Young Pitching Prospects Show Promise early

This post is about the promise being shown by our young pitching prospects down in the Minors, if you are interested in what they are doing take a look.

The trio of Jeurys Familia, Jenrry Mejia, along with Matt Harvey, who are the top 3 pitching prospects in the Mets farm system, have all made 2 starts apiece to begin the 2011 campaign. In those 6 starts combined they have pitched a total of 36.2 innings, allowing just 17 hits, 1 ER, while striking out 41 batters. Yes, you read that right, in 6 combined starts this trio has allowed just 1 Earned Run in 36.2 innings.

Jenrry Mejia, who is ranked as the top pitcher in the Mets farm system, has not allowed an Earned Run his first 2 starts. Mejia has pitched 12.2 innings so far this season, allowed 7 hits and striking out 11. Jenrry has not pitched a full season in the minors, and coming into this season that was the plan.  He needs refinement of some his secondary pitches, especially his curve ball which he has had trouble getting over for strikes. Last season may have held him back a little bit in terms of his readiness for this season, but he does not seem to have lost any of his dominance in the process. Mejia is currently pitching for the Mets Triple-A affiliate the Buffalo Bisons.

Jeurys Familia has started out the 2011 campaign in dominating fashion. He has only yielded 2 hits, 1 in each start, struck out 13 and allowed just 1 ER over his 13 innings pitched. In his second start he took a no hitter into the sixth inning. After a disappointing 2010 season where Familia pitched to a 5.58 era and went 6-9 in 24 starts, this is a very promising start.  Familia's fastball has been in the 93-96 range in his two starts, and his change up has looked very good early, he also features a slider.  The change up will be key to his success as it is a pitch he currently developing.  He has all the potential to make a major league roster some day, and being that he was ranked as the one of the top 3 pitching prospects in the Mets system coming into this season, he has very high expectations set upon him. Familia has picked up where he left off last season, starting for the Mets single-A affiliate St Lucie Mets.

Matt Harvey has been overpowering in this first 2 starts of his professional career. He has not allowed an earned run over his first 11 innings, and has struck out 17 in the process. Harvey had a somewhat inconsistent during his collegiate career, but being drafted 7th overall has given him very lofty expectations. His fastball has consistently sat in the 94-96 range, and has topped out at 97 MPH in his last start.  He throws strikes and also features a change up, curve ball and slider.  Harvey has joined Jeurys Familia as a formidable 1-2 punch in the St Lucie Mets rotation.

Keep your eyes on these young pitchers as the season goes along, monitoring their progress will be very exciting. The only pitcher of this trio I see potentially being called up this season is Jenrry Mejia because he was up last season, and is pitching at the highest level in Triple-A. There is an outside chance that we could see all 3 of these guys in flushing at some point in 2012. If not 2012, 2013 looks like the season these guys could be batting for spots in the Mets rotation.