Dominic Hamel chose Team Puerto Rico to honor his late mother, Lisa, who died 11 days before he was selected by the Mets in the third round of the 2021 draft.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Dominic Hamel’s mixed heritage left him as an attractive option to multiple countries seeking pitching for the World Baseball Classic.
The 23-year-old Hamel, who pitched two shutout innings in an intrasquad scrimmage on Friday, was the organization’s Pitcher of the Year in 2022, overcoming a rough start to the season during which, he said, he was still grieving from his mother’s death. The right-hander split last season between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn and pitched to a 3.25 ERA overall in 25 appearances, 24 of which were starts. He struck out 145 batters in 119 innings and held opponents to a .196 batting average.
“That was a super surreal feeling,” Hamel said. “I know I still have got a ways to go, but just seeing those names in the lineup I’m facing and having an opportunity to get those looks, I’m grateful for being up here. I was definitely a little nervous, but I am feeling good.”
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