Noah Syndergaard Wows Mets Brass With Heat, 'Hook From Hell'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York Mets pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard wasted no time delivering the goods during a throwing session Monday.
He blew away a crowd at the team's complex in Port St. Lucie that included Mets owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon, general manager Sandy Alderson, manager Terry Collins and vice president of player development and scouting Paul DePodesta.
"This kid's throwing 97 miles per hour today with a hook from hell," Collins said.
The 21-year-old threw 40 pitches, showing team brass what they can expect from his fastball, curve and changeup once he gets the call to the big leagues.
"Really impressive," Collins said. "Coming in here with the headlines that he's had, and everybody's standing around, it's human nature to try to impress everybody -- and he did."
Syndergaard has been nicknamed "Thor" in the clubhouse, according to the New York Daily News. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud said the 6-foot-6, 240-pound pitcher has an "intense and intimidating" disposition.
"He's big and strong and he's only going to get stronger," d'Arnaud said.
He's an imposing figure for sure. But backup catcher Anthony Recker was also impressed by the big guy's finesse.
"Pretty much my first impression was 'Wow.' He's got really good stuff -- great stuff," Recker said, according to Newsday. "The ball jumps out of his hand, good movement on the two-seam, changeup. You don't expect a power-arm guy that young to have a changeup like that."
Syndergaard admitted he was "pretty amped up" on Monday. After all, he's hoping to make the starting rotation right out of spring training.
But he'll likely start the year in Triple-A, leading to a mid-season promotion, like Zack Wheeler last season and Matt Harvey the year before that.
"I know there's a bigger picture involved," said Syndergaard, who was acquired from Toronto in the R.A. Dickey trade. "When the organization thinks I'm ready is when I'll officially be ready. And I'll be looking forward to being in New York."
Syndergaard went 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 117.2 innings between Single- and Double-A in 2013.
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