Thomas Szapucki

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #16 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki missed 2018 while recovering from Tommy John surgery but returned in 2019 to throw a career-high 61.2 innings and reach Double-A for one start. Added to the 40-man roster after the 2019 season, he spent 2020 at the Mets' alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki pitched with diminished velocity in 2020, clouding his timetable to reach the big leagues unless he recovers that zip on his fastball. He sat at 88 mph at the alternate site after averaging 92 mph the year before and peaking at 95. Szapucki's fastball features plus ride and spin up in the zone, while his curveball shows deep breaking action and high spin in the low 80s. His changeup shows promise and has fringe-average potential as he gains confidence in the pitch. Szapucki is still trying to mentally get through the injury and workload restrictions that have plagued him. The Mets are hopeful his velocity will return after a commitment to strength and conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a lefthander who can land three pitches for strikes, and whose pitch attributes on his fastball and curveball are promising, Szapucki has a major league future if he recovers his velocity. He is further away than he appeared in 2019 and could require a full minor league season before reaching the majors in 2022.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #7 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki burst on the scene in 2016 when he struck out nearly 15 batters per nine innings at a pair of short-season stops. He failed to build on that success in 2017, when he had Tommy John surgery in July that knocked him out for all of 2018. Szapucki returned in 2019 and cruised through two Class A stops on tight pitch counts before making one Double-A start to close the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki has experienced the highs and lows of professional baseball. Likewise, his pitches explore the highs and lows of the strike zone, and his high-spin rate arsenal makes him a prototype pitcher for baseball today. Szapucki's sneaky fastball sits 91-93 mph with carry up in the zone and he can reach 95 when needed. His curveball is the best in the system and features deep breaking action in the low 80s to change hitters' eye levels. He has good feel for a near-average changeup and began throwing it with more conviction as his comfort level grew in his return.
  
  THE FUTURE: Szapucki has a major league arm, though it remains to be seen if it fits in the rotation or bullpen. His time table will be accelerated in 2020, his first year on the 40-man roster. His focus will remain building arm strength and gaining reps, most likely at Double-A.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #10 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Szapucki struck out nearly 15 batters per nine innings in a pair of short-season assignments in 2016, but a pair of injuries compromised his 2017 encore. First he dealt with a shoulder impingement at low Class A Columbia that forced him out of action in April in May, then he had Tommy John surgery in July that knocked him out for the entire 2018 season.
  
  Scouting Report: Szapucki threw two electrifying pitches when healthy and had obvious major league impact potential. His stabbing arm action has been described by scouts as being more typical of a reliever, but he repeats his low three-quarters arm slot and generates power and high spin on his fastball and breaking ball. Szapucki sits 93 mph and bumps 96 with electric life out of his lower arm slot. His high-spin curveball reaches home plate at 76-80 mph with sweeping, two-plane break. Below-average feel for his changeup and below-average control headline his to-do list.
  
  The Future: Health permitting, Szapucki is a near lock to pitch in the big leagues. On the high end of his forecast, he could be a potential No. 3 starter or high-leverage reliever. But first he must navigate a complete minor league season, which he will attempt to do in 2019.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #5 prospect in 2018
  One of the most promising pitchers in the Mets system, Szapucki looked sharp during his full-season debut at low Class A Columbia. He made just six starts, however, because he missed April and May while recovering from a shoulder impingement, then had Tommy John surgery in July that will cost him the 2018 season. His 2016 season also ended prematurely with back stiffness at short-season Brooklyn. A physical 6-foot-2 lefthander, Szapucki when healthy delivers high-quality stuff from the left side out of a low three-quarters arm slot. He ranges from 90-96 mph and sits 93 with electric life on his plus fastball. He commands his big-breaking, low-80s slider and uses it as an out pitch. Szapucki even showed feel for a changeup he has developed in his three pro seasons, though it remains fringe-average. His control grades as below-average but can be improved with better direction to the plate. Szapucki might have ranked No. 1 in the system had he remained healthy--he has that kind of ceiling. If he recovers fully and proves his durability, he can develop into a No. 3 starter. He turns 23 in 2019, when he is targeted to return to the mound.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #8 prospect in 2017
  The Mets sacrificed their first-round pick in 2015 when they signed Michael Cuddyer, but still identified a pair of top prospects in Florida preps Desmond Lindsay (second round) and Szapucki (fifth). After a brief pro debut in 2015, Szapucki raised his arm slot closer to three-quarters at instructional league, granting him better fastball control and more life on his secondary pitches. In 2016 he led all short-season pitchers with 14.9 strikeouts per nine innings, while recording a 1.38 ERA in nine starts between Rookie-level Kingsport and short-season Brooklyn. Szapucki throws the best curveball in the Mets system--it's a mid-70s pitch with plus top-to-bottom action--but his slider might be even better. The pitch receives plus grades from scouts for its low-80s velocity and sweeping action and late depth. He has a track record for spinning his breaking pitches. As a prep in 2014 he recorded the highest breaking-ball spin rate at Perfect Game National, according to TrackMan data. Szapucki throws a plus fastball that sits 93 mph and touches 96. He commands a low-90s sinker to both sides of the plate, though he needs to refine a little-used, below-average changeup that features late tumbling action. He struggles to locate his changeup for strikes in part because of a hard-to-repeat delivery, which includes a stabbing arm action, recoil in his finish and a head whack. The Mets shut Szapucki down with back stiffness in August, so he has yet to prove he can hold up under a starter's workload. If he can, he has No. 2 or 3 starter upside with two plus pitches and potentially average control. A full season at low Class A Columbia would be telling.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #92 prospect in 2015 draft
  Even in a strong class of Florida high school pitchers, Szapucki stands out as a lefthander with premium velocity and a quality breaking ball. His fastball has been up to 95 mph this spring and he holds his velocity well, continuing to throw 92-93 mph at the ends of games. His sharp slider has a chance to give him a second plus offering and had the best spin rate of any breaking ball at Perfect Game National, according to TrackMan data. He rarely used his changeup in high school, but when he threw it over the summer it showed the potential to become an average offering with more development. He works around the strike zone, but pitches with more control than command right now. Listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Szapucki has good size for a lefthander. But he throws from a low slot, leading some scouts to see him as a future reliever. Even with that concern, his premium stuff may be enough to entice a team to sign him away from his commitment to Florida.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked National League #8 prospect in 2016
  Szapucki has a stout, wide-shouldered frame with the physicality of a starting pitcher but the delivery of a reliever. Despite a plunging arm action, a recoil in his finish and a head whack, he was able to consistently find his lower three-quarters arm slot and showed the ability to throw all of his pitches--a mid-90s fastball that touched 96 mph, an 89-91 sinker and two breaking balls--from the same release point. Szapucki's slider lives in the low 80s and features powerful 2-to-8 sweep and late depth. His high-70s curveball shows more top-to-bottom action. His changeup shows late tumbling action, and he throws it with fastball arm speed. His season ended with a back injury, and he has previously had back issues, so he'll have to prove he can hold up physically.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki missed 2018 while recovering from Tommy John surgery but returned in 2019 to throw a career-high 61.2 innings and reach Double-A for one start. Added to the 40-man roster after the 2019 season, he spent 2020 at the Mets' alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki pitched with diminished velocity in 2020, clouding his timetable to reach the big leagues unless he recovers that zip on his fastball. He sat at 88 mph at the alternate site after averaging 92 mph the year before and peaking at 95. Szapucki's fastball features plus ride and spin up in the zone, while his curveball shows deep breaking action and high spin in the low 80s. His changeup shows promise and has fringe-average potential as he gains confidence in the pitch. Szapucki is still trying to mentally get through the injury and workload restrictions that have plagued him. The Mets are hopeful his velocity will return after a commitment to strength and conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a lefthander who can land three pitches for strikes, and whose pitch attributes on his fastball and curveball are promising, Szapucki has a major league future if he recovers his velocity. He is further away than he appeared in 2019 and could require a full minor league season before reaching the majors in 2022.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki missed 2018 while recovering from Tommy John surgery but returned in 2019 to throw a career-high 61.2 innings and reach Double-A for one start. Added to the 40-man roster after the 2019 season, he spent 2020 at the Mets' alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki pitched with diminished velocity in 2020, clouding his timetable to reach the big leagues unless he recovers that zip on his fastball. He sat at 88 mph at the alternate site after averaging 92 mph the year before and peaking at 95. Szapucki's fastball features plus ride and spin up in the zone, while his curveball shows deep breaking action and high spin in the low 80s. His changeup shows promise and has fringe-average potential as he gains confidence in the pitch. Szapucki is still trying to mentally get through the injury and workload restrictions that have plagued him. The Mets are hopeful his velocity will return after a commitment to strength and conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a lefthander who can land three pitches for strikes, and whose pitch attributes on his fastball and curveball are promising, Szapucki has a major league future if he recovers his velocity. He is further away than he appeared in 2019 and could require a full minor league season before reaching the majors in 2022.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki missed 2018 while recovering from Tommy John surgery but returned in 2019 to throw a career-high 61.2 innings and reach Double-A for one start. Added to the 40-man roster after the 2019 season, he spent 2020 at the Mets' alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki pitched with diminished velocity in 2020, clouding his timetable to reach the big leagues unless he recovers that zip on his fastball. He sat at 88 mph at the alternate site after averaging 92 mph the year before and peaking at 95. Szapucki's fastball features plus ride and spin up in the zone, while his curveball shows deep breaking action and high spin in the low 80s. His changeup shows promise and has fringe-average potential as he gains confidence in the pitch. Szapucki is still trying to mentally get through the injury and workload restrictions that have plagued him. The Mets are hopeful his velocity will return after a commitment to strength and conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: As a lefthander who can land three pitches for strikes, and whose pitch attributes on his fastball and curveball are promising, Szapucki has a major league future if he recovers his velocity. He is further away than he appeared in 2019 and could require a full minor league season before reaching the majors in 2022.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki burst on the scene in 2016 when he struck out nearly 15 batters per nine innings at a pair of short-season stops. He failed to build on that success in 2017, when he had Tommy John surgery in July that knocked him out for all of 2018. Szapucki returned in 2019 and cruised through two Class A stops on tight pitch counts before making one Double-A start to close the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki has experienced the highs and lows of professional baseball. Likewise, his pitches explore the highs and lows of the strike zone, and his high-spin rate arsenal makes him a prototype pitcher for baseball today. Szapucki’s sneaky fastball sits 91-93 mph with carry up in the zone and he can reach 95 when needed. His curveball is the best in the system and features deep breaking action in the low 80s to change hitters’ eye levels. He has good feel for a near-average changeup and began throwing it with more conviction as his comfort level grew in his return.
  
  THE FUTURE: Szapucki has a major league arm, though it remains to be seen if it fits in the rotation or bullpen. His time table will be accelerated in 2020, his first year on the 40-man roster. His focus will remain building arm strength and gaining reps, most likely at Double-A.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Szapucki burst on the scene in 2016 when he struck out nearly 15 batters per nine innings at a pair of short-season stops. He failed to build on that success in 2017, when he had Tommy John surgery in July that knocked him out for all of 2018. Szapucki returned in 2019 and cruised through two Class A stops on tight pitch counts before making one Double-A start to close the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Szapucki has experienced the highs and lows of professional baseball. Likewise, his pitches explore the highs and lows of the strike zone, and his high-spin rate arsenal makes him a prototype pitcher for baseball today. Szapucki's sneaky fastball sits 91-93 mph with carry up in the zone and he can reach 95 when needed. His curveball is the best in the system and features deep breaking action in the low 80s to change hitters' eye levels. He has good feel for a near-average changeup and began throwing it with more conviction as his comfort level grew in his return.
  
  THE FUTURE: Szapucki has a major league arm, though it remains to be seen if it fits in the rotation or bullpen. His time table will be accelerated in 2020, his first year on the 40-man roster. His focus will remain building arm strength and gaining reps, most likely at Double-A.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Szapucki has carved up minor league competition with bat-missing stuff that opponents struggle to square up or lift. He reached low Class A Columbia in 2017 before his progress was put on hold by Tommy John surgery in July. When healthy, Szapucki throws an electric fastball/curveball combo that ranks as the best in the system. He could return to the mound in instructional league.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: One of the most promising pitchers in the system, Szapucki looked sharp during his full-season debut at low Class A Columbia. He made just six starts, however, because he missed April and May while recovering from a shoulder impingement, then had Tommy John surgery in July that will cost him the 2018 season. His 2016 season also ended prematurely with back stiffness. SCOUTING REPORT: A physical 6-foot-2 lefthander, Szapucki when healthy delivers high-quality stuff from the left side out of a low three-quarters arm slot. He ranges from 90-96 mph and sits 93 with electric life on his plus fastball. He commands his big-breaking, low-80s slider and uses it as an out pitch. Szapucki even showed feel for a changeup he has developed in his three pro seasons, though it remains fringe-average. His control grades as below-average but can be improved with better direction to the plate. THE FUTURE: Szapucki might have ranked No. 1 in the system had he remained healthy. If he recovers fully and proves his durability, he can develop into a No. 3 starter. He turns 23 in 2019, when he is targeted to return to the mound.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Mets sacrificed their first-round pick in 2015 when they signed Michael Cuddyer, but still identified a pair of top prospects in Florida preps Desmond Lindsay (second round) and Szapucki (fifth). After a brief pro debut in 2015, Szapucki raised his arm slot closer to three-quarters at instructional league, granting him better fastball control and more life on his secondary pitches. In 2016 he led all short-season pitchers with 14.9 strikeouts per nine innings, while recording a 1.38 ERA in nine starts between Rookie-level Kingsport and short-season Brooklyn. Scouting Report: Szapucki throws the best curveball in the Mets system--it's a mid-70s pitch with plus top-to-bottom action--but his slider might be even better. The pitch receives plus grades from scouts for its low-80s velocity and sweeping action and late depth. Szapucki throws a plus fastball that sits 93 mph and touches 96. He commands a low-90s sinker to both sides of the plate, though he needs to refine a little-used, below-average changeup that features late tumbling action. He struggles to locate his changeup for strikes in part because of a hard-to-repeat delivery, which includes a stabbing arm action, recoil in his finish and a head whack.
  
  The Future: The Mets shut Szapucki down with back stiffness in August, so he has yet to prove he can hold up under a starter's workload. If he can, he has No. 2 or 3 starter upside with two plus pitches and average control. A full season at low Class A Columbia would be telling.