The New York Mets did not make headlines with their latest pitching move, but that is kind of the point.
This was a quiet, low-risk bet on arm talent. The kind of signing that only makes sense if an organization believes depth matters not just for April, but for two or three years down the road.
The Mets signed 21-year-old right-hander Jun-Seok Shim to a minor league deal, adding another name to a system that has spent the last year quietly rebuilding its pitching inventory. Shim is nowhere near the majors and is not expected to contribute in 2026, but the Mets see something worth exploring.
As Mike Mayer noted on X, Shim was once one of the better pitchers in the 2023 international free agent class, earning a $750,000 bonus from the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the Marlins and eventually released after a string of injuries. The raw résumé is thin. The arm talent is not.
A High-End Arm That Never Got Going
Shim’s professional track record is almost nonexistent, which is both the concern and the appeal. He has pitched just eight innings as a pro, all of them coming in 2023 with the Pirates’ Complex League affiliate.
In those eight innings, he posted a 3.38 ERA across four starts, striking out 13 while walking three. The sample is tiny, but the strikeout rate jumps off the page immediately. Even in short bursts, the ability to miss bats showed up.
That limited exposure is not because of performance. It is because his career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries. Development stalled. Momentum vanished. By the time he landed with Miami, he was already playing catch-up.
For the Mets, that context matters. This is not a pitcher who failed because the talent was lacking. This is a pitcher who never had the chance to see what the talent could become.
Why Teams Were Drawn to Shim in the First Place
Before injuries entered the picture, Shim was viewed as a legitimate international prize. He skipped the KBO draft specifically to pursue an MLB opportunity, and multiple teams showed interest before the Pirates landed him in 2023.
MLB Pipeline’s scouting report from that period explains why. Shim worked with a fastball in the mid-90s that could touch triple digits, featuring strong spin and riding life. That alone would have put him on plenty of radars.
The secondaries were just as intriguing. His curveball showed true 12-to-6 action, not the loopy kind but a pitch with real shape and intent. He was also developing a harder slider, giving him a second breaking option, and the changeup was emerging as a potential fourth pitch.
That is a starter’s mix, at least on paper. When healthy, Shim did not look like a thrower searching for an identity. He looked like a pitcher who already had one forming.
Why the Mets Are the Right Fit
The Mets are not asking Shim to save anything. They are asking him to get healthy, get innings, and see what is still there.
This is where organizational philosophy matters. The Mets have made it clear they want options. Not just top prospects, but volume. Pitchers who might never reach Queens, and a few who might surprise everyone.
Shim fits that mold perfectly. He is young enough to rebuild his body and his mechanics. The ceiling remains intact because it was never tested. If the velocity returns even partially, the rest of the arsenal gives him paths forward, either as a starter or eventually in a relief role.
There is no pressure here. Just opportunity.
The New York Mets are not expecting Jun-Seok Shim to be anything soon. They are betting that, given time, he might still be something. And for a team rebuilding its pitching depth from the ground up, that is a gamble worth making.
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