In case you haven’t been properly introduced, allow me to acquaint you with the future of the New York Mets: right-hander Zack Wheeler. The 6’4″ Wheeler, a native of Georgia, was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants as a first-rounder (sixth overall) in 2009.
In the middle of the 2011 season, the Mets traded All-Star Carlos Beltran to the Giants in exchange for the top prospect in a clear move for the future. Well, the future is upon us now as we enter the 2014 season. After ranking as the 11th-best prospect by Baseball America prior to the 2013 campaign, Wheeler made his Major League debut in June.
Once he reached the big leagues, Wheeler made 17 starts for the Mets, finishing with a 7-5 record and a 3.42 ERA. He had an impressive 7.6 K/9 ratio as well.
Now that he has the first-year jitters out of his system, Wheeler is expected to be a key component to the Mets’ rotation in 2014 and beyond. But just what can we expect from the 23-year-old this year? Is he ready to step up and be the ace with Matt Harvey on the shelf?