Stephen Gonsalves

New York Mets Add Three Pitchers to 60-Man Camp

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yankees, New York Mets, Luis Rojas

As week two of New York Mets summer camp starts up, they will have three new members to their workouts. The three pitchers are right-handers Jordan Humphreys and Matt Blackham and lefty Stephen Gonsalves.

Humphreys was a high upside prospect pitched well through rookie and A-ball, but Tommy John Surgery derailed him in 2018. He only threw two innings in rookie ball in his 2019 return. Humphreys impressed in the Arizona Fall League with only one run allowed in 11.2 innings. The Mets put him on the 40-man roster before 2020. He is not overpowering, but his career 1.6 BB/9 is very impressive and just turned 24.

Major League Ready?

While Humphreys still seems a couple of steps away from the big leagues, Matt Blackham could contribute this year. He is a slender 5′ 10″ and listed at 150 pounds but has carried strikeout stuff throughout the minors. During his minor league career, he has a 2.38 ERA and 12.1 K/9. At age 27, Blackham could fit into the long line of late-blooming Mets at the big league level.

Gonsalves is the only addition with major league experience in his career. Highly touted throughout the minors, he had a career ERA under three before his 2018 call-up. Gonsalves had a 6.57 ERA, and constant injuries during his Minnesota Twins tenure caused them to put him on waivers. On Wednesday, he turned 26-years old, and the Mets hope he can rekindle his prospect talent.

All three pitchers come to the Mets as insurance should injuries or COVID-19 cause players to drop the same way it has throughout the NBA and NHL. The Mets have good luck so far with keeping their players healthy and engaged, but things can easily turn south quickly. With the expanded 30-man rosters to start the season, a stellar spring gives these pitches a chance to join a strong Mets bullpen.

New York Mets: Mets Claim Gonsalves, Move Taylor to 40-man Roster

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After New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran was introduced on Monday, the Mets started making their first offseason roster moves. They claimed pitcher Stephen Gonsalves of waivers from the Twins and also moved reliever Blake Taylor on to their 40-man roster.

Gonsalves was a former top 100 prospect, but elbow injuries have derailed his career. He only has pitched in 24.2 innings in the big leagues and had a 6.57 ERA. The elbow issues led to Gonsalves only pitching 13 innings in the minors during the 2019 season, in which he had a 4.15 ERA. He has been a starter his whole career and could be a much needed depth piece to a pitching staff which lacked depth in 2019.

Left Handed Bullpen Depth

Taylor is a throwback to the Ike Davis trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 2014 season. The roster move was made to prevent Taylor from becoming a free agent and gives them another left handed reliever. After struggling in the minors for the past couple of seasons, he broke out in 2019. Taylor split time between high-A and double-A where he had a 2.16 ERA in 66.2 innings with 74 strikeouts.

He also pitched to a 2.00 ERA during nine innings in the Arizona Fall League. Though, he has not pitched well at the triple-A level yet, he should start the season there. If the Mets do not add anything to their bullpen, Taylor will have a good chance to receive some big league innings in 2020.