Well, this is going to be an awkward article.
You know what happens when you drag your feet writing an article series on Mets prospects that you could have started in the first week of October? You get to the #3 prospect on the list a couple of days before Christmas and he’s been on another team for almost 3 weeks.
Anyway, Justin Dunn was a prospect in the Mets system, now he’s a key prospect in the Mariners system. Dunn was drafted in 2016, debuted in Brooklyn that year, did tremendously well and found himself skipping levels to St. Lucie in 2017. In his first year, he posted a 1.50 ERA over 11 games and 8 starts over 30 innings with a 1.17 WHIP and a 10.5 K/9. He struggled in 2017 with a 5.00 ERA over 20 games, 16 starts and 95 innings with a 1.56 WHIP.
Coming into 2018 Baseball America still kept his grade at 55 with a 60 fastball, 60 slider, 45 change-up and 50 control.
Ultimately, he had a good year and took a significant step forward in 2018. He started off in St. Lucie where he was still a full year younger than the average player posting a 2.36 ERA over 9 starts and 45.2 innings. His ERA raised to 4.22 in Binghamton over 15 starts and 89.2 innings. His WHIP was also down from 2017. He posted a 1.270 WHIP in St. Lucie and 1.361 in Binghamton.
In losing Dunn, the Mets lost their highest profile starting pitcher in the system, but the Mets did get the best closer in the game for him (and Kelenic). We’ll miss Dunn and we wish nothing but the best as he looks to make a major league debut late this season or next year in the Emerald City.
