Inside The Mets

Insider says Mets' top prospect Brandon Sproat could help rotation this year

The New York Mets have already lost two starters to injury, but one insider says that the team’s top prospect could be an option.

Michael Sakuraba

Feb 13, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Brandon Sproat (91) pitches live batting practice at Spring Training. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Feb 13, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Brandon Sproat (91) pitches live batting practice at Spring Training. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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At New York Mets spring training in Port St. Lucie, Florida, injuries to two starting pitchers have overshadowed the debut of Juan Soto.

Last week, offseason acquisition Frankie Montas was diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain that will sideline him for at least 6-8 weeks. On Monday, it was reported by manager Carlos Mendoza that lefty Sean Manaea will likely miss Opening Day with a right oblique strain. Both starters were expected to be among the Mets’ top options in this year’s rotation.

With the Mets’ rotation depth tested early, a reunion with veteran southpaw Jose Quintana has been making headlines. But while there has been said to be mutual interest between the two sides, New York's higher-ups have been adamant about filling in for injuries internally.

The same mantra was preached when infielder Nick Madrigal suffered a fractured and dislocated left shoulder. A reunion with shortstop Jose Iglesias would be a natural fit, but the Mets have reiterated their desire to promote from within the organization. Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña, and eventually Ronny Mauricio have all been named as candidates for increased playing time.

Read More: Mets' Sean Manaea has an oblique strain, will likely miss Opening Day

On Monday’s episode of Baseball Night in New York, Mets insider Will Sammon cautioned against rushing into a trade for another starting pitcher. Instead, Sammon suggested that top pitching prospect Brandon Sproat should be a natural depth option for this battered New York rotation.

“We heard Carlos Mendoza mention his name but he’s going to start the season in Triple-A,” Sammon said. “But he’s part of the calculus in the sense that the Mets don’t really necessarily want to block him completely from making an impact at some point this season. Whether that is June, July, or whatever. By adding another starter, you add another guy on top of that who is in front of Brandon Sproat.”

Sproat, 24, has an electric arsenal with a mid-to-high 90s fastball and a vicious slider. He also has a changeup, sinker, and curveball in his repertoire, and has already shown in Spring Training that he can pitch to major league batters.

For the Mets, a May call-up wouldn’t be out of the question for Sproat. This is exactly how they treated their previous top pitching prospect (Christian Scott), as they can control the number of innings for a young arm. Last season, Sproat pitched 116.1 innings across three different Mets affiliates, posting a 3.40 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 131 strikeouts against 42 walks.

For now, it appears the Mets will take the rest of Spring Training to evaluate their starting depth. President of baseball operations David Stearns does not seem to be in a rush to add another pitcher, especially if Manaea misses minimal time to start the year. The Mets’ rotation is certainly going to be tested early, but for a team with pennant aspirations in mind, it's also too early to make any reactionary deals.

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Michael Sakuraba
MICHAEL SAKURABA

Mike Sakuraba is a contributing writer for the Mets On SI site. He has previously written for Betcris, Rotocurve, and TimTurkhockey.com.

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