What Lavender learned from backing up at Major League camp

This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Although the Mets technically brought 62 players to big league Spring Training this year, they may as well have had 63. Almost every day, Nate Lavender made the short trip over from the Minor League side to “back up” the pitching staff. If someone else went shorter than expected and the Mets needed to fill innings, Lavender’s job was to pitch.

Through that process, Lavender went from a little-known 14th-round Draft pick to one of the more buzzworthy relievers in New York’s system. Appearing in five spring games, Lavender caught the eye of manager Buck Showalter, who watched him throw 4 1/3 shutout innings. He used his time on that side of camp wisely, chatting up veterans and learning a new changeup grip from fellow left-hander Brooks Raley.

Ultimately, Lavender emerged from the experience a better pitcher.

“I knew coming in that I’d be backing up, but I didn’t know that I’d be at like 23 of the 30 Spring Training games,” he said, laughing. “It’s a great environment to learn in and to get to throw in.”

The results have been apparent throughout the summer for Lavender, who began last season at Single-A St Lucie and has since jumped three levels to Triple-A Syracuse. In 40 games at the upper Minors, Lavender has produced a 2.75 ERA with 81 strikeouts over 52 1/3 innings. Much like Raley, he features reverse platoon splits, which stem from the low arm slot of his delivery, according to Triple-A pitching coach Kyle Driscoll.

“He’s been a fun one,” Driscoll said. “His compete level is his best quality. He goes out there, he wants the ball, and he just wants to beat the other guy. That’s something that can’t be undersold.”

It’s helped Lavender go from a low pick to the cusp of the Majors, even briefly appearing on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Mets prospects list earlier this year. Lavender’s promotion to the Majors now seems more like a “when” than an “if.”

Just don’t count him among those who are surprised. A history and political science major at the University of Illinois, Lavender spent years listening to people tell him “not to put all your eggs in one basket.”

“I put all my eggs in one basket,” he said, laughing. “This is what I want to do. I think that’s a decision I made in college. And if you’re going to do it, then give it all you’ve got.”

Because Lavender isn’t yet Rule 5-eligible, the Mets had little incentive to place him on the 40-man roster this September. But the left-hander should get a strong look next spring as a likely full-time member of big league camp. If he makes the most of it, as he has of his opportunities throughout the past two seasons, Lavender stands a chance of being in the Mets’ revamped Opening Day bullpen.

“Being drafted in the 14th round, technically by professional baseball standards, I’m probably not supposed to be in Triple-A right now,” he said. “But I think that’s a product of being able to dig a little bit deeper and compete with every pitch I throw out there, and basically simplify the game.”