The Matt Allan experiment came to a close at the beginning of the offseason with the departure of a pitcher who was once meant to become a core part of the New York Mets pitching staff. Injuries limited him to only 30.1 innings, with exactly 0 from 2020-2024, the pandemic absent season of course only playing a minor role in the absence of games logged by the once-promising prospect.
Turning 25 this April, it was time for a change. He has separated from the Mets. They haven’t completely given up on the idea of taking chances on oft-injured pitchers in their early 20s.
On Thursday, the Mets signed Jun-Seok Shim. He turns 22 in April and since going pro in 2023, he has been limited to 21.1 innings. Never hyped like Allan, the similarities are there.
Jun-Seok Shim has had a fascinating professional career that has led him to the Mets
Back in 2023, Shim was considered the 10th best international prospect. Just a high school kid who didn’t play in Korea’s KBO, he instead hired Scott Boras to get him a contract form a major league team. He attracted the attention of the Pittsburgh Pirates who paid him $750K.
Limited to 4 starts, Shim struck out 13 batters in 8 innings of work. It was a good start, but injuries have limited him to only 18.1 innings over the last two seasons. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2024 and didn’t pitch again until the Arizona Fall League. He got blasted with 11 earned runs allowed in 5 innings. He walked 12 batters, too.
While recovering in 2024, the Pirates traded him to the Miami Marlins. He spent last year in Rookie Ball again, once more giving up a ton of runs while walking an outrageous number of batters he faced. 16 earned runs, 23 walks, and only 13.1 innings, the Marlins weren’t willing to keep him around.
This is a fascinating grab for the Mets. If nothing else, it’s a true test of how magical the potions within the pitching lab are. Shim is unlikely to become a future star, but hey, what do they have to lose?
