Adam Oller Vaults Into Mets’ Plans

As somebody who has logged many miles, literally and figuratively, 27-year-old righthander Adam Oller was rewarded this season for his perseverance.

He led the Mets’ system with 138 strikeouts and logged a 3.45 ERA in 120 innings to earn the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year award. After the season, the Mets added Oller to the 40-man roster to prevent him qualifying for minor league free agency.

He has come a long way since contemplating retirement following his release from the Pirates following the 2018 season. Pittsburgh had drafted him in the 20th round in 2016 out of Northwestern State. 

Oller kept going and latched on in the independent Frontier League for 2019. He put up a 45-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in four starts for Windy City, striking out 16 in his final start before the Giants signed him.

Oller pitched well for Low-A Augusta as a 24-year-old, but not well enough to be a priority for the Giants. They lost him to the Mets in the minor league phase of the 2019 Rule 5 draft.

The Mets sent him to play winter ball in the Australian Baseball League, where he appeared in three games for Sydney before the Covid pandemic struck.

Back in action in 2021, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Oller thew his fastball in the 92-95 mph range, impressing scouts with his ability to pound the strike zone. That improved fastball velocity helped him set up a complement of strong secondary pitches.

His slider is thrown hard in the mid 80s and up to 89 mph. The high velocity makes it difficult for batters to discern in time if they’re sitting fastball. He also lands a firm mid-80s change up for strikes, giving him three pitches to attack batters on both sides of the plate.

While Oller’s ceiling may be limited, his outlook to pitch in MLB in 2022 is not.