JUPITER, Fla. — Christian Scott’s first stay in major league spring training ended two weeks ago when he was reassigned, but he got a treat Wednesday.
The organization’s top pitching prospect, borrowed from the minors to fill a hole in the Mets’ rotation, is set to start a Grapefruit League game just 45 minutes from his Coconut Creek, Fla., roots.
Scott was outstanding in the Mets’ 6-3 win over the Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
In front of about 30 friends and family, the right-hander pitched four innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, seven strikeouts, and no walks, allowing one earned run.
“I came to watch a lot of these games. [in Jupiter] So it’s great to go out there and compete and trust your stuff and throw strikes,” Scott said.
Jonah Bryde’s third-inning home run was the only score against Scott, a 24-year-old who had been playing as a reliever for the Mets since the beginning of camp.
Scott spent most of last season at Double-A Binghamton, starting 12 games and posting a 2.47 ERA.
He had 77 strikeouts in 62 innings at Binghamton.
On Wednesday, he hit 96.5 mph with his four-seam fastball and used it 34 times, producing seven whiffs. Scott averaged 95.5 mph on his four-seamer.
“He’s special,” coach Carlos Mendoza said. “His fastball has a low release, has a ride and velor, and it stretches. And today we saw that in the way he attacks batters. They have a hard time picking it up. I’ve heard a lot about this kid, but to see the effort he put in today and the way he threw the baseball was special and I was excited.”
Scott headlines a young pitching staff that includes Mike Basile, Dom Hummel, Blade Tidwell and Brandon Sproat, some of whom could pitch for the Mets this season if needed. There are some too.
Scott, a fifth-round pick by the Mets in the 2021 draft, started his pro career relying on his slider the most, but now that he’s developed other weapons, it’s only his fourth-best pitch. He said he thought so.
“Instead of throwing a two-seam, having a four-seam, having a go-to split change, you just develop your repertoire to the best of your ability,” he said. “I feel like I’ve always been able to attack the zone at a high level, but now being able to make multiple pitches definitely helps me step it up even more and heats up the zone.”
Edwin Diaz walked two batters in the fifth inning and was retired with two outs after 21 pitches.
The Mets closer had hoped to remain in the game, but coach Mendoza reminded him on Thursday that he was scheduled to pitch in a minor league game, marking his first back-to-back appearances this spring.
“Everything is going well. My body feels strong,” Diaz said. “I think things are getting back to normal.”
Diaz missed last season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in March, but has not pitched in consecutive games since 2022.
