Jenrry Mejia

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #6 prospect in 2012
  When Mejia made New York's 2010 Opening Day roster, he was the youngest player in the big leagues at age 20. He saw only sporadic work out of the bullpen and eventually pitched his way back to Double-A. He began 2011 in the Buffalo rotation but succumbed to Tommy John surgery in May after just five starts. Despite a smallish build, Mejia featured plus-plus velocity at 94-96 mph and the best fastball life in the system prior to his elbow injury. With natural cutting action, his fastball induces plenty of weak contact. Mejia also threw a firm changeup in the mid-80s that behaved like a splitter and gave him a second plus offering. His high-70s curveball needed refinement but showed signs of becoming an above-average pitch as well. Mejia's command suffers from an inconsistent release point, an issue exacerbated by all the missed time. He's totaled just 203 innings in the last three years as a result of injuries, including finger (2009) and shoulder (2010) strains. Mejia could get back on a mound at some point during spring training and return to game action in May or June. Assuming a full recovery, his ceiling remains unchanged: No. 2 starter or late-inning reliever.
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  Ranked New York Mets #1 prospect in 2011
  Unlike many pro baseball players, Mejia didn't sign his first contract for love of the game. He began playing at age 15 only after seeing how lucrative the sport could be for many impoverished young Dominicans, citing Pedro Martinez's $53 million deal with the Mets as an eye-opener. Scouted by the Red Sox and Yankees, among others, Mejia struggled to get noticed because he was undersized and skinny. When the Mets offered $16,500 in April 2007 he signed on the spot--it sure beat the roughly $8 a day he made shining shoes in Santo Domingo. Mejia made a much quicker impression in his U.S. debut in 2008, when he came out firing mid-90s heat for Brooklyn. He began the 2010 season in the Mets big league bullpen, at 20 the youngest player to make an Opening Day roster. His youth and inexperience showed, prompting New York to option him to Double-A on June 20. He left his second start there with a strained shoulder and sat out a month. Upon his return in August, Mejia went on a monthlong tear to earn his way back to the New York. Back in the majors, Mejia got rocked in two starts and left his third with what eventually was diagnosed as a rhomboid strain of his shoulder blade. Mejia adopted a reliever's mentality while working in the big league bullpen, showcasing his plus-plus fastball at the expense of his secondary pitches. He sits at a steady 94-96 mph and induces boatloads of groundballs because his ball features such late cutting action. Mejia throws a firm 86-88 mph straight changeup that behaves like a splitter and serves as a second out pitch. Scouts like his 12-to-6 downer curveball, which is a plus pitch at times at 79-81 mph. Because he struggles to repeat his release point on his curve, he tends to shy away from it. Concerns about Mejia center on his inconsistent secondary stuff and smallish build--though his strong lower half mitigates the latter somewhat. He worked just 81 innings last season and 95 in 2009, when he missed seven weeks with a strained right middle finger. Mejia has the raw stuff to pitch at the front of a rotation, but he has yet to prove he can complete anything close to 200 innings in a season. Even if he flames out as a starter, he can be a dominating late-inning reliever with just a slight improvement to his control. The new frontoffice regime intends to slow down Mejia's development track and have him build innings as a starter at Triple-A Buffalo in 2011.
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  Ranked New York Mets #1 prospect in 2010
  On the day Mejia auditioned for the Mets in 2007, he felt ill and stiff, and told his representative he didn't think he could register more than 86 mph with his fastball. Mejia outperformed his own expectations that day, throwing 91-92. He agreed to a $16,500 bonus before leaving the organization's complex in Boca de Niqua, Dominican Republic, and since has proven to be a bargain. Mejia emerged as the organization's top prospect in 2009, when he opened the season by dominating at high Class A St. Lucie before earning a promotion to Double-A Binghamton that made him the youngest pitcher in the Eastern League. He missed seven weeks with a strained right middle finger, the result of overthrowing a fastball in late June when he got upset after surrendering one of only two homers he served up all year. The injury cost him a trip to the Futures Game. The Mets eased him back on short pitch counts when he returned to the mound in August, then sent him to the Arizona Fall League. Mejia's fastball ranges from 90-96 mph, and it hit 98 on a handful of occasions in 2009. He's able to maintain his velocity late into games, and his fastball has so much cutting and sinking action that it befuddles hitters. He induces a lot of groundouts and broken bats. "They're asking me if it's a slider," said Josh Thole, who caught Mejia with Binghamton. "I said, 'It's 94 (mph), guys. I don't think that's a slider.' " Mejia's changeup is a plus pitch at times, resembling a splitter with its 81-84 velocity and drop. Though he's not particularly tall by righthander standards, he has a good angle to the plate and throws downhill. In 210 pro innings, he has allowed just six homers. Mejia does a good job of pitching inside, and he generally stays composed with traffic on the bases. Stocky and muscular, he has impeccable conditioning. Mejia's slider needs a lot of work. He throws it with an inconsistent release point and arm speed, often leaving it up in the strike zone. He sometimes throws his changeup too hard and doesn't achieve enough separation form his fastball. His fastball command also can stand to improve, and even he acknowledges he doesn't quite know where the pitch is headed when he releases it. He just aims for the middle and lets the movement work for him. Manager Jerry Manuel watched Mejia pitch in the AFL to gauge whether he could contribute out of the major league bullpen to open 2010, though that may be a bit premature. Mejia instead may return to Double-A, where he has made just 10 starts and has yet to record a win. He has more value as a potential frontline starter, and his fastball life is so good that he probably could succeed by throwing mostly heaters. Regardless of his role, he has a good chance to reach New York at some point during the season. "Somebody told me if you play in the big leagues at 20 years old, that's good," Mejia said. "I said, 'I know. But I wanted to play in the big leagues last year.' "
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  Ranked New York Mets #7 prospect in 2009
  The Mets are ecstatic about the bargain they received in signing Mejia for just $16,500. The second-youngest regular pitcher in the New York-Penn League last summer, he got knocked around in his first two outings before going 3-1, 2.40 the rest of the way. Mejia has a quality fastball, sitting in the mid-90s even while pitching out of the stretch and touching 98 mph at times. Some scouts believe he'll hit 100 mph once he matures. His changeup has such sink and depth with high-80s velocity that some scouts consider it a two-seam fastball, while some hitters think it's a curveball. He attacks hitters and competes well. He's also in top physical condition, so he should be durable. He attacks hitters and competes well. Mejia has difficulty repeating his delivery, hampering his command. His curveball is his third-best pitch and it's wildly inconsistent. Like many young power arms, he's overly reliant on his fastball. The Mets will continue to challenge Mejia and could jump him to high Class A in 2009. He'll continue to start to gain experience and work on his secondary pitches, but he could fit best as a late-inning relief option in the long run.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #17 prospect in 2012
  Mejia reached the majors at age 20 in 2010, then missed most of 2011 with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Small and quick-armed, he worked his way back to Triple-A by the end of May and returned to New York this September. He both started and relieved in Buffalo and New York. His fastball averages 94 mph and peaks at 96. Mejia's heater has natural gloveside life and at times is mistaken for a cutter. But his high-energy, erratic delivery costs him command, keeping him from racking up bigger strikeout numbers and probably relegating him to the bullpen in the long run. Mejia also throws a hard curveball that gets some swings and misses. His changeup has sinking life but can be too firm.
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  Ranked Florida State League #7 prospect in 2009
  The Mets often push their international signees to see if they can handle advanced leagues at young ages. That philosophy has met with mixed results, but Mejia is one prospect who was thrown into the deep end and showed he could swim. Mejia has a 94-95 mph fastball, and he can cut or sink it depending on the situation. He flashes a plus curveball, though it's inconsistent and he struggles to locate it at times. Unlike a lot of young pitchers, he's willing to throw his changeup, but it has too much velocity and only rates as an adequate pitch at this point. Mejia has a solid pitcher's frame. His delivery and lack of secondary stuff could lead to an eventual move to the bullpen.
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  Ranked New York-Penn League #9 prospect in 2008
  Prospects like Mejia don't come along very often. He's listed at 6 feet and 162 pounds, but one scout said he looks closer to 190. Regardless, he throws much harder than most 6-footers, running his fastball up to 97-98 mph and sitting at 95-96 even when throwing out of the stretch in the middle innings. "He's a power-armed guy. He's a freak," a National League scout said. "I'm not even saying he's any good right now, I'm just saying he's a freak. He could probably throw 100 mph. His delivery's fair, but it's hard to repeat. I see a hell of a lot of effort with Mejia. He's like the kid at the carnival trying to win the thing, just letting it all go. He's got no rhythm. He's trying to be more fluid, but it's not happening." Mejia works around the plate but doesn't have a lot of command in the strike zone or feel for pitching. He does have a chance for three legitimate above-average pitches, however. He has good feel for his plus 88-90 mph changeup, which he uses like a two-seam fastball. His low-80s power curveball is inconsistent, ranging from a plus pitch to well below average. If Mejia can harness his stuff, his ceiling is high, but long-term durability is a major concern with his small physique and max-effort delivery.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #44 prospect in 2011
• Ranked Baseball America's #56 prospect in 2010

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: When Mejia made New York's 2010 Opening Day roster, he was the youngest player in the big leagues at age 20. He only saw sporadic work out of the bullpen and eventually pitched his way back to Double-A, where he dominated minor league batters in between disabled list stints. Mejia began 2011 in the Buffalo rotation but succumbed to Tommy John surgery in May after just five starts. Scouting Report: Despite a smallish build, Mejia featured plus-plus velocity at 94-96 mph and the best fastball life in the system prior to his elbow injury. With natural cutting action, his fastball induces plenty of weak contact. Mejia also threw a firm changeup in the mid-80s that behaved like a splitter and gave him a second plus offering. His high-70s curveball needed refinement but showed signs of becoming an above-average pitch as well. Mejia's command suffers from an inconsistent release point, an issue exacerbated by all the missed time. He's totaled just 203 innings in the last three years as a result of injuries, including finger (2009) and shoulder (2010) strains. The Future: Mejia could get back on a mound at some point during spring training and return to game action in May or June. Assuming a full recovery, his ceiling remains unchanged: No. 2 starter or late-inning reliever.