The baseball world is buzzing — and it’s all because of a 23-year-old flame-thrower lighting up the radar gun in the Mets’ farm system.
Raimon Gomez, a rising pitching prospect for the New York Mets, just sent shockwaves through Major League Baseball and its minor league system. In a recent appearance for Single-A St. Lucie, Gomez clocked an eye-popping 104.5 miles per hour on the radar — the fastest pitch recorded this season across all of MLB and the minors, according to Statcast data.
Let that sink in: 104.5 mph. That’s elite territory, usually reserved for legends like Aroldis Chapman at his peak. And Gomez isn’t just a one-pitch wonder. Scouts are already buzzing about his electric arsenal, which includes a sharp-breaking slider and an improving changeup that could make him a deadly weapon on the mound.
But this meteoric rise comes with a story of resilience.
Gomez missed most of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, a procedure that often sidelines pitchers for a year or more. While many wondered how he would bounce back, the Mets took a cautious approach — and it’s paying off in a big way. His return to the mound has not only been successful but jaw-droppingly dominant.
Now the organization faces an exciting dilemma: what to do with this rare talent. Should they groom him as a future starting pitcher, capable of overpowering lineups over multiple innings? Or should they unleash him as a late-inning bullpen weapon, where his velocity could wreak havoc in high-pressure situations?
For now, the Mets are being patient and deliberate, managing his workload while keeping a close eye on his development. But one thing is clear — Raimon Gomez isn’t just another name in the farm system. He’s a potential game-changer.
As the Mets deal with bullpen injuries and rotation depth issues at the major league level, fans may not have to wait long to see Gomez throwing heat in a big-league uniform.
104.5 mph is just the beginning. The Mets might be sitting on their next pitching superstar.