Zack Wheeler makes his debut against the Atlanta Braves as the New York Mets complete a doubleheader in Turner Field Tuesday evening. The Mets' top prospect will finally get to play in The Show.
The Mets might as well give their fans something to root about. Wheeler's long awaited debut is finally here. He became a part of the Mets' organization after the San Francisco Giants took interest in Carlos Beltran. As a part of that deal, the Mets acquired the Giants' 2009 first-round pick, No. 6 overall in that year's draft.
The Mets couldn't have picked a better place to have Wheeler make his debut. As a Georgia native, Wheeler will be in familiar grounds. Family and friends should be expected as the 23-year-old hails from Smyrna, Georgia, which is just a 25-minute drive from Atlanta.
Wheeler has been a strikeout machine in his four seasons in the minors. He immediately impressed with the Mets in St. Lucie, going 202 with a 2.00 ERA in six starts during his first year with their farm system in 2011. Here, he pitched 27 innings and finished with 31 strikeouts. Then in 2012, he split time in Double-A and Triple-A, going 12-8 with a 3.26 ERA. His K/9 ratio dropped just under nine. The number jumped right back up to 9.6 in 2013 as, in 13 starts, Wheeler went 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA.
If there's one thing Wheeler will have to work on greatly, it's his control. Though he strikes out a bunch of hitters, Wheeler has also giving up his share of walks. His Strikeout/Walks ratio has only been over 3.00 once in his four-year minor league career. Major League hitters are patient and will strikeout less when a pitcher can't get the ball over the plate.
Where can you watch this prospect make his debut?
Channels- SNY for this in New York, Sport South for those in Atlanta, MLB.TV for those who can watch it online.
