Atlanta Mets catcher Hayden Sengerlong was quick to recognize that Nolan McLean was destined for the major leagues. He quickly realized that catching a pitcher who throws pitches that spin like McLean’s would require effort.
At Truist Park on Saturday, Senger told the Daily News, “It was a struggle when I first caught him.” Wow, that material is moving, I thought.
Senger’s mitt would be completely swept by the spinning sweeper of the right-hander.
According to the backstop, his sweeper was out-sweeping where my glove was. I had almost run out of gloves for it.
Over the past five years, sweepers have gained popularity in the major leagues, but McLean’s is a vast and distinctive pitch. It lowers around 30 inches vertically and breaks roughly 15 inches horizontally on average. The spin makes it difficult for batters to pick up the pitch and make firm contact on it, but it doesn’t account for all of the movement.
McLean’s spin rate is his defining characteristic. His four-seam fastball and sinker have respectably high spin rates, and he throws a curveball with more active spin than other pitchers. Senger likes to catch the rookie righty for this reason.
According to Senger, his work is excellent. Watching him work on the mound is kind of entertaining.
The two became first batterymates at the major league level on Friday night. For McLean and Senger, it was an exciting moment, but the Mets player development staff probably valued it even more. If right-hander Brandon Sproat were included in the big-league mix, it would be an even more historic occasion.
Two of the Mets’ top pitching prospects and overall organizational prospects, right-handers Sproat and Jonah Tong, are in the running for September call-ups. Tong has appeared to be just as prepared as anticipated since being promoted from Double-A to Triple-A. He has yet to allow an earned run in 11 2/3 innings. He has struck out 17, walked three, and given up eight hits.
Sproat has played for Triple-A Syracuse the whole season, spending a large portion of it with Senger. The backstop saw the 2023 Mets second-round pick overcome a difficult start to become the International League’s dominant batters. He has held hitters to a.215 average and surpassed the 100-strikeout milestone in 24 outings. He lost three of his first six Triple-A decisions before this. As he has been known to do throughout his college and minor league career, Sproat was missing bats and walking too many hitters earlier in the season.
His ERA of 4.24 The entire tale isn’t actually told by this season. He made five starts in July and gave up just two earned runs.
Senger stated, “I believe this heater was a major factor in that.” I believe that was a major turning point in his life once he recovered trust in his heater. I believe it’s made a big difference that he’s targeting the zone with the conviction that he can get hitters out right now.
His four-seam fastball may occasionally reach triple digits and is comfortably in the high 90s. Hitters feasted on the pitch early in the season, and it doesn’t have a lot of movement or ride. Adjusting to a higher level of hitters had to be expected, as Sproat only made seven starts in Triple-A last season, his first complete professional season following a stellar collegiate career at the University of Florida. The changeover proceeded more easily as Sproat became comfortable with the season and began varying his pitches.
Sproat has a strong presence on the pitch but is quiet and reserved off the field. It has only increased this season as his self-assurance has increased.
Senger remarked, “He’s confident and has a little strut to him now.” He’s a totally different person off the mound.
His catcher is aware that Sproat will be prepared if the Mets decide to call him up next month.
Senger asserted that he is confident and has all the things in the world. He is a very skilled pitcher. Both he and I are aware of that.
The Mets are also aware of it.
