Dom Hamel, Mets top prospects will be on display in Friday's MLB Spring Breakout game on SNY

Someone to watch Friday at Clover Park is Dom Hamel, who takes the mound for the team of Mets prospects facing the Nationals. Hamel, a righty, has a fastball that can reach 97 mph and it’s just one of the five pitches in his arsenal.

“He runs it up to 97 and settles in the 94-95 range,” said Andrew Christie, the Mets’ director of player development. “Quality shape to the heater, so it gets above barrels a lot and has a lot of ride.”

That should crank up fans’ dreams, which doubtless will be a big byproduct of the inaugural MLB Spring Breakout, a series of 16 games across the majors featuring teams’ top prospects. Mets-Nationals will start at 3:10 p.m. and be televised on SNY. Here's the full roster. And if you can’t dream about players during a showcase event like this, when can you?

Hamel, a third-round pick in 2021 out of Dallas Baptist University, will start for the Mets and likely throw two innings, Christie said. Hamel will potentially be followed by Blade Tidwell, Tyler Stuart, Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean and Calvin Ziegler, who each will throw one inning apiece in the seven-inning tilt.

“It’s just a cool experience for the players,” Christie said. “Obviously, it’s a small fraction of the at-bats or innings they’re getting in spring training. So in that way, it’s a very small window. But they play in the stadium, in front of fans, on SNY and get some exposure. When it’s four games at a time on the back fields, it’s harder for friends and family to watch them.

“It’s not a measuring stick for where guys are. It’s a great experience and they’re going to have fun with it.”

So should fans, especially those who are passionate about prospects. Heck, even Mets manager Carlos Mendoza plans to watch, even though the big-league club plays Friday night. Mendoza has seen some of the players who were in big-league camp earlier, but he mentioned Tidwell, a 22-year-old righty, as someone he was unfamiliar with but wanted to watch.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” Mendoza said. “The fact that MLB is doing this for the prospects and the teams and to see the talent on the field is special.”

Reid Brignac, the former MLB player who manages the Mets’ Double-A team, will manage the Mets’ squad and Mariano Duncan will be his bench coach. Eighteen of SNY's top 30 Mets prospects are on the roster, including Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert, Luisangel Acuña and Ryan Clifford.

Christian Scott and Mike Vasil, two highly-touted pitchers, are not -- and Christie said it was because of timing. “They both pitched (Thursday),” Christie said. “It’s kind of how the calendar fell. The guys who are going out there are very, very good. It’s going to be electric.”

Hamel was 8-6 with a 3.85 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) at Double-A Binghamton last season, striking out 160 and giving up only 108 hits in 124 innings. In addition to the aforementioned fastball, he throws a changeup, cutter, slider and curve.

“He added the slider last year as a lighter, sweepier-type pitch,” Christie said. “He’s always had the curve and change. This winter, we worked a lot on the cutter to be a weapon against lefties and he’s improved it significantly. I know there are a couple quality left-handed hitters coming with the Nats.”

Williams, Gilbert and Acuña have been creating buzz among Mets fans for a while now. There’s plenty to like.

“Luisangel is an incredible defender and base runner, makes really solid swing decisions,” Christie said. “Jett is one of the better walk-to-strikeout guys I’ve seen. Knows the strike zone incredibly well and he’s got some pop, too.”

Gilbert is capable of doing damage. “He’ll drive the ball out to right field, which is impressive,” Christie said. “He is very skilled in that way. He may not have the highest-end exit velos, like Pete Alonso, but he makes the most of his contact. He is a well-put-together, strong kid.”

Other prospects, who might be less well-known, will be interesting to watch, too. One is Jeremy Rodríguez, a 17-year-old infielder who had an .878 OPS in 51 games in the Dominican Summer League last year.

“Really impressive skill set,” Christie said. “Great swing decisions, defense, a lot of contact. Hopefully, he grows into some power.”