Dillon Gee

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #16 prospect in 2011
  Gee made just nine starts in 2009 because he tore the labrum in his shoulder at the end of May. He opted for rest and rehab rather than surgery, and he returned strong in 2010. He led the International League with 165 strikeouts in 161 innings before making his big league debut in September. Despite a career strikeout rate of 8.0 per nine innings in the minors, Gee lacks a dominating pitch, thriving instead on command and pitch sequencing. An unheralded 21st-rounder who signed for $20,000 in 2007, he's a hard-nosed competitor who hates to come out of starts. While Gee's pitches all grade as below-average, his plus control makes them play up. He works at 87-90 mph with some sink on his fastball, though he sat more comfortably at 89-91 at the end of the season as his shoulder regained strength. Gee's low-80s, sinking changeup is probably his best pitch because he sells it with a consistent arm action. He throws a slurvy, low-70s curveball as a change-of-pace breaking ball and a short, spinning slider at 79-81 mph as a harder breaker. Like all command pitchers, Gee gets hit when he elevates his pitches or misses his spots. To that end, he allowed 23 home runs with Buffalo to rank second in the IL. Gee will have to curtail the free passes at the big league level, but his positive five-start audition last September gives him a leg up on winning New York's No. 5 starter job in 2011. He perfectly fits the description of dependable innings-eater.
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  Ranked New York Mets #23 prospect in 2010
  Mets manager Jerry Manuel praised Gee during spring training for his impeccable control. He was just hitting his stride in his first taste of Triple-A when he went down with a slight labrum tear, which ended his season on May 25. He addressed his shoulder problems with rehab rather than surgery, and he was throwing off a mound by the end of September. The Mets suspect that overwork led to Gee's shoulder problems. He pitched 154 innings during the 2008 season, then 49 more in the Puerto Rican winter league, where he was named pitcher of the year. Before the injury, Gee had fringe-average stuff. His solid changeup is his best pitch, and he throws an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 92. He also mixes in a cutter, slider and a slow curveball. Gee has little margin for error, so he's liable to get hit hard when he can't locate his pitches. He'll return to Triple-A in 2010.
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  Ranked New York Mets #17 prospect in 2009
  Gee is part of a middle-round college pitching class from the 2007 draft that has Mets officials excited. Mike Antonini (18th round), Dylan Owen (20th round, Francis Marion (S.C.) and Gee (21st round) all finished last season in Binghamton's rotation. Gee didn't foresee getting picked for the high Class A Florida State League all-star game in 2008, and his subsequent promotion to Double-A was far more than he expected in 2008. Gee, who has solid command, asked permission to add a curveball to his repertoire last season, then worked with St. Lucie pitching coach Dan Murray to develop it. He still throws a slider and uses his slow curve more as an early count option. Gee's breaking balls are his current weakness, though that's offset by a solid changeup, sound control and makeup. His fastball generally ranges from 88-90 mph, fringe-average, though he will sneak in a 91-92 mph now and then and knows how to pitch. His fastball command puts him ahead of Owen and Stoner in the organization's pecking order. Gee's results are hard to ignore, and the Mets are eager to see how far his pitchability will get him. After pitching well again in Puerto Rico's winter league (on the same Ponce team as Antonini), Gee is expected to open the 2009 season in Binghamton's rotation.