Baby Bomber to Watch: Jose Mesa Jr.

The future is now in the Bronx as the Yankees are using the “out with the old and in with the new” method of rebuilding. Gone are old mainstays like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira and in their places are Miguel Andujar, Todd Frazier temporarily and Greg Bird. The future is now in New York but the good news for the Bronx bombers it that future can be the future as well as the team has a deep and still has a great farm system after multiple trades before the July 31^st trading deadline. One of those players that could be part of the next wave of Baby Bombers to take over the league is the son of a former MLB player and his name is Jose Mesa Jr.

Mesa was drafted as a relief pitcher by the Yankees back in 2014 after drafting him in the 24^th round of the MLB Draft. Mesa has since switched to the starting pitching role after a down season in 2016 and has posted a 4-0 record with a 0.79 ERA with the Double-A Trenton Thunder after conquering High-A with the Tampa Yankees. Mesa has succeeded as a start due in large part to his control and command of his pitches. Mesa is striking out 10.8 batters per nine innings while walking just 3.4 batters per nine innings, both are drastic improvements from his numbers as a reliever.

Mesa has not garnered some of the attention that other pitchers have in the Yankees minor league system like Chance Adams but with numbers like the above it is hard to merely blink an eye or miss what Mesa has done in a short stint this season. If the Yankees can strike gold with Mesa like they have with many other pitchers who have gone from relief pitcher to starting pitcher the team will have a great problem on their hands, too many good arms and not enough innings to throw them all.

The Greedy Pinstripes did a “Meet a Prospect” on Jose Mesa back in 2014 when he was drafted and you can read that below. Maybe one day soon I can say I interviewed the son of a MLB pitcher who himself became a MLB pitcher of the same name. Jose Mesa. Look out for this one.

http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/2012/07/meet-prospect-jose-mesa-jr.html