Mets farm report: Binghamton's Jose Butto looking to add to his impressive arsenal

Jose Butto has put up impressive statistics with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in the last 12 months. But the 24-year-old righthander is aware there’s still a missing element to his game to become a dominant starting pitcher against the best hitters in the world.

A strong third pitch.

Butto has been largely a fastball and changeup pitcher since signing with the Mets organization in 2017. Butto began working on developing a slider this year and seems to become more and more confident with it every time he takes the mound.

“I think that’s one of the biggest new things for me this year is learning that slider,” Butto told Newsday through an interpreter. “Every time I throw it, it gets better and better. When I get to that point where I have the feel for it and I feel confident I can throw the slider, I think that’s going to help me when I get to the bigs when they call me.”

Butto does have his eyes set on the major leagues. And with the success he’s had in the last 12 months, it’s easy to understand why. Since being promoted to Double-A Binghamton in July 2021, Butto has a 3.56 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 145 strikeouts compared to 38 walks in 124 innings pitched. He’s appeared in 24 games, including 22 starts, with a 3.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

“My mentality is every inning, every pitch, I’m better than the hitter,” Butto said. “I’m just trying to attack, attack and get ahead.”

Butto, who signed for just $5,000 as a 19-year-old in 2017, rapidly progressed through the Mets organization with success at every level. In 2020, Butto was the No. 25 ranked Mets prospect by MLB Pipeline. He’s currently ranked No. 12 and could be on the cusp of pitching impactful innings for the Mets in the middle of a pennant race.

Butto said his success and accession within the Mets organization has provided him more confidence. But the Venezuela native remembers the early feeling of just being another prospect.

“It gives me a little bit of confidence but I came from the bottom so I’m always a hard worker for everything I’ve had,” Butto said. “And right now, I’m working hard where I can be the best of myself.”

The end of July can always be a difficult time for heralded prospects with the MLB trade deadline approaching. Especially for a team like the Mets, which appear to be aggressive in adding pieces as the Aug. 2 deadline approaches, prospects may wake up playing for one team one day, and go to bed as a member of a whole new organization.

But Butto said he tries not to concern himself with the unknowns.

“I just try to stay calm and be in position,” Butto said. “It’s nothing I can control. I can control my hard work and what I can do between those lines.”

Similar to his fate via trade, Butto can’t control when and if he gets a call to the major league club. Butto was promoted to the 40-man roster in November 2021 and hopes to contribute in the majors any way he can before the end of 2022. He called this an “important season” for him.

“That’s my goal from when I was little, trying to be in the bigs,” Butto said. “But that’s something I can’t control. That’s in the organization’s hands but I just keep working hard.”