permanently in the big leagues with the Mets. As much as we can ignore the 2020 pains, I feel there are too many people ahead of him within the system. Unless he becomes ace-like, he’ll eventually get passed by younger prospects in the system.

Talking about this year alone, we COULD see Kilome start for the Mets. Given the choice of him or a green pitcher such as Szapucki or McWilliams, I personally prefer we see what one of them do instead.

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It will be interesting to see exactly how the Mets line up their depth chart this year. Guys like Robert Gsellman could also potentially get a start ahead of these prospects. A lot may simply depend on whose arm is the hottest when the team needs to make a call to Syracuse.

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