ZACK ATTACK: Zack Wheeler was the figure of dominance on the mound yesterday as he threw 30 pitches in batting practice to Marlon Byrd, John Buck and Justin Turner. (Anthony J. Causi)
PORT ST. LUCIE — Zack Wheeler is a big name in Mets camp, but until yesterday many of his potential future teammates had never seen him throw a pitch.
It didn’t take long into Wheeler’s 30-pitch live batting practice against Justin Turner, Marlon Byrd and John Buck for the Mets to understand why there is so much buzz surrounding the 22-year-old righty.
“It’s not just him looking like a big leaguer, it’s him looking like a No. 1,” the veteran outfielder Byrd said after batting against Wheeler.
Wheeler dazzled with his slider and curveball, but mostly his 98-mph heat that seems to accelerate just before it reaches the batter. Buck eventually poked a grounder through the infield, but Wheeler otherwise avoided anything close to decent contact.
David Wright, Ike Davis and Jon Niese were among the Mets who watched near the batting cage in what rated as the must-see event of the day.
“That’s the first time I’ve seen him throw in person and he’s got some late life on his fastball,” Turner said. “It kind of jumps on you, and we’re talking the late explosion that [Stephen] Strasburg has on his fastball. I was impressed.”
Byrd compared Wheeler’s heat to Justin Verlander’s.
“It’s a blinky,” Byrd said. “You see it, lose it and then see it at the last second, which makes his fastball, his slider, even tougher to hit. He’s going to be a good one.”
Wheeler, who is slated to begin the season at Triple-A Las Vegas, will be the Mets’ main attraction of spring training. The team’s other phenom, Matt Harvey, is already assured a spot in the rotation after dazzling for the Mets in the final two months of last season.
Though Wheeler has been told he isn’t competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster — Harvey, Niese, Johan Santana, Dillon Gee and Shaun Marcum have those jobs — he’s taking the approach anything still can happen.
“I think you’ve got to go in looking as if you’re going to make the ball club,” Wheeler said. “If you don’t, you’re going to be happy with mediocre. You’ve got to go in prepared — that’s what I trained for this offseason — and I’m looking to go in there and compete and make some decisions hard.”
Harvey came to camp last year determined to make the team and was told by manager Terry Collins early in spring training it wouldn’t happen. Harvey eventually arrived to the Mets in late July. The manager says he didn’t even wait for spring training to start this time to inform Wheeler of the organization’s decision to have him start the season at Triple-A.
“He’s the real deal, there is no doubt,” Collins said. “There’s a tremendous light at the end of the tunnel here.”
Wheeler said watching Harvey succeed after arriving in July last season might make it easier for him to stomach beginning the season in the minor leagues.
“You saw what he did, worked his way up after a little bit of time in the minors, and I think that’s the plan they want for me, spend a little time in Triple-A and hopefully get the call if I can stay healthy,” Wheeler said. “That’s fine with me, but I would rather be up there with the team at the beginning. Just whatever works out.”
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