The Mets have been relatively active on the waiver wire this offseason, and on Friday, they successfully claimed another player.
The Mets have claimed Max Kranick
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Mets have claimed right-handed pitcher Max Kranick from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
To make room for Kranick, the Mets designated Cooper Hummel for assignment.
A look at Kranick’s baseball journey so far
After four successful years at Valley View High School, Kranick decided to forgo his commitment to the University of Virginia and sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who selected him in the 11th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
The Pennsylvania native spent the next five seasons working his way up the Pirates minor league system before being called up on June 27, 2021.
Kranick made his major league debut the same day, throwing five perfect innings and striking out three batters before a rain delay cut his hunt for perfection short. Still, Kranick set a record for most batters to retire in a row to begin a career at 15.
The right-hander finished his rookie campaign, pitching 38.2 innings across nine starts to a 6.28 ERA with a 1.707 WHIP and 32 strikeouts.
Kranick made just two appearances in 2022, pitching five scoreless innings with four strikeouts before missing the rest of the campaign after needing to undergo Tommy John surgery.
The Pennsylvania native did not appear for the Pirates in 2023 before being designated for assignment on January 5, 2024.
- Mets designate former starter turned relief pitcher for assignment
- Mets designate a flamethrower who never appeared for them for assignment
- Mets targeting a ‘modest’ deadline strategy despite hot-streak
What does it mean for the Mets?
Claiming Kranick is a low-risk, high-reward situation for the blue and orange. The Mets hope the 26-year-old can continue to develop in the minor leagues and become an essential piece for Triple-A Syracuse.
Kranick is still relatively young and has had success with limited appearances in the major leagues, so there is still time for him to develop into a serviceable big-league starter.
Hopefully, for the Flushing faithful, Kranick will continue to develop and become a crucial cog in a World Series-winning machine in the near future.