Franklyn Kilome Nears MLB Debut

Franklyn Kilome looks the part of an intimidator and has the raw stuff to match it.

At 6-foot-6, 175 pounds, the lanky 24-year-old Dominican righthander releases close to the plate, boasting a mid-90s fastball, an above-average curveball, a slider and a changeup.

Even with the Mets’ abundance of rotation options, they could soon call up Kilome, who signed with the Phillies for $40,000 in 2013.

Acquired in a trade with the Phillies for Asdrubal Cabrera in July 2018, Kilome made seven starts for Double-A Binghamton before tearing a ligament in his elbow and having Tommy John surgery in October 2018. He missed all of 2019 rehabbing from the surgery.

“To a fair amount of people in the public, because he didn’t pitch last year, he’s become a little bit forgotten, but he certainly isn’t forgotten to us,” assistant general manager Adam Guttridge said. “The ingredients are there, we feel like. He’s a big guy and he’s an athlete. There is a lot to work with there.

“The way his body moves and the way his arm works, we feel like there might even be an opportunity to extend his velocity somewhat.”

Kilome went 4-9, 4.18 in 26 starts at Double-A in 2018. In 140 innings he allowed 127 hits, struck out 125 batters and compiled a 1.34 WHIP.

Once Kilome returns to health, he could soon get an opportunity at the big league level and join starters Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Steven Matz, Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha.

“We used nine starting pitchers last year and that was in a year we did as well as one can hope to do health-wise,” Guttridge said. “And because (Kilome) didn’t pitch last year his name got lost in the shuffle a little bit, but internally that is not the way we see it. We count him as quality depth.”