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Keith Law continues to roll out his top 100 prospect list, and today he named Robert Gsellman the 76th best prospect in baseball (ESPN Insider subscription required).
The 23-year-old started the year in the minors, where he had a 3.99 ERA over 115 innings across Double-A and Triple-A, striking out only 6.9 batters per nine innings while walking 2.4 batters per nine. The right-hander fared much better once called up to the majors, with a 2.42 ERA over 44.2 innings, to go along with 8.5 strike outs per nine innings and 3.0 walks per nine. He just barely retained his rookie eligibility for the 2017 season.
Law had this to say about Gsellman:
Gsellman was a crafty, command right-hander until mid-2016, when his velocity started to climb rapidly, so that when he reached the majors in August, he was pitching at 92-96 mph. Gsellman is a sinkerballer by trade, complemented with the slightly above average curveball he uses as a put-away pitch as well as an average changeup -- and, of course, if Dan Warthen has laid hands on a guy, he probably has a decent slider too.
Gsellman came in at number two on Amazin’ Avenue’s list, though our prospectors disagreed with Law’s analysis regarding Gsellman’s slider and changeup. Greg Karam had this to say:
His curveball was above average and his slider is already a plus offering. The only thing Gsellman needs to improve on is his changeup, which is below average and clearly his worst pitch.
Regardless of scouting report, most agree that Gsellman’s major league performance is not a fluke and that the Mets have found themselves another above-average starting pitcher.
What is currently unknown is whether Gsellman will start the season in the rotation or the bullpen. Sandy Alderson has spoken about the possibility of Zack Wheeler being moved to the bullpen, which would open up a rotation spot for Gsellman. It is probably too early to speculate either way, but the odds of Gsellman being banished from the rotation for the entire season are decidedly low.