The Mets snagged right-hander Cameron Weston off waivers from the Orioles on Thursday afternoon, just before they kick off a three-game set against the Giants at Citi Field on Friday night. This move also saw catcher Shawn Ross designated for assignment, making room for the unique arm Weston brings to the roster.
Weston’s Wild Ride to Queens
Weston, who just turned 26 last Thursday, has been grinding since the Orioles picked him up in the eighth round of the 2022 Draft, working his way through Baltimore’s minor league system. He finally got his big-league shot on May 28, tossing a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays in his MLB debut. Dude struck out former Met Andrés Giménez on his first batter, then walked Brandon Valenzuela, but got George Springer to ground into a double play to escape clean. After that quick taste of the bigs, he was sent back to Triple-A Norfolk. While his 7.89 ERA in 51.1 innings at Triple-A Norfolk this season isn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard, the Mets clearly saw something absolutely wild and special in the Pennsylvania native. We’re talking about his truly unique sidearm delivery here, folks. This isn’t just a low slot, it’s a four-degree arm angle, which is flat-out the second-lowest among qualified right-handers in all of MLB. Think about that: only a true submariner like Tyler Rogers is lower! But the real kicker, the absolute jaw-dropper, comes when you look at his stuff. In that single, brief MLB outing, Weston averaged a mind-bending 19.9 inches of horizontal break on the seven sinkers he unleashed. Let me put that in perspective for you: no qualified pitcher in the entire league is averaging over 18.7 inches on their sinker right now. Guys like Austin Warren, Sean Manaea, and Nolan McLean are barely cracking the top 20 with their best stuff. This kind of movement, that much run on a sinker, is incredibly rare and could be a serious weapon.
Ross Out, But the Waiver Wire is HOT Between Queens and Baltimore
On the flip side, we saw catcher Shawn Ross, who the Mets only just picked up off waivers from the Pirates on August 2, get designated for assignment. He logged a .195 average with just one home run in his 15 games for Syracuse. But don’t let those numbers fool you entirely; Ross did have his own explosive big-league moment earlier this season with Pittsburgh, hitting in just two games. He absolutely *crushed* a mammoth home run in only his second MLB at-bat! We’re talking a massive 438-foot projected distance with a scorching 110.6-mph exit velocity. That’s big-time power right there, even if it was a fleeting moment. It’s wild to think that both the Mets and Orioles have now snagged a player off waivers from each other in just the last 72 hours! You already know Luis Robert Jr. is absolutely tearing it up, currently entrenched in the heart of Baltimore’s lineup after his move.
Get ready for some serious drama when the Mets and Orioles square off for a three-game series at Citi Field from September 14-16. It’s already set to be a reunion party for Pete Alonso and Robert. Who knows, maybe Weston busts out of Syracuse and gets to join that party facing his old team too? This could get spicy!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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