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9/7/26

MACK – Let’s Revisit - LHSP - Daviel Hurtado

 


 MACK – Let’s Revisit - SP - Daviel Hurtado


Daviel Hurtado is a 21-year-old left-handed starting pitcher in the New York Mets’ minor-league system, currently with High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Background
  • Born January 26, 2005, in Havana, Cuba.
  • 6'1", 166 lbs; bats and throws left.
  • Signed by the Mets as an international free agent in January 2023 for $500,000 (scouted by Oliver Dominguez). He missed 2023 due to injury and debuted in 2024 with the FCL Mets.
  • He earned a spot on Cuba’s 2026 World Baseball Classic roster but did not appear in a game.
PerformanceHe has shown steady improvement and a breakout in 2026:
  • 2024 (FCL Mets): 0-5, 6.32 ERA in 15.2 IP (23 K).
  • 2025 (FCL + Low-A St. Lucie): 1-2, 2.06 ERA, 65.2 IP, 75 K, 1.17 WHIP.
  • 2026 (mostly High-A Brooklyn, with a short Low-A stint): Strong numbers around a mid-2.00s ERA (reports vary slightly by update timing, e.g., ~2.14–2.75 range in High-A), with solid strikeout rates (~25–27% K), low walk rates, and opponents hitting under .170–.190 at times. Career minors ERA has hovered in the mid-to-high 2.00s.

He has earned South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month (June 2026) and Pitcher of the Week honors. He has worked deeper into games (reaching 6 innings multiple times) and shows good ground-ball tendencies with strong command. 

Prospect status: Ranked as high as around No. 24 in the Mets system by MLB Pipeline (mid-to-late 20s in other rankings). Projected as a potential back-end starter with an ETA around 2028. Strengths include deception, spin, and pitchability; the main questions are size/projection and whether the fastball can play up more. Repertoire / Pitch MixScouting grades (MLB Pipeline-style, 2026): Fastball 50 | Curveball 55 | Slider 55 | Changeup 40 | Control 55 | Overall 40.

  • Four-seam fastball: Sits 93–95 mph (can touch mid-90s; earlier reports noted low-to-mid 90s). Average velocity/induced vertical break; more of a command/weak-contact pitch than a big swing-and-miss offering. He sets up on the first-base side of the rubber and turns his back to the hitter for deception/hiding the ball. Sometimes mixes a sinker.
  • Gyro slider: 86–89 mph — one of his best pitches. It dips nicely, generates empty swings and chase, and is used heavily (including against righties).
  • Curveball: Longer 78–81 mph offering with good depth. Another strong secondary that gets whiffs and chase; produces weak contact/ground balls.
  • Changeup: Mid-80s; used infrequently (even vs. righties, where he leans on the slider instead). Least developed pitch.
He throws from a three-quarters (sometimes described as athletic/slingy) arm slot with a long arm action. Strengths are the two breaking balls (both get swings-and-misses and chase), fastball command, ability to expand the zone with softer stuff, low walk rates, and ground-ball induction. He has shown improved stamina and is viewed as having a solid chance to stick as a starter rather than moving to the bullpen. 

In short, Hurtado is a lean, deceptive Cuban lefty with above-average spin/breaking stuff and solid control who has taken a clear step forward in 2026 at High-A. He’s a rising name in the Mets system worth watching as he continues to develop.


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2 comments:

  1. Mack AdeSeptember 7, 2026 at 10:02 AM

    IMO -

    Hurtado is for real though he probably won't be ready to graduate until 2029.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tom BrennanSeptember 7, 2026 at 10:03 AM

    Daviel Hurtado should be very interesting to watch in 2027. Great season, but AA/AAA are often a dividing line for pitchers, as the hitting opposition is much tougher.

    ReplyDelete