NY Mets Roster: 2 players who should probably start 2022 in Triple-A

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: David Peterson #23 of the New York Mets reacts after walking in a run with the bases loaded in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field on May 07, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: David Peterson #23 of the New York Mets reacts after walking in a run with the bases loaded in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field on May 07, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
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Oct 1, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill (38) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill (38) before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

The New York Mets will have a few months to decide who makes their Opening Day roster and which regulars from the 2021 club are best served in Triple-A. There’s a whole winter ahead to reshape the roster followed by a spring of competition.

For now, we can only look at the 2021 performances to make some future decisions. And if these two Mets are on the 2022 Opening Day roster, it probably means something else went wrong.

Mets pitcher Tylor Megill could use a little more seasoning on the farm

Tylor Megill’s rookie season with the Mets went from memorable to something far more average. It’s tough to really blame him for it. He is pitching a lot more than ever before and at a level no one anticipated he could reach in such a short timeframe.

Megill is one of those ultimate underdogs fans want to root for. Even in these darker final weeks, he has been given the benefit of being a rookie pitcher who was likely rushed to the majors this season.

Prior to his big league promotion, Megill made only three starts in Triple-A. The 14.1 innings were a promising addition to the 26 in five starts he made down in Double-A.

I’m actually a little surprised looking back at this now to see he made only eight starts in the minors this season before getting called up to the major leagues. Certainly someone who could grow further as a pitcher, the weak final weeks and lack of Triple-A innings make him a good candidate to step back for a little bit. A few months in the minor leagues could set Megill up well to return to the majors a little more triumphantly.

Jun 14, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 14, 2021; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

David Peterson didn’t pitch well enough to slot himself into the Mets rotation

David Peterson was the Tylor Megill of the 2020 season except he didn’t have enough time to watch his season take a turn for the worst. Through 116.1 major league innings, he is now 8-8 with a 4.64 ERA. This comes from a 6-2 record and 3.44 ERA in 2020 followed by his 2-6 and 5.54 ERA performance in 2021.

Peterson has something else in common with Megill. He, too, was rushed to the big leagues. After an okay season in Double-A back in 2019, the next time Peterson would pitch was in 2020 for the major league Mets. He skipped right from Binghamton to Queens without stopping at Syracuse.

One could argue Megill and Peterson are in the same exact position with possibly a little more trust in Peterson because of what he did in 2020. I’d rank them about equally. Each has a ton to prove in spring training.

Competition is nothing new for Peterson. Last March, he was fighting against Joey Lucchesi for the fifth spot in the rotation. Because Carlos Carrasco got hurt, the battle ended in a draw and both pitchers made the Opening Day roster.

Peterson shouldn’t be so lucky next year. The Mets cannot afford to have mediocre pitchers competing for the final spot when their veterans are coming off of such poor seasons. Add in how bad Peterson was this year and we have a guy who will need to work his way back into the circle of trust.

Aug 18, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill (38) confers with catcher Patrick Mazeika (76) and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner during the third inning while home plate umpire Scott Barry (87) tries to hurry things along at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 18, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill (38) confers with catcher Patrick Mazeika (76) and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner during the third inning while home plate umpire Scott Barry (87) tries to hurry things along at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports /

Tylor Megill and David Peterson should both get innings for the Mets in 2022 regardless of where they start

Barring a trade, which I would say is somewhat likely for these two, each will get to pitch in the big leagues again in 2022. Injuries are inevitable to both starters and relievers. Even if the Mets do load up on talent in free agency or trades that didn’t involve either of these pitchers, they should get an opportunity.

Ultimately, though, it’s impossible for me to have much confidence in both working out well. Megill has a higher hill to climb. He was never expected to ever reach the big leagues. Eighth-round draft picks rarely do.

Peterson, on the other hand, is a first-rounder. He has been on the major league radar for several years and the fact that he throws left-handed helps him a bit, too.

There is one unfamiliar role one or both of these arms could take on. The bullpen is always an option for any young starter who doesn’t seem capable of getting 15+ outs a night. As much as the Mets would prefer to develop starters, they also need to look at the future of their bullpen. Many of their current relievers are set to hit free agency within the next two seasons. To have even one young gun they can turn to for the next several years would be a great benefit for them.

Next. 3 ways the Mets failed, 3 ways they succeeded

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It’s not an absolute disaster if Megill or Peterson are on the Opening Day roster. However, if they are present, it probably means the offseason wasn’t as superb as everyone wanted.

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