Strikeout-happy NY Mets prospect is even better since full-time bullpen transition

Most New York Mets fans have turned their gaze to the Triple-A team lately for the mere fact the major league club seems to lose a player to injury every series. You’re muttering Joey Meneses’ OPS in your sleep. You knew Kevin Herget’s FIP before he threw a pitch for the Mets this season.

Down one level is where the secrets are hidden. Double-A is the last stop for prospect exclusive players. By the time they get to Triple-A, it’s a stronger mix of guys who never made it and those trying to get back to the top of the mountain. Binghamton has some terrific young Mets players headlined by pitchers Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong as well as offensive juggernaut Jett Williams.

Over in the bullpen which most assuredly involves warming up near camp kids and picnic areas across the league, there’s a guy Douglas Orellana. The freshly turned 23-year-old righty has made a full transition to relief work. It’s paying off with big strikeout numbers and an incredibly respectable walk rate he hadn’t been able to brag about in previous seasons.

Mets prospect Douglas Orellana has fully embraced his new role

It’s a limited sample of 8 appearances and 12.1 innings, but enough to take notice after the year he had in 2024. Orellana is coming off of a season in Brooklyn where he made 9 starts, 4 relief appearances, and came away looking really good in the earned run department. A 1.86 ERA surely aided by the home ballpark he played in helped make him a more noticeable member of the farm system. However, a 1.29 WHIP made up of too many walks (4.2 per 9) didn’t help him completely jump off the page. He did, however, showcase his ability to strike batters out at a high rate. He finished last year at 11.4 per 9.

It doesn’t matter if you’re playing in Yellowstone. That’s impressive.

This year’s walk rate has fallen tremendously. He’s at 1.5 per 9 and it’s showing in his WHIP that sits at 0.56. Orellana has been especially tough on hitters who’ve racked up hits at a rate of only 3.6 per 9. The strikeout numbers are, of course, the lead story. At 13.1 per 9, he has lived up completely to the reputation anyone would when they go from starter to reliever. Naturally, with only one or two innings expected, a pitcher is going to give it their all rather than leave some in the tank.

The idea of developing a pitcher to be a big league reliever feels like a relatively newer concept in baseball. The Mets have had a tough time building pitchers of any kind who’ve been able to succeed at the major league level. He’s one of the younger players on the Binghamton roster and a full year of pitching in Double-A as a reliever should give us a better idea of whether he can cross the next boundary or not. So far, so impressive.