Rising Mets prospect Brandon Sproat shows off refined arsenal in MLB All-Star Futures Game
Brandon Sproat of the Mets pitches during the third inning of the All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. Credit: Getty Images/Richard Rodriguez
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Mets had to draft Brandon Sproat twice, in consecutive years, to finally add him to their organization.
But Sproat, now a fast-rising prospect who throws 100 mph and is mowing through the minors, could end up making an impact in Flushing quicker than anyone had anticipated.
This season, Sproat already has jumped from Class A Brooklyn to Double-A Binghamton, where he’s 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA.
Sproat said before Saturday’s All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field that he’s aiming for a potential second-half call-up.
“I try not to look too far forward into the future,” said Sproat, replying to a question about his own potential timeline for the majors. “But if I had to answer, probably toward the end of this year. That’d be the optimal answer.”
The way Sproat, 23, is pitching, he looks as if he could help the Mets tomorrow, never mind September.
He was taken by the Mets in the third round of the 2022 draft but did not sign and returned to the University of Florida. The righthander, who then was selected in the second round last July, said he’s supplemented the triple-digit fastball with a new cutter (a reshape of an old slider) and added a sweeper to his six-pitch repertoire, courtesy of Binghamton roommate Nolan McLean.
“He’s the one that actually helped me with mine,” said Sproat, who has a 29.2 strikeout percentage at Binghamton. “So props to him for that.”
The revised arsenal has put Sproat on the Mets’ radar in a hurry, and on Saturday, it overwhelmed the AL Futures. With eight of his 12 pitches registering 98.0 mph to a maximum of 99.2, Sproat didn’t allow a hit in a scoreless third inning as his National League team won, 6-1.
With the Mets’ rotation pretty stocked at the moment, even down through Triple-A Syracuse, Sproat was asked on Saturday about switching to a relief role if that continues to be a need at the major-league level.
“Yeah, of course,” Sproat said. “Whatever chance I can get to get to the big leagues as quick as possible. Whether I’m starting or relieving, I’m definitely not going to complain about it.”
Sproat got a few ringing endorsements on Saturday from some Futures players who’ve seen him up close this season. They’re probably not looking forward to staring down the barrel of that right arm again in the second half.
“You definitely remember when you face a guy like that,” said Double-A Portland shortstop Marcelo Mayer, who was drafted fourth overall by the Red Sox in 2021 and is MLB’s No. 7 prospect (No. 1 for the Sox). “He’s got electric stuff. He’s got that unique balance of throwing so hard and having such great secondary pitches. That’s literally what makes a great pitcher.”
Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ second-ranked prospect, faced Sproat when both played in the SEC (Jones at Vanderbilt) and has noticed an upgrade over that relatively short span of time.
“He’s gotten even better now,” Jones said at the Futures Game. “The guy’s nasty. He’s got a great fastball, he’s got his off-speed pitches working. When he’s putting it where he wants to, he’s difficult to hit.”
So how does Sproat go from being a second-round selection, the No. 56 pick overall, to seemingly a bargain at that $1.47 million slot price? By eating more, he said, as packing on some extra weight (along with a strength and conditioning regimen) added significant velocity to his fastball. “I think I gained like 50 pounds within six months,” Sproat said. “It was impressive. I think that was a big key.”
But Sproat’s gains weren’t limited to the power variety. He’s also refined his command, which has vaulted him to No. 6 on the Mets’ prospect list. He’s the second-ranked pitcher behind Christian Scott, now a member of the big-league rotation after making his debut in May. Scott was drafted in the fifth round two years before Sproat — also out of Florida — and sped through the upper rungs of the Mets’ system. Stops at Binghamton (12 starts) and Triple-A Syracuse (nine) were minimal.
“My command early in my career was always kind of questionable,” Sproat said. “But it’s been night and day from what it was.”
In Sproat’s words, he “flipped a switch.” And that change should position him as a difference-maker with the Mets, with an ETA moving up by the minute.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
