Mack’s Morning Report – My 2017 Binghamton Whatever They Are Called Now - SPs

Good Morning.

My 2017 Binghamton starters –

SP – LHP P.J. Conlon – Conlon is the second coming of Jacob deGrom. Conlon was a mere 13^th round pick in 2015 after a nice 3 year career at the University of San Diego. But then, holy moly… he’s gone 12-3, 1.47, 0.94, 41-G, 23-starts for 3 teams in 1.5 seasons. Hell, last season, split between Columbia and St. Lucie, he went 12-2, 1.65, 0.98, in 24 games and 23 starts. Frankly, I’m not going to waste any time here. I will fast track P.J. to the front of by Binghamton rotation and let hi9m and his long johns pitch opening day.

SP – Casey Delgado – If you think Conlon is small rags to riches story at 6-0, take Delgado at 5-10. Delgado pitched for Austin Peay, had a 5.14-ERA in 2013, and wasn’t drafted. He pitched 2014 in the Frontier League and the Mets signed him to pitch in Savannah in 2015, where he went 8-4, 3.17, 1.10, in 17-Games, 16-starts. He now seems to be settling into a good AAAA starter and will pitch this next season at 27-years old. Noting special here, but he was a good sign for the Mets.

SP – Chris Flexen – Those that have followed my writing know that I was thrilled that the Mets drafted this kid in the Flexen was a 2012 prep 14^th round pick that everyone knew would take tremendous over-slot money to prevent him from going to college. The Mets delivered and after getting his feet wet with 7 games in 2012, had a wonderful season with Kingsport in 2013 as an 18-year old (8-1, 2.09, 0.94, 11-starts). He’s had some injuries to deal with, but finally put in a full season last year for a full season team (St. Lucie: 25-starts, 10-9, 3.56). My hopes is that Flexen (my 17^th Mets prospect going into 2017) will excel this season and become another future major league rotation alternative, or trade bait at worse.

SP – Ricky Knapp – Another long shot draft pick (2013 – 8^th round – Florida Gulf Coast University), Knapp is not going to bowl you over with a ton of strikeouts (pro – 4 seasons – 431-IP, 322-K, and, if you throw in his 111-walks (1.30-WHIP), you’de think we didn’t have much of a pitcher here. Well, Knapp just seems to find a way to win in this game… 2015: 8-4… 2016: 13-6. He’s my 16^th 2017 prospect, just above Flexen.

SP – Corey Oswalt – The last member of my 2017 Binghamton email would be the ex-7^th round prep pick in 2012. Oswalt has quietly put up some impressive numbers in his first 5 pro seasons (25-13, 62-G, 56-ST, 3.82, 1.30). And, he was only 22-years old last year when he went 4-2 for St. Lucie.

This is going to be a very talented rotation.