Mets pitching prospect is providing much needed consistency

The New York Mets are redefining the definition of streakiness in 2024. After an awful start to the season, Francisco Lindor has finally found his rhythm at the plate. Brandon Nimmo was the polar opposite as his offensive struggles continue to manifest. Pete Alonso is a wild card to either have a stellar performance or take a 0-for-4. On top of that, we continue to hold our breath whenever a relief pitcher enters a game.

Throughout the Mets' farm system, the prospects have all been streaky as well. Luisangel Acuna has underperformed expectations despite a hot streak in mid-May. Mike Vasil has been disappointing, though has shown signs of improvement as of late. Ryan Clifford has yet to break out since his promotion to AA. However, one of Clifford's teammates at AA Binghamton has been very dependable all season long.

Tyler Stuart has provided much-needed consistency to the Mets' farm system

A common theme throughout the entire organization has been the lack of ability to throw strikes. This has haunted a Mets' starting rotation that continues to only average 5 innings per game. Unfortunately, this trend has manifested in the prospects as Blade Tidwell and Jonah Tong possess high walk rates despite their clamoring ERAs.

However, 24-year-old right-hander Tyler Stuart has pounded the strike zone. Selected in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, Stuart is a two-pitch starter who relies on a fastball-slider mix to get batters out. While an arsenal this limited reflects a long-relief pitcher, Stuart continues to defy all odds and pitch effectively late into games.

Take Stuart's last five starts as an example of reliability. In each of those games, Stuart lasted at least 5 innings and gave up 3 runs or fewer. More impressively, the 24-year-old has limited the free passes to two or fewer and has yet to give up more than 9 hits in a game this season.

As former NFL head coach Bill Parcells once said, "The best ability is availability and dependability". This quote can best define Stuart's season, as he has given the Binghamton Rumble Ponies a chance to win each game he's started. Keep in mind, the Mets were at their best when they had reliable 'inning eaters' on their rosters such as Chris Bassitt and Bartolo Colon.

Furthermore, Stuart is proving more with each start he deserves an opportunity to make his AAA debut. Despite having solid starting pitching depth, the Mets have very few signed through next season on their roster. In a season designated for evaluating young prospects, Stuart can find himself in the conversation after the trade deadline. The question that has yet to be answered is the variance of Stuart's ceiling. Will his two-pitch mix work at the major league level, or is he best suited for the bullpen?