Last weekend, it looked like Brandon Sproat had brought last season’s baggage with him into 2025. In his first Triple-A start, the New York Mets’ top pitching prospect was knocked around like a piñata at a birthday party—four earned runs in just two innings, three walks, and three strikeouts. Not exactly the kind of encore you want when your last season ended with a bloated 7.53 ERA at the same level.
The Mets had sent him back to Syracuse with hopes that another shot would yield better results. Instead, his season opener only reinforced the doubts: maybe he still wasn’t ready.
A Much-Needed Rebound
But if baseball teaches anything, it’s that failure is just feedback in disguise. Sproat returned to the mound on Saturday with something to prove—and he delivered.
This time, the chaos was replaced with control. Over four scoreless innings, he allowed just one hit, walked two, and struck out a pair. It wasn’t a jaw-dropping stat line, but it was calm, clean, and efficient.
Pitching prospect analyst Joe DeMayo highlighted the improvement: Sproat’s fastball sat in the 94–96 mph range and even touched 98. He threw 62 pitches, 35 for strikes, and got eight groundouts. That’s a pitcher in command, keeping the ball on the ground and out of trouble.
The Stuff Is There—It’s About Timing
When Sproat’s fastball is humming like that and he’s keeping hitters guessing, it’s easy to see why the Mets are high on him. His stuff has always been electric—what’s been missing is the consistency.
Think of it like a high-powered sports car: fast and flashy, but useless if it can’t stay in its lane.
His Saturday start was a sign that maybe, just maybe, he’s starting to figure out how to drive this thing without spinning out.
Looking Ahead
Sproat’s still got work to do before the Mets seriously consider him for a big-league start. One strong outing doesn’t erase last year’s struggles or the rocky season debut.
But if he can stack a few more starts like this, he’ll force the conversation. For now, the Mets are watching closely, patient but hopeful.