Drafted in the 14th round (430th overall) by the New York Mets in 2016 (signed for $100,000).
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After the 10th round of the draft, the Mets often look to the state of Florida for physical high school starting pitchers with a little room to fill out and potentially gain velocity. A 14th-round pick in 2016, James is the next in a line that includes John Gant, Rob Whalen and Jordan Humphreys. Like the other Florida prep pitchers, James spent his second pro season, 2017, at Rookie-level Kingsport missing plenty of bats. In fact, he led all Appalachian League pitchers with at least 50 innings by striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings. James pitches at 89-91 mph and tops out at 93 with plus sinking action, and could add a few ticks of velocity as he matures. He already throws a strong curveball in the 78-84 mph range that could develop into an out pitch. He has begun to show feel for a mid-80s changeup that shows occasional average fading action. James mixes pitches well and exudes mound presence, which are key components in his favor toward earning a full-season assignment to low Class A Columbia in 2018. He could develop into a No. 3 or 4 starter.
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