Pitching depth is something that the New York Mets are looking to build in their minor league system. While AAA Syracuse does have a few viable big league depth options like David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi, they don’t really have a pitcher that is considered a potential rotation member for the long term. The closest pitchers to the majors with that potential are in AA Binghamton, which has two of the Mets’ top pitching prospects in its rotation. That duo includes Mike Vasil, who we covered recently, and Dominic Hamel, who is the focus of this week’s edition of Minor League Mondays.
Hamel, the Mets’ third-round pick in 2021 out of Dallas Baptist College, turned heads last season across two levels of minor league baseball. The Mets saw Hamel go 10-3 with a 3.25 ERA in 25 appearances, including 24 starts, between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn. That performance, which also saw Hamel strike out 145 batters in 119 innings pitched, helped earn the organization’s Pitcher of the Year award and an invitation to pitch for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
The Mets assigned Hamel to AA Binghamton to start the 2023 campaign and he has had a bit of difficulty adjusting to the higher level. Hamel is 2-2 with a 4.62 ERA in nine appearances, including eight starts, for the Rumble Ponies this season and has struck out 48 batters in 39 innings pitched. Opponents are batting .250 against Hamel, who is making his first appearances above A-ball at age 24.
Scouts love Hamel’s repertoire thanks in part to his spin rates, which are elite and can enhance his pitches beyond their typical performance. Hamel’s fastball sits between 91-94 miles per hour but strong spin rates add nasty movement to the pitch. A slider that sits in the low-80s was a weapon for Hamel in the lower levels thanks to its elite spin rates, but he does need to develop a capable third pitch between a slow curveball and changeup.
MLB.com rates Hamel as the Mets’ seventh-best prospect but their second-highest pitching prospect behind Blade Tidwell. Hamel is a bit on the older side for a prospect but the Mets have to hope that he is able to adjust to the AA level over the course of the season. The goal would be for Hamel to improve and earn a promotion to Syracuse late in the season, giving him a shot to push for a rotation spot at some point during the 2024 season.
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