Mets Racking Up Right-Handed Pitchers

Citi Field. Photo by Jason Schott.

While the Mets still decide on what to do with their free agents including pitcher Jacob deGrom and center fielder Brandon Nimmo, they have made a flurry of moves acquiring young pitching talent in the past week. 

Last Friday, the Mets acquired a pair of right-handed pitchers, Elieser Hernandez and Jeff Brigham, from the Miami Marlins, for minor league right-hander Franklin Sanchez and a player to be named or cash. They also claimed right-hander William Woods off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.

On Wednesday, the Mets signed a pair of right-handed pitchers, Zack Muckenhirn and Denyi Reyes, to minor league contracts. Muckenhirn pitched in the Chicago White Sox system, while Reyes made his Major League debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022.

Biographies of the five right-handed pitchers the Mets acquired:

Elieser Hernandez - The 27-year-old made 10 starts and had 20 appearances with Miami last season, as he had a record of 3-6 with a 6.35 ERA (earned run average), as he allowed 44 earned runs in 62.1 innings pitched, while notching 60 strikeouts. Overall, since he debuted in 2018, he has appeared in 90 career games (48 starts), and he has a 10-21 record with a 5.04 ERA (161 ER in 287.2 IP).

Jeff Brigham - He appeared in 16 games in relief for Miami last season, and he had a 3.38 ERA (9 ER in 24.0 IP), with one save, and he held left-handed hitters to a .229 (8-35) batting average. Overall for his career with Miami, the 30-year old Federal Way, WA, native, is 3-7 with two saves and a 4.52 ERA (40 ER in 79.2 IP) in 53 games, including four starts.

William Woods - He made his Major League debut with the Atlanta Braves this past season, as he threw two scoreless innings, with two strikeouts in two appearances. In four minor league season with the Braves organization, he is 2-9 with a 4.60 ERA (55 ER in 107.2 IP) in 59 games, 18 of which were starts.

Zack Muckenhirn - The 27-year-old appeared in 47 games with the Chicago White Sox's Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte last season, and he went 3-1 with two saves and a 3.11 ERA as he allowed 19 earned runs in 55.0 innings pitched, with 23 walks and 56 strikeouts. In six minor league seasons, he is 21-21 with a 3.82 ERA (159 ER in 375.0 IP) with 137 walks and 387 strikeouts. He was originally selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 11th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of North Dakota.

Denyi Reyes - He was originally signed as a non-drafted minor league free agent by the Boston Red Sox in 2014, and in seven minor league seasons, he has a 45-28 record with a 3.29 ERA (earned run average, as he has allowed 218 ER ibn 596.1 IP, with 89 walks and 526 strikeouts. He made his major league debut this past season with the Baltimore Orioles, and he appeared in three games, one of which was a start, and he posted a 2.35 ERA (2 ER in 7.2 IP), with a walk and three strikeouts.