The Mets have promoted right-handed pitcher Gabriel Ynoa has been promoted from St. Lucie to Double-A Binghamton and will make his Eastern League debut Thursday night against the New Britain Rock Cats. The twenty-one-year-old has followed up his Sterling-Award-winning campaign in Savannah in 2013 with a solid fourteen stars in the Florida State League. After a rough start to his 2014 season, Ynoa has been dominant in May and June, posting a 51-to-2 K:BB ratio over his last eight starts. For the season he has posted a 3.95 ERA and a 3.38 FIP in 82 innings. He has struck out 64 (18.2%) and walked just 13 (3.7%).
Ynoa features a full four-pitch repertoire now, including a low 90s fastball that can bump 95. His primary secondary offerings are a slider and change-up, both of which are potentially solid-average pitches at the major league level. Ynoa dabbled with a curve at the beginning of 2013, but has used it more regularly in 2014. He has shown excellent control and potentially above-average command throughout his minor league career, but Double-A will be a real test of his arsenal with no pitch that jumps out as a true bat-missing offering.
Ynoa's promotion should open up a spot in the St. Lucie rotation, with Savannah righthanders John Gant and Robert Gsellman the most likely candidates for a corresponding promotion. Ynoa joins his first-half rotation mate Steven Matz, as well as teammates TJ Rivera, Brandon Nimmo, Dilson Herrera, and Randy Fontanez, all of whom were promoted after the first half break two weeks ago.
For a 2014 update on Ynoa, check out Jeff Moore's scouting report over at Baseball Prospectus.