Zack Wheeler

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Zack Wheeler
2012 07 11 EL 122 Zack Wheeler.jpg
Zack Wheeler at the 2012 Eastern League All-Star Game
New York Mets – No. 65
Pitcher
Born: (1990-05-30) May 30, 1990 (age 22)
Smyrna, Georgia
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Zachary Harrison Wheeler (born May 30, 1990) is an American Minor League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the New York Mets organization. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft. Wheeler was then traded to the New York Mets in 2011. Prior to being drafted he attended East Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia.

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High school [edit]

Wheeler attended East Paulding High School where he played baseball and basketball.[1] In four varsity seasons, Wheeler compiled a 95–36 record.[1] In 2008, his junior year, he went 8–3 with a 1.31 ERA and 127 strikeouts over 64 ⅓ innings and was named Four-A Region Pitcher of the Year.[2] In 2009, his senior year, Wheeler pitched in 13 games and finished 9–0 with a 0.54 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 77 ⅔ innings. That year he was named the 2009 Gatorade High School Player of the Year for Georgia.[1]

Professional career [edit]

Wheeler was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the first round, sixth overall, in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft out of East Paulding High School in Dallas, Georgia.[1] He signed with the Giants, foregoing a commitment to attend Chipola College.[3] After a year and a half in the Giants minor league system, Wheeler was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the New York Mets for Carlos Beltrán on July 28, 2011.[4][5] Wheeler has been considered one of the top prospects in baseball from 2010 to 2012.[6][7]

Minor leagues [edit]

2010 season [edit]

Wheeler pitched for the Augusta Greenjackets of the South Atlantic League, the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. With the Greenjackets, Wheeler went 3–3 with a 3.99 ERA in 58 ⅔ innings pitched. He also participated in the 2010 Futures Game in Anaheim, California, representing team USA.[8]

2011 season [edit]

Wheeler began the season with the San Francisco Giant's Class A-Advanced affiliate, the San Jose Giants. He went 7–5 with 3.99 ERA, striking out 98 batters and walking 47 in 88 innings and was selected as a CAL Mid-Season All-Star.[5] Then on July 11, he was traded to the New York Mets for outfielder Carlos Beltrán and cash.[5] Wheeler was sent to the Mets Class A affiliate St. Lucie Mets, where he appeared in 6 starts going 2–2 with a 2.00 ERA through 27 innings. In his split time between the Giants and Mets minor league system, Wheeler combined to go 9–7 with a 3.52 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 115 innings pitched.

2012 season [edit]

Prior to the 2012 season, Baseball America considered Wheeler the Mets best prospect and MLB.com listed him at 21st in professional baseball.[9][10] He was promoted to the class Double-A Binghamton Mets. On May 3, Wheeler was briefly placed on the disabled list after suffering an avulsion on his right middle finger nail.[11] After beginning the season at 7–3 with a 2.29 ERA in 13 Double-A starts, he was named to appear in the 2012 Eastern League All-Star Game and in his second All-Star Futures Game.[12][13] On July 14, Wheeler threw his first complete game shutout against the Erie SeaWolves, striking-out 7, walking 1 and allowing 6 hits, as his record improved to 9–4.[14] Although Wheeler has pitched exceptionally, Mets manager Terry Collins has said that Wheeler is not being considered for the big leagues at the moment.[15]

After pitching his first complete game shutout, Wheeler went on to lose two consecutive games, surrendering a combined 13 runs. Wheeler was then able to bounce back and record a win in a 6 ⅔ inning effort wherein he had 11 strikeouts. After this performance and vacancies in the Mets Triple-A affiliate's rotation, the Mets decided to promote Wheeler to the Buffalo Bisons on August 1.[16][17] While at Double-A, Wheeler compiled a 10–6 record with a 3.26 ERA in 116 innings pitched over 19 starts.[2][17] Through his first four games at Triple-A, Wheeler is 0–2 with a 4.71 ERA. On August 26 after 5 starts, Wheeler was able to earn his first Triple-A win against the Rochester Red Wings. He pitched 7 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and 2 base on balls, while striking out 7.[10] Wheelers last start resulted in a win against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs in which he went 5 innings with 5 strikeouts, giving up 1 home run and 4 walks.[18] Due to a 150 inning limit set by Mets management, Wheeler's 2012 campaign ended on September 1 after his start against Lehigh Valley. At Triple-A Wheeler started 6 games going 2–2 with a 3.27 ERA over 33 innings pitched. In that span he struck out 31 and surrendered 16 base on balls. Across Double-A and Triple-A for 2012 Wheeler went 12–8 with a 3.26 ERA and struck out 148, the most of any minor leaguer in the Mets organization.[18]

2013 season [edit]

Going into the 2013 season, Wheeler is ranked 6th on the MLB.com Top 100 Prospects list and 4th on the RH Pitchers list behind Baltimore Orioles prospect Dylan Bundy, Seattle Mariners prospect Taijuan Walker, and Cleveland Indians prospect Trevor Bauer. The Mets had Wheeler examined on May 15 regarding soreness around his right clavicle.[19]

Awards and honors [edit]

Minor leagues [edit]

Pitching repertoire [edit]

Wheeler is a power pitcher with a 6 foot 4 inch (1.93 meter) frame that is lean and can generate great arm speed. He has a five-pitch repertoire that include a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, changeup, and slider.[20] His fastball is consistently in the range of 95 to 97 mph and has great movement.[21] Wheeler also has a 72–78 mph curveball that was rated the best in the Mets organization by Baseball America.[22] Both his fastball and curve are considered to be plus pitches. Wheeler has also been developing a slider and a changeup. The slider is in the range of 88–91 mph and has been described to be more of a cut fastball.[21] It is expected that with time this pitch will develop to have a sharper and longer break going from right to left of the strike zone.[21] The change-up is in the 83–89 mph range and has some but not much movement and the offering is below average.[23]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Chris Haft (10 June 2009). "Giants take focused pitcher in Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  2. ^ a b "Zach Wheeler Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MiLB.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  3. ^ Dustin Kent (19 June 2009). "Corbin signs, Buchanan waits". Jackson County Floridan. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  4. ^ http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/6812448/san-francisco-giants-finalize-trade-get-carlos-beltran-new-york-mets Giants finalize Carlos Beltran trade
  5. ^ a b c "Mets, Giants make Beltran deal official". mets.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  6. ^ http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2010/269551.html Top 100 Prospects: No. 41-60
  7. ^ http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2011/2611326.html 2011 Top 100 Prospects: 41-60
  8. ^ Eric Little (21 June 2012). "Joseph, Wheeler Headed to Kansas City". MiLB.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  9. ^ Baseball America New York Mets top 2012 prospects
  10. ^ a b "Wheeler picks up first Triple-A win". MiLB.com. Retrieved 28 August 2012. 
  11. ^ "Mets prospect Wheeler placed on DL". MLB.com. Retrieved 24 May 2012. 
  12. ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120620&content_id=33663130&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
  13. ^ http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/49853/wheeler-named-eastern-league-all-star
  14. ^ Tim Heiman (14 July 2012). "Wheeler Dazzles in Complete Game Shutout, 1-0". MiLB.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  15. ^ "TC praises Wheeler ... but says no way". 
  16. ^ "Source: Sunday eyed for Wheeler promotion". ESPNNewYork.com. Retrieved 1 August 2012. 
  17. ^ a b "Top prospect Wheeler moved up to Triple-A". MLB.com. Retrieved 2 August 2012. 
  18. ^ a b "Wheeler closes book on solid 2012 season". ESPN.com. Retrieved 7 September 2012. 
  19. ^ "Mets Prospect Zack Wheeler To Be Examined In N.Y. For Sore Clavicle". CBS News New York. Retrieved 15 May 2013. 
  20. ^ "Brooks Baseball · Home of the PitchFX Tool - Player Card: Zach Wheeler". Brooks Baseball. Retrieved 1 October 2012. 
  21. ^ a b c "Wheeler deals the hard stuff in preview". Newsday.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  22. ^ "Zach Wheeler, RHP, Mets". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 
  23. ^ Adam Foster (23 May 2011). "Zack Wheeler Scouting Report". http://projectprospect.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012. 

External links [edit]
New York Mets current roster
Active roster
Inactive roster
Disabled list
Coaching staff
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