Mets Young Pitching Talent Shines in Grapefruit League

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets are continuing to develop a promising group of young starting pitchers, including Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott, but one standout is Zach Thornton.

In Sunday’s match against the Blue Jays, Thornton, a left-handed pitcher, put forth an impressive effort in his second consecutive start for the Grapefruit League. He contributed to the team’s 8-1 victory at Clover Park, where he pitched three full innings, giving up four hits, one earned run, and recording one strikeout.

The game was cut short by rain after the fifth inning.

Manager Carlos Mendoza praised Thornton, saying, “He’s a strike thrower and is capable of delivering fastballs effectively to right-handed batters. There’s a lot to appreciate about his style. He’s not hesitant; when he’s behind in the count, he still aggressively goes after hitters.”

Thornton, who is 24 years old and was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, has thrown in two Grapefruit League games and boasts a 1.35 ERA. He wrapped up last season at Double-A Binghamton.

The Mets have moved several players to minor league camp, including Carl Edwards Jr., Joe Jacks, Ryan Lambert, Kevin Parada, Ryan Clifford, Jackson Clough, Gray Kessinger, Jacob Reimer, Ji Huang Pe, AJ Ewing, and Jose Ramos.

Notably, Clifford, Reimer, Ewing, and Lambert are some of the top prospects in the organization.

Mendoza reflected on the camp experience, stating, “It was a fantastic opportunity for many young players. I credit their growth and effort. They approached the camp with the mindset of making the team, which, well, might not have been entirely realistic, but they proved they can perform at this level. I admire how they approach the game—asking questions and competing consistently.”

In another highlight from the camp, Marcus Semien hit his second home run of the spring, sending the ball over the fence.

This performance might indicate that the second baseman is starting to regain his form at the plate, having previously struggled with a .602 OPS in the Grapefruit League.

Mendoza expressed confidence, saying, “I’m not concerned about him. He’s been around for a while. It’s clear things aren’t going his way at the moment, but he’s been adjusting his mechanics and has hit some solid balls this spring, even if it hasn’t translated into results yet.”