| Thomas Szapucki | |
|---|---|
Szapucki with the Syracuse Mets in 2022 | |
| New York Mets – No. 63 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: June 12, 1996 Toms River, New Jersey | |
Bats: Right Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 30, 2021, for the New York Mets | |
| MLB statistics (through May 25, 2022) | |
| Win–loss record | 0–1 |
| Earned run average | 27.00 |
| Strikeouts | 6 |
| Teams | |
| |
Thomas Mathew Szapucki (born June 12, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021.
Szapucki attended William T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft.[1] He signed with the Mets, forgoing his commitment to the University of Florida.[2]
Szapucki made his professional debut that season with the Gulf Coast Mets. He started 2016 with the Kingsport Mets and was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones during the season.[3][4] Szapucki finished 2016 with a combined 4-3 record and 1.38 ERA in 52 total innings pitched between two teams. He spent 2017 with the Columbia Fireflies, posting a 1-2 record, 2.79 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP over 29 innings before undergoing Tommy John surgery in July, thus ending his season.[5]
MLB.com ranked Szapucki as New York's fifth ranked prospect going into the 2018 season.[6] He missed all of 2018 due to Tommy John. He returned to play in 2019 with Columbia before being promoted to the St. Lucie Mets in July, and to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in August. Over 21 games (18 starts) between the three clubs, he went 1-3 with a 2.63 ERA, striking out 72 over 61+2⁄3 innings.
Szapucki was added to the Mets 40–man roster following the 2019 season.[7] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 27, 2021, Szapucki was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, but was optioned down to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets the next day without making an appearance.[8] He was recalled to the active roster and promoted to the majors a second time on June 29.[9] He made his MLB debut the next day, pitching in relief against the Atlanta Braves, but allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning. He was optioned back to Syracuse two days later. On July 13, it was announced that Szapucki would require ulnar nerve transposition surgery, ending his rookie campaign at one appearance.[10]
Szapucki was again promoted to the active roster on May 25, 2022, starting against the San Francisco Giants on that day.[11] He pitched one and two-thirds innings, allowing nine runs.
