The New York Mets have received a ton of credit for a strong draft class, and most of the hype has gone to their first and third round picks. Brett Baty, the Mets’ first pick, has drawn plenty of hype for his offensive potential while third rounder Matthew Allan has been deemed the best pitching prospect in the team’s farm system. The Mets’ second round pick hasn’t been getting as much attention, and he has as much of a chance to succeed as either Baty or Allan. That man is right hander Josh Wolf, and he is the focus of this week’s edition of Minor League Mondays.
The Mets took Wolf out of St. Thomas High School in Houston with their second round pick, and many assumed he would be an under slot signing to allow the team to clear enough money to meet Allan’s demands. That was not the case, as Wolf ended up receiving significantly more than slot to sign, an indication how strongly the Mets believe in Wolf’s potential. Wolf signed on the dotted line and was assigned to the Mets’ affiliate in the rookie level Gulf Coast League, and he has held up fine there.
The Mets have limited Wolf’s innings since he went through a full high school season, so he has just eight innings pitched over five starts. Wolf has pitched to a 3.38 ERA in those appearances, but the thing that is very impressive is his 12:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Eight innings is definitely a small sample size, but Wolf has shown the ability to command his pitches, which could help him immensely as he progresses through the Mets’ farm system.
There is a ton of potential for Wolf, who MLB.com ranks as the Mets’ ninth best prospect right now. Wolf’s fastball, which sat in the low-90’s entering his senior year, hit 97 then and he has maintained that velocity going forward. Scouts also love Wolf’s curveball, which can overpower opposing hitters, but how Wolf’s changeup develops will be the key to how effective he will be in the future.
The Mets likely won’t hurry Wolf along, so he should be on track to start next year with Low-A Kingsport, the next step on the team’s minor league ladder. There is an outside chance he’ll cameo with Brooklyn next summer, giving Mets’ fans a chance to check out one of the team’s top young prospects right in their own backyard.
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