Matt Harvey, one of the New York Mets' top pitching prospects, will make his MLB debut Thursday when the Mets open their four-game series against the Arizona Diamondback on the road. Harvey, 23, will replace Miguel Batista in the rotation. Batista was designated for assignment Sunday.
Here is what John Sickels of Minor League Ball had to say about Harvey in his rundown of the Mets' Top 20 prospects for 2012:
1) Matt Harvey, RHP, Grade B+: He can be a number two starter and someone to build around. Some evaluators see him more as a closer if his changeup remains erratic, but I'm cutting him some slack on that issue and am optimistic.
Harvey was the Mets' first-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He is 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA this season with Triple-A Buffalo. He has 112 strikeouts in 110 innings.
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