New York Mets pitching prospect Thomas Szapucki will miss the rest of the season after having Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
With the way the New York Mets season has gone so far, the team needed a shot in the arm. Instead, they took a shot to the gut as the team’s top pitching prospect, Thomas Szapucki, will be out until sometime in 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The surgery usually requires a recovery period of 12 to 18 months. On Thursday, Szapucki posted a pic of himself after the surgery on Instagram.
“Had a successful TJ Surgery yesterday! I want to thank all of my family and friends for the loving support,” he wrote. “I will be back next summer stronger and healthier than ever!”
Szapucki was drafted by the Mets in the fifth round of the 2015 draft and is their fourth-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He was 1-2 with a 2.79 ERA with 27 strikeouts, and 10 walks this season for Class A Columbia. He hasn’t played since Jul. 6.
The good news for Szapucki is that, for most pitchers, this is just a temporary setback on the road to the majors. Current Mets pitchers Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz both had Tommy John surgery when they were prospects and still made it to the major leagues.