Now that the 2023 season is over for the New York Mets, we have been looking back at the year that was. After taking a more general view of the offense, pitching, and coaching staff, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the Mets’ players. This series will take a look at every player on the roster for the Mets at the end of the season from A (Abraham Almonte) to W (Josh Walker). The review will look at their season statistics, stories, and what role (if any) they will have next season. We continue the series today with a look at relief pitcher Sam Coonrod.
Player Review: Sam Coonrod
2023 Stats:
Minor Leagues (2 Teams): 13 Appearances, 2 Starts, 11.2 Innings Pitched, 0-1 Won-Loss Record, 8.49 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 1 Save, 1 Blown Save, 1 Hold, 14:11 K:BB Ratio, .250 Batting Average Against
Major Leagues: 10 Appearances, 6.2 Innings Pitched, 0-0 Won-Loss Record, 9.45 ERA, 1.95 WHIP, 1 Hold, 8:6 K:BB Ratio, .208 Batting Average Against, -0.3 WAR
Story: Seeking more depth arms for their bullpen, the Mets claimed Sam Coonrod off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies in February and invited him to spring training. Coonrod pitched very well in camp and was on pace to make the team before suffering a severe right lat injury in the final week of March that sidelined him for four months. The Mets finally got Coonrod up to the big leagues in mid-August and he pitched well early on, working to a 1.69 ERA in his first seven appearances.
After a brief stint back in Syracuse at the beginning of September, Coonrod came back for a second big-league run that was far worse than the first. Coonrod’s ERA ballooned all the way to 9.45 after giving up six runs in 1.1 innings pitched over three appearances, including a disastrous four run effort against Washington on September 5th when he didn’t record an out. The Mets sent Coonrod back to Syracuse on September 13th and he remained there for the rest of the regular season.
Grade: C
Coonrod’s overall numbers don’t look pretty but he did pretty well in eight of his ten appearances. Considering how well things were going for Coonrod in spring training, it’s fair to question whether the Mets’ season could have started a bit differently if he didn’t get hurt at the end of camp.
Contract Status: Arbitration Eligible (Second Time)
Odds Of Returning: 60%
2024 Role: Middle Reliever
Coonrod is another reliever in the pileup of optionable arms with arbitration eligibility that new President of Baseball Operations David Stearns will have to sift through. The positives for Coonrod lie in the fact that he has three years of team control remaining and a minor league option left, which could make him valuable depth going forward. The question becomes whether the positives with Coonrod outweigh the value of using his 40-man roster spot to add a new player, especially since Stearns has no previous connections to Coonrod. The math would lean towards Coonrod sticking around at this point but a non-tender isn’t out of the question.
Check back tomorrow as our Player Review Series continues with a look at relief pitcher John Curtiss!
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