Pitcher Blade Tidwell has been called up by the New York Mets, according to multiple reports Friday, setting the stage for his major league debut.
Reports indicate Tidwell is expected to join the Mets in St. Louis and make his first big league start Sunday against the Cardinals.
Tidwell was selected by the Mets in the second round, No. 52 overall, of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Tennessee.
The right-hander holds a career 4.23 ERA over parts of four minor league seasons, compiling 322 strikeouts in 274â…” innings. He began the current season with Triple-A Syracuse, where he posted a 1-2 record with a 5.00 ERA through six starts.
His season ERA with Syracuse is influenced by the hitter-friendly environment of the International League and a high batting average on balls in play (.369), according to reports from Matthew Brownstein
. Tidwell's walk rate has shown improvement this season.In college, Tidwell pitched two seasons for Tennessee baseball, recording a 13-5 record with a 3.53 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 137â…” innings.
He adds velocity that can reach the upper-90s and features a plus slider, along with a sweeper, two-seam fastball, and changeup.
Tidwell becomes the eighth player from the era under coach Tony Vitello to reach MLB. He is the second this season, following Colorado Rockies pitcher Chase Dollander, who debuted April 6.
Other former Vitello players to recently debut include Jordan Beck and Seth Halvorsen with the Rockies, Garrett Crochet with the Chicago White Sox (later traded to Boston Red Sox), Ben Joyce with the Los Angeles Angels, Andre Lipcius with the Detroit Tigers, and Trey Lipscomb with the Washington Nationals.
Reports of the promotion came Friday from Daniel Wexler
and were confirmed by Mike Mayer .
