5 pitchers who failed to turn into aces with the Mets

Bill Pulsipher had a unique Mets story

Next up is another Generation K, Bill Pulsipher. Pulsipher, who was selected by New York in 1991, was named the Mets' Minor League Player of the Year in 1994, only raising the expectations the team had for him. After winning this accolade, he pitched 218 innings in the minor leagues the next season at the age of 21.

Even with this overuse, Pulsipher started his major league career well: in 17 starts for the Mets during the 1995 season, he posted a 3.98 ERA and 1.6 fWAR. But, this is when his career took a turn for the worse, as in 1996, he underwent Tommy John surgery that kept him out the entire season.

Though injuries were part of it, it did not make up for all of Pulspiher's struggles. As he worked his way back, Pulsipher was dealing with extreme anxiety which turned into bouts of depression. This derailed his career with the Mets and in the MLB, and he played professionally in many countries across the world.

He has become a major advocate for mental health as well, expressing its importance and saying resources need to be provided. The expectations for him and other Generation K pitchers to become an ace never came to fruition, and for Pulsipher, there were both physical and mental things that caused his MLB career not to be what it seemed.