MLB

Why folks at Triple-A are buzzing over Mets’ Jacob deGrom

If there’s one thing the Mets possess in spades, it’s young pitching.

Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Jenrry Mejia are installed in the big leagues, and top prospects Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero  generate most of the buzz at the minor league level. But there is a challenger for best pitcher at Triple-A Las Vegas this season: 25-year-old right-hander Jacob deGrom.

A product of Stetson University in Florida who was selected by the Mets in the ninth round of the 2010 draft, deGrom played two collegiate seasons as a shortstop before he converted to pitching late in his junior season.

Through four starts this season, deGrom is 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 21 strikeouts against just six walks in 23 innings.

“[One of] his strengths [is] command of the strike zone,” Las Vegas pitching coach Tom Signore said. “He’s very good when he’s ahead in the count, at making a pitch no matter what, especially his slider going from being a strike to ball. He gets a lot of swings on pitches that are out of the zone.”

Signore feels the biggest reason for deGrom’s success  in 2014 is the development of his changeup.

“[It] has made him viable,” he said. “Same rotation as the fastball, turns over very nicely, natural arm-side action, get some strength that way. [But] he needs to use it more. It’s a great pitch and it looks just like his two-seam fastball. I would love to see him throw right behind [the fastball], to give the hitter the same perception but 12 miles per hour slower.”

DeGrom’s best start came April 15, when he fired seven shutout innings against Reno, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out four. Reno’s pitching coach, Mike Parrott, was paying attention.

“I was impressed with his changeup,” he said. “Much better than last year and with his fastball, [it] was a good combination.”

DeGrom is a candidate, along with Syndergaard and Montero, to debut in Queens this summer. And if there is competition among the three, Signore says that deGrom is keeping things in perspective.

“I think Jacob is just himself all the time, and he’s letting the process play its due course,” he said. “I think he knows — barring any kind of anomaly — he’s going to pitch in the big leagues. When that league is ready, he’ll go there and he’ll be ready.”

Signore was hesitant to put  a projection on deGrom, but said he could see him slotting anywhere between a No. 3 or No. 5 starter.

“In any one of those slots, he’ll be fine,” he said. “He’s going to go deep into the game for you because he does throw strikes. He’s not afraid. He usually gets contact on his terms. He has a very good idea of what he wants to do.”