NY Mets pitcher had 2nd-worst increase in exit velocity against, here’s the good news

The New York Mets have a lot of things to sort out when it comes to the 2026 bullpen. Edwin Diaz is a free agent, and with a $100 million contract demand, it is unclear if he'll be back. The uncertainty extends beyond the ninth inning as well. Ryan Helsley wasn't coming back, but the club will have to find another solution for the role it envisioned him playing. Tyler Rogers coming back would be a dream as well, but he's expected to be a hot commodity in free agency as well.

That's a lot of questions, but doubts also circle around the players who are still here. The middle innings are unsettled, too, and players like Huascar Brazoban will find themselves fighting for jobs.

Brazoban shows up on the leaderboards in an unfavorable light. In terms of average exit velocity, he saw the second-biggest year-over-year jump, with his pitches jumping off bats 4.8 miles per hour faster than they did in 2024. While that might seem like cause for concern, it's not time to hit the panic button. Brazoban was coming from an elite place with a sparkling 82.3 miles per hour average exit velo in 2024, so even with the increase, he came in at an excellent 87.1 miles per hour in 2025.

Huascar Brazoban's jump in average exit velocity shouldn't concern the Mets too much

Brazoban's 2025 mark was still a 93rd percentile performance, which is more than good enough to live with. As you'd expect, his hard hit rate of 34.5% was also a stellar mark, ranking in the 90th percentile.

Yet, at times, Brazoban struggled in 2025. He began the year by dominating, posting a microscopic 1.34 ERA in 33.2 innings through May 31. However, he melted down hard in June, posting a 13.50 mark, and his July performance (3.86 ERA) wasn't enough to fully alleviate concerns. He was demoted in August, with the idea being to stretch him out and turn him into a bulk innings-eater.

That didn't completely go according to plan, but when he did resurface in September, he seemed to recapture his early-season magic with a 1.80 ERA over his final 10 innings of work.

Volatility is the name of the game for a middle reliever, so the highs and lows that Brazoban underwent in 2025 aren't uncommon. His ability to generate soft contact is, however, even though it took a step back this past season. That's a great tool to have, and while Brazoban isn't a lock to make the opening day bullpen, it's a skill that will give him a leg up versus most of the competition. At 36 years old, it's unlikely that he vaults himself further on the basis of this strength, but at the end of the day, the hit he took isn't nearly as bad as it looks.