Sproat could be an option for the Mets' bullpen if the team doesn't trade for any high-leverage relievers at the deadline, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
General manager David Stearns has gone this route in the past during his time in Milwaukee, breaking in future aces Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta in relief roles. The Mets are actively working to acquire established bullpen arms however, and using a prospect like Sproat in high-leverage spots during a playoff push would appear to be Plan B. Sproat has had an erratic season with Triple-A Syracuse but is locked in right now, tossing 23 scoreless innings over his last four starts with a 27:6 K:BB.
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Mets' Brandon Sproat: Scoreless stretch at Triple-A
Rotowire
Sproat has not allowed a run over his last three starts for Triple-A Syracuse, registering an 18:5 K:BB while giving up seven hits in 18 innings over that stretch.
Sproat had pitched quite poorly at Triple-A prior to this three-start stretch. He hadn't struck out more than four batters in an outing since May 7, until he fanned six in six scoreless innings June 28 and eight over five scoreless innings July 4. Among top Mets pitching prospects, Nolan McLean has had better results all season -- even recently, as he's logged back-to-back starts with 10 strikeouts -- but Sproat has pitched his way back into the mix if New York needs to summon a starting pitcher from Triple-A.
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Mets' Brandon Sproat: Rare strong outing for Syracuse
Rotowire
Sproat gave up two hits and three walks over six scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday. He struck out six.
The 24-year-old right-hander tossed 78 pitches (51 strikes) in his best outing in nearly a month. Sproat has struggled with his consistency this season, and he's issued multiple walks in five of his last seven trips to the mound -- a stretch in which, even after Saturday's performance, he's posted a 4.88 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and poor 18:19 K:BB over 27.2 innings. The Mets' big-league rotation is in tatters with Kodai Senga (hamstring), Griffin Canning (Achilles) and Tylor Megill (elbow) all currently on the IL and Sean Manaea (elbow) not quite ready to make his 2025 debut, but Sproat doesn't appear ready to help.
Sproat gave up one run on two hits and two walks over 4.1 innings in Saturday's start for Triple-A Syracuse.
After a bumpy first outing this season, Sproat has bounced back to post an 8:2 K:BB over his last two starts and 8.1 innings for Syracuse. The 24-year-old righty tossed 75 pitches (51 strikes) in Saturday's appearance, and while he'll need to be more efficient before he'll be a real option for a spot start with the Mets, he's making progress toward his big-league debut.
Sproat was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Sproat made a good first impression, tossing a pair of clean innings while touching 99 mph in his first-ever Grapefruit League appearance last Friday. A second-round pick by the Mets in 2023, Sproat is now considered by many to be the top pitching prospect in the organization, though he struggled to a 7.85 ERA in seven starts with Triple-A Syracuse down the stretch last season. The right-hander will look to improve upon that number and earn his way onto the Mets' 40-man and 26-man rosters this summer.
Mets' Brandon Sproat: Two perfect innings in spring debut
Rotowire
Sproat threw two perfect innings against the Nationals on Friday in his Grapefruit League debut, striking out one batter.
The 24-year-old right-hander retired all six batters he faced and reached 99 mph on a swinging strikeout of Robert Hassell. Widely considered the Mets' top pitching prospect, Sproat is knocking on the door of the rotation for a team that is already down Sean Manaea (oblique) and Frankie Montas (lat) to begin the season. Sproat will almost certainly return to Triple-A Syracuse to begin the year, as he's not yet on the 40-man roster, but manager Carlos Mendoza noted after Friday's exhibition that the Mets will need arms to get through the season and Sproat is "one they will be monitoring," Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
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Mets' Brandon Sproat: Working on sinker
Rotowire
Sproat has added a two-seam fastball to his arsenal, and so far this spring he's been pleased with its development, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
The Mets' top pitching prospect carved up hitters at High-A and Double-A last season using only his high-octane four-seamer and baffling changeup, but Sproat's struggles late in the year at Triple-A encouraged a search for another offering. He could probably use a true breaking pitch at some point, but for now the organization is focused on reducing his pitch count with some quick groundball outs. Barring an epidemic of injuries to the big-league rotation in camp, Sproat will begin 2025 back at Triple-A Syracuse, but an MLB debut in the second half could be on the table.
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Mets' Brandon Sproat: Could make MLB debut in second half
Rotowire
Sproat might be a rotation option for the Mets in the second half, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
The 24-year-old right-hander roared through the system in his pro debut last year after being a second-round pick in 2023. Sproat dominated both High-A and Double-A with a fastball that can touch triple digits and a plus changeup, producing a combined 2.05 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 110:31 K:BB through 87.2 innings between the two levels, but he struggled late in the season after another promotion to Triple-A Syracuse. Fatigue may have been a factor in the downturn, so if Sproat can master Triple-A over the first couple months of 2025 the way he did the lower levels of the minors, he figures to emerge as the next man up for a Mets rotation that features plenty of uncertainty between Kodai Senga's health, Frankie Montas' inconsistency and Clay Holmes' conversion from the bullpen.
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