Jenrry Mejia Makes New York Mets' Roster

There was a lot of negativity surrounding the New York Mets this spring, but one of the bright spots was right-handed pitching phenom Jenrry Mejia.

Mejia burst on the scene this spring and was the talk of Mets camp. In 17 innings, Mejia had a 1.59 ERA and struck out nine while only walking three.

Mejia’s performance was so impressive that the Mets have decided to keep him on the major league roster to start the season.

The Mets decision was made easier due to the fact that Bobby Parnell completely fell apart this spring. Mejia will start in the bullpen for the Mets but will not be the eighth inning setup guy. He will pitch in the sixth or seventh inning and be eased into the role.

Here are some other facts about Mejia:

Age: 20

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

College: None

Drafted: None. Signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic.

Minor League Stats

2008 Rookie and Low Single-A: 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA, 67 K’s, and a 1.07 WHIP in 71.2 IP

2009 High Single-A and Double-A: 4-6 with a 3.14 ERA, 91 K’s, and a 1.31 WHIP in 94.2 IP

Keith Law Ranking and Analysis

Ranking: No. 23 out of 100 best prospects in baseball in 2010.

Analysis: “Mejia entered 2009 with no experience above short-season leagues, but finished it in Double-A despite missing time in the middle of the year with a strained finger on his pitching hand. He has top-of-the-rotation stuff, but is just 20 with the command you’d expect to see in a live-armed teenager with barely 200 innings in pro ball.

His fastball sits at 93-96 and will tick higher, and the ball sometimes shows natural cutting action toward left-handed hitters. His changeup is his best off-speed pitch and, at 85-87 mph with good tail, looks like a soft two-seamer. His curveball is very inconsistent, but at its best, it’s plus with good two-plane break and depth in the upper 70s.

He’s thick but not tall, and his slot is just below 3/4—so he has to work on staying on top of the ball, and the finger injury reduced his already below-average command. That said, he’s 20 and has shown he can get advanced hitters in Double-A out.

If the Mets slow him down a little and let him spend all of 2010 (and maybe some of 2011) in the minors to improve his command and the consistency of his changeup and curve, they have a chance for a No. 1 or No. 2 starter.”

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