3 Mets relievers not on the 40-man roster most likely to see big league action this year

3) NY Mets reliever Grant Hartwig seems to make the most sense as a cup of coffee guy

Just about every season has the debut of some Mets reliever. Grant Hartwig is the guy I’m rooting for. Although there might not be any shocking revelations or a permanent spot in the team’s bullpen this year, Hartwig’s underdog status within the organization makes him someone easy to cheer for.

We’ve all been picked last in something. Kickball. High school dances. Best-looking at our self-employed companies we owned. Hartwig wasn’t exactly picked last in the draft. He wasn’t picked at all.

The now 25-year-old joined the Mets as an amateur free agent signing. His minor league numbers thus far have been eye-popping for a player with any path to professional baseball. He’s now 6-3 with a 1.98 ERA in 68.1 innings of work. Fanning an average of 12.5 batters per 9 while issuing free passes at a rate of 3.7 per 9, Hartwig has the stuff to become a late-inning weapon for the Mets in the near future.

All of his minor league options remain. Once he is added to the 40-man roster, we can expect him to stay put. Once there, he could join the cycle of relievers going back and forth from Queens to Syracuse. 

We shouldn’t expect this to be Hartwig’s coming out party. A couple of sips from the coffee mug is far more realistic and savory enough.