A Deep Dive into Newest Met A.J. Minter

Adding A.J. Minter this winter could help the Mets build a winner.

Minter was brilliant out of the bullpen for eight years for the Braves, part of “The Night Shift” that helped them to the 2021 title, and ends his run in Atlanta third in team history in relief appearances with 384.

The 31-year-old lefty even pitched well despite an injury-riddled 2024, going 5-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 34.1 innings. He tossed 21.1 innings to a 2.95 ERA to start the season before missing all of June with a left hip impingement. He hoped a cortisone shot and rest would allow him to avoid surgery.

“When I came back in July, there wasn’t much difference,” Minter told MLB.com in September. “I still wasn’t able to use my legs the way I wanted. But I was still putting up good numbers. That was a decision I had to make. I wanted to keep helping the team because I knew we had a good chance we can still make a run at it.”

He threw 13 innings in July and August, but in his last three outings, he gave up a hit or walk to eight of the 16 batters he faced and opted for season-ending hip surgery.

“I could still pitch, it wasn’t excruciating pain,” he said. “But it was something I knew I needed to get fixed because I wasn’t helping the team.”

The Mets, who reportedly signed Minter Friday to a two-year, $22 million pact (pending a physical), hope he is in mint condition when spring training starts next month. This was Minter’s first foray into free agency. He played in 2024 on a one-year, $6.2 million deal.

“The money is going to come,” Minter also told MLB.com in that September article. “My goal is to pitch another eight or nine years and be like (41-year-old, then-Braves teammate Jesse Chavez) one day. Missing a few months, looking at the short term, it sucks. But hopefully, I can get past this and be good to go.”

A.J. Minter in his career vs. NYM:

2.95 ERA
52 K
5 SV

A Met killer becomes a critical part of the Mets bullpen. pic.twitter.com/gDHJ243SEa

— MetsMuse (@MetsMuse) January 17, 2025

Minter was selected by the Braves in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Texas A&M. He made his MLB debut in 2017, pitching 15 innings to a 3.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. The Braves quickly moved him into high-leverage situations and he responded in 2018, earning 15 saves and striking out 69 in 61.1 innings.

After a poor 2019 (7.06 ERA, 29.1 innings), Minter returned to form in 2020 and was excellent in relief for the Braves in the years that followed.

During Atlanta’s 2021 title run, Minter, Will Smith, Luke Jackson, and Tyler Matzek were dubbed “The Night Shift,” a nickname that came about after PETA took issue with the term “bullpen.” Minter came through with 12 playoff innings of 3.00 ERA ball in aiding Atlanta to its first title in 26 years.

In 25 career playoff innings, Minter is 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts.

Minter brings a deep arsenal to Queens. He threw his fastball 47% of the time in 2024, with an average velocity of 94 mph. Minter also mixed in an 89 mph cutter 34% of the time and an 86 mph changeup 17% of the time.

He was tougher on right-handed batters last season, holding them to a .184/.287/.316 slash line. Lefties fared better, but not well (.222/.239/.444). Righties have a career .666 OPS vs. Minter and lefties come in at .602.

In 23 appearances at Citi Field, Minter is 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.06 WHIP.

The post A Deep Dive into Newest Met A.J. Minter appeared first on Metsmerized Online.