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NY Mets pitching prospect Thomas Szapucki: Trade candidate or 2022 rotation option?

By Tim Boyle |
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Thomas Szapucki #63 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during Photo Day at Clover Park on February 20, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Thomas Szapucki #63 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during Photo Day at Clover Park on February 20, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 09: The New York Mets logo adorns a seat before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on April 9, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 09: The New York Mets logo adorns a seat before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on April 9, 2016 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

I don’t blame the New York Mets for holding back pitching prospect Thomas Szapucki from making his MLB debut. The 27th man in their most recent doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies, this soon-to-be-25-year-old lefty is close to graduating from Triple-A for an extended period of time.

Szapucki, a fifth-round draft pick back in 2015, has outperformed his draft spot. Rising up through the farm system, the problem with him has been injuries. He only passed 150 innings pitched professionally this year which is amazingly low for a guy who has been around as long as Szapucki has.

Nevertheless, the franchise and fans remain optimistic about what Szapucki can do. He has pitched well at each level outside of his 2.1 innings in 2015. This includes a nice start to the year with the Syracuse Mets.

What role can Thomas Szapucki play for the Mets?

Szapucki is at the age where we begin to question a man’s prospect-hood. By 25, prospects should have some big league innings under their belt. Otherwise, they are less prospects and more minor leaguers hoping to blossom late.

His case is a little different. The absence of a 2020 season accelerated how soon he could make his Mets debut. Hoping to cash in on something from this promising young southpaw, there are two very important roles Szapucki can play for this team.

In 2021, he could make some starts but that may not happen considering how reluctant the team has been to promote him—instead opting for bullpen games. This year, Szapucki could turn into one of the Mets’ best trade candidates.

Aug 31, 2018; San Francisco, CA, USA; General view of the New York Mets baseball glove and cap before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 31, 2018; San Francisco, CA, USA; General view of the New York Mets baseball glove and cap before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /

Why Thomas Szapucki brings value in a trade

Let’s pick a random team we know will not be contending this year. I’ll point at the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lovely ballpark. Wonderful fans. Horrible team.

In whatever trade the Mets and Pirates could make, Szapucki could slot right in as a starter on their big league roster. This is the case around baseball. Young arms on the fringe of making a big league club suddenly have a much bigger role to take on with another organization. They don’t wallow in the minors hoping for the skipper to give them the good news. They go right to the show.

If the Mets do view Szapucki as a trade candidate, this could explain their reluctance to use him in big league games. Why expose him and ruin some of the intrigue? Instead, use him as a trade chip with potential. General managers love that potential. It helps distract fans from all of the losing. They turn to each other every August after the trade deadline and insist the future will be bright!

One thing this current front office has not done yet is subtract significance from their farm system. To get better at this year’s trade deadline, they must do so.

Alternatively, the Mets could always keep him around. In 2022, maybe he becomes a legitimate rotation candidate.

May 9, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

Thomas Szapucki could be a decent rotation depth option for the Mets in 2022

Who starts for the Mets in 2022? Other than Jacob deGrom and Taijuan Walker, we have questions.

Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard are both free agents with the latter yet to pitch in 2021 due to recovery from Tommy John Surgery. Carlos Carrasco is under contract. Like Syndergaard, we have yet to see him pitch. What if the injury bug bites him again?

David Peterson hasn’t performed well enough to keep his starter’s gig without a fight. Then there’s Joey Lucchesi. I think we all feel similarly about him.

The Mets certainly could view Szapucki as a rotation contender next year—that’s if he sticks around and isn’t traded first. The club has done a fine job at adding young starters over the last few months, several of which we have seen pitch in relief for the club already. Sean Reid-Foley comes to mind as one of the bigger successes.

I’m curious to see which prospects the Mets willingly shop this summer and which ones they hold onto tightly. I fully expect them to be buyers and offer up some decent talent to help down the stretch.

Next. Greatest Mets trade deadline moves of all-time

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It goes without saying, so let me say it, there is always the bullpen for Szapucki to fall into. As a lefty hurler, there’s always a spot open for innings. Will it be with the Mets or does he become just another prospect we keep an eye on with a different organization?

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