According to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, the New York Mets will call up Christian Scott on Saturday to make his Major League debut against the Tampa Bay Rays. MLB Pipeline currently ranks Scott as the best pitching prospect in the Mets system and the fifth best overall.
Mets prospect RHP Christian Scott will be called up to make his big league debut, likely on Saturday in Tampa, per source.
Scott was 99th on my top 100 prospects list entering the spring and has dealt at AAA since then: 25.1 IP, 12 H, 6 BB, 36 K. https://t.co/4Qpk4KB1f3
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) May 2, 2024
Scott’s stock has skyrocketed over the past year thanks to gaudy command and improved stuff. The righty dominated across multiple levels of the minors last year. As a result, many outlets featured him on their Top 100 Prospects list. It was only a matter of time before Scott would make his debut, and it looks like the time is now.
Christian Scott to Debut on Saturday For the Mets
Scott, 24, dominated Triple-A hitters this season. In five starts, Scott tossed 25 1/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA, a whopping 36 strikeouts, and just 6 walks. He consistently impresses evaluators with his mid-to-high 90s fastball and his guts on the mound.
One potential issue for Scott this season has been the seven homers given up. However, he’s shown enough maturity to not let innings or games unravel. For example, in his April 16 start against Charlotte, Scott allowed three hits, including two homers, in the first inning. After that, Scott gave up zero hits in 4 1/3 innings while striking out six more hitters.
Scott has shown this toughness and ability in multiple starts this season. It’s the type of mentality that should allow a player to thrive in the majors, let alone in New York. Scott has passed every test the Mets have given him, and he will make his debut with having nothing left to prove in the minors.
After a 1st inning walk and home run, Right-hander Christian Scott was masterful for @SyracuseMets
He retired the next 18 batters, finishing with a strikeout of Kyle Manzardo who homered off him in the 1st
Final line:
6.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K. 85 pitches (55 strikes) pic.twitter.com/cofwHxeLCZ— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) April 24, 2024
Scott’s 2024 Role in the Majors
Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns acknowledged to reporters the other day that the Mets needed to balance Scott’s readiness with a team need. Despite pitching well, there just wasn’t a job open to him in the solid Mets rotation.
“I think there’s this balancing act of when you call up a prospect versus of when is the prospect ready and then when is there the major league need and often those need to overlap and intersect and for some guys down there we’re just waiting for that intersection to occur,” Stearns said.
Entering Thursday, New York has the 8th-best ERA in the majors, with the starters ranking in the Top 15. However, the Mets rotation has given up a lot of walks and has not induced a lot of strikeouts. Plus, the Mets are in the beginning stages of 39 games in 41 days stretch.
Scott is expected to make his debut on Saturday and serve as a sixth starter for a couple of rounds through the rotation. That said, he has the opportunity to earn a full-time job if he performs well. The Mets can use a legitimate strikeout weapon and better control in the rotation. If Scott proves he’s ready to stay in the majors, there’s no reason he should be sent down in favor of an arm like the struggling Adrian Houser.
