Roseboom Seizes Opportunity

NEW YORK—Lefthander David Roseboom ascended to the role of closer at Double-A Binghamton after the Mets traded Akeel Morris to the Braves in June and promoted Beck Wheeler to Triple-A Las Vegas in July.

Roseboom, a 17th-round selection in 2014 out of South Carolina-Upstate, had dominated in that role.

Through 44 Eastern League appearances, Roseboom had converted all 10 save opportunities and had stranded all 27 inherited runners. In fact, he had not allowed an inherited runner to score since May 7, 2015, while pitching at low Class A Savannah.

Roseboom’s fastball sits at 88-92 mph. He has a good feel for his changeup and also possesses a slider, which gives him a three-pitch arsenal.

“If I ever get hit, it’s because I’m up—not because I’m walking guys and falling behind,” said Roseboom, 24.

“With inheriting runners, I’ve really just kind of forgotten about them and not worried about, ‘Oh, that’s the go-ahead and the tying run on second and third with two outs.’ I’m one pitch away from getting them off the field and getting my offense up in the box . . .”

Roseboom also closed games in the South Atlantic League last season. His bigger transition involved moving from the rotation in college to exclusive relief work in pro ball.

“I had never been a reliever, ever, until I got drafted by the Mets,” Roseboom said.

“I feel like being in the bullpen actually matches my mentality more. I’m kind of an aggressive type of person when I’m out there. (I have) more of a bulldog mentality.”

After opening last season with a 1.15 ERA in 24 appearances at Savannah, Roseboom stumbled upon his promotion to high Class A St. Lucie, where he recorded a 4.55 ERA and 1.61 in 32 innings.

“I wasn’t very aggressive in St. Lucie,” Roseboom said. “After I started getting hit around a little bit, I almost felt like I was getting a little gun-shy, trying to be too perfect.”

METAMORPHOSES

• St. Lucie right fielder Wuilmer Becerra had surgery on July 20 to remove a cyst from a shoulder capsule.

• Rookie-level Kingsport lefthander Thomas Szapucki opened the season with an 0.62 ERA and 47 strikeouts—both Appalachian League bests—before earning a promotion to short-season Brooklyn.