The New York Mets had a need for starting pitching heading into an offseason.
Despite owner Steve Cohen signaling that he didn't plan to compete for a World Series championship in 2024, there was still a need for pitching depth to get through the long year.
Sean Manaea, Luis Severino, Adrian Houser, and others were much-needed additions and will play a major role in their rotation this season.
However, there's still a lack of depth, and any injury could open the door for prospects to get a chance.
Of those prospects, MLB.com writes that Christian Scott is the one to watch out for in big league camp this spring.
Scott, 24 years old, posted a 2.57 ERA across 87 2/3 innings pitched at the Single-A, High Single-A, and Double-A levels last year.
He showed massive growth with their Double-A affiliate, striking out 77 batters in 62 innings pitched, while holding hitters to just a .198 batting average.
Scott has a dominant fastball, running it up to 97 mph. His slider is regarded as an above-average pitch, and with his command, he could find himself on the Mets; big league roster in 2024.
While he has a chance to earn a spot, it's also likely that he will spend most of, if not all of the season, in the minors.
New York did, however, show that they're more than willing to call up prospects during 2023. That seems to be the case again this year as the front office wants to evaluate who they think can be an impact player moving forward.
Scott enters Spring Training with much to prove, but he's shown well every step of the way in his young career.
Depending on how the season, Scott could be helped or hurt by the performance on the field.
If the Mets struggle, allowing prospects to play should be their priority. If they start to string together some wins, the veterans will likely continue to play as they chase an unexpected playoff berth.
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