NY Mets depth chart could use 17-game winner David Stearns once traded away

Since 2022, Cody Ponce has been pitching overseas. He spent time in Japan and just wrapped up his first season in South Korea. He’s not a high-profile pitcher many New York Mets fans would know. Just 20 big league games of experience, all with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he’s someone David Stearns already knows from his time with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ponce was drafted in 2015 by the Brewers a few months before Stearns became the club’s general manager. In 2019, he was traded to Pittsburgh for Jordan Lyles. The 31-year-old righty had some mild success in Japan before putting together a monster season in the KBO this past year.

In 29 starts across 180.2 innings, Ponce was 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA. I’m sorry, what?

Welcome to New York, Cody Ponce, here’s a major league deal

Just because Ponce found success overseas doesn’t mean we can count on him to do much of anything stateside. His sheer dominance that also included 2 BB/9 and 12.6 K/9 contrast to what he did while in other leagues. For instance, in the NPB, Ponce was 10-16 with a 4.54 ERA.

Working in his favor is a track record of throwing strikes. Every league he has appeared in includes less than 3 walks per 9 innings, even the limited time he spent in the big leagues with the Pirates. It’s everything else that has fluctuated with an ERA of 6.72 in the Japanese major leagues in 2024.

Ponce does have a remaining minor league option left which puts him in the same category as Brandon Waddell was when the Mets signed him last offseason. Waddell’s option was used in 2025, making him a less appealing fit.

With 252 strikeouts this season highlighting his accomplishments in addition to the low ERA and consistent winning, it’ll be hard for MLB teams to not be intrigued by the idea of paying him to come back. The challenge the Mets face is competing against other teams who may have a clearer path for Ponce to get big league innings. Ponce is not someone you want to write in with marker to begin the year on the roster. However, as an optional starter in the same role the Mets always plan to use Tylor Megill in (but end up needing him in the majors), Ponce feels worth a chance even if his role ultimately has him throwing out of the bullpen.