Port St. Lucy – It’s possible that the start of the rotational assist won’t be soon for the potential ranks, but team officials can dream up the names of the day like Matt Allan, GT Jane and Calvin Ziegler who will arrive at the local club at Citifield.
They have all been top-level picks in the past three amateur drafts and stand among the Mets’ best hopes for a rotation of the farm system for the future.
The group’s highest rating is Alan, who is expected to miss at least most of this season after undergoing Tommy John’s surgery last May. He underwent ulnar nerve replacement surgery last month, which has slowed his rehabilitation. But the 20-year-old right-hander, the Mets’ third-round pick in the 2019 draft, appears to be slowing down.
“There’s really no reason for someone my age to pay,” Alan said. “There’s no real gain, so I think everybody really sees it that way. As I get older and mature, I’m starting to see the bigger picture of baseball. You don’t want to play in Double-A and that’s it. Major League, to be a Hall of Famer, to be someone like Jacob deGrom that people can remember.”
Alan shadowed Degroom during spring training last year after throwing the Mets during the winter. The two failed to connect this off-season as Allan spent much of his time under the supervision of the rehab staff in the team compound. He has developed a close relationship with Gene, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 after the Mississippi Mets picked him as an extra pick between the first and second rounds.
“An amazing kid died – he’s a great athlete and he’s going to be fine,” said 22-year-old Jane, who used famous orthopedic Dr. Neil Turks in Tommy John’s surgery like Alan. Both shooters are represented by Scott Boras.
“I try to be there for [Allan] When I can, be a good fellow to him when I sign, and whenever I come to him I try to give him whatever advice I can give him, but he will be fine. He told me he would join [Tommy John] The club and that wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but I knew he’s been going through some things for a while. He actually discovered the error and fixed it.”
Jane, right handed, split last season between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. In 18 starts overall, he’s moved up to 3.03 ERA and 1,054 WHIP. Gene arrives at the Mets known for his sharp break ball.
“His ability on the pitch is impressive, and it’s amazing that he’s going to have that kind of leadership after surgery,” said Kevin Howard, the Mets’ director of player development. “I think he’s still building to what everyone has seen in the past and he’s made a lot of progress in this off season. But he’s really capable of playing and he can get a lot of pitches. He’s pounding the bottom of the area with that weight and I think it’s impressive that I see his ability to throw hits and his ability to lead baseball.”
Ziggler became the Mets’ top pick in last year’s draft after the organization chose not to sign first-round pick Kumar Rucker due to physical concerns. Not signing gave the Mets an additional first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Last year, Ziegler left his hometown of Ontario, Canada and enrolled at TNXL Academy in Florida over concerns that COVID-19 restrictions at the border would prevent him from showing his ability to scout. The Mets picked the right-handed in the second round of the draft.
Among Ziegler’s goals in his first training session of the spring is to meet boyhood champ Max Scherzer, who signed with the Mets in November.
“He’s my favorite player ever, so he’s very exciting,” Ziegler said. “If he comes down here [MLB players are locked out from camp by the owners] Maybe I should say hello. Until then we’ll see.
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