Journey man: Mets pitcher Jonathan Pintaro takes improbable path to majors

NEW YORK (AP) — Some players take unusual paths to the big leagues. And then there is the journey of Jonathan Pintaro.

Undrafted from a Division II college in Georgia, he spent two seasons in the MLB Draft League for overlooked long shots. Then two years pitching for the Glacier Range Riders of the independent Pioneer League — where he compiled a 6.60 ERA.

So when Pintaro walked into the New York Mets’ clubhouse Wednesday, about 2,400 miles from 2,291-seat Glacier Bank Park in Kalispell, Montana, needless to say it was an improbable arrival.

“Pretty cool story, right? I think this is an organizational win, when you’re talking about a kid that was pitching independent ball last year,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Credit to him. Obviously, it’s not easy what he did.”

Pintaro received a surprise promotion when the struggling Mets shuffled bullpen arms again before Wednesday night’s 7-3 victory against Atlanta.

Left-handers José Castillo and Richard Lovelady were designated for assignment. Pintaro was selected to the major league roster, and lefty Brandon Waddell was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

The 27-year-old Pintaro made his major league debut when he entered to start the ninth inning. He walked his first batter and gave up a single before getting a groundout and a strikeout.

A two-run single by 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and a walk to Matt Olson chased Pintaro, who was pulled for closer Edwin Díaz.

“It was amazing. I couldn’t be more excited to be here and just grateful for the opportunity that I got today,” Pintaro said. “It was definitely a lot of nerves, and faced some good hitters out there. I think what I was not able to do was just command the zone and I think that’s what I’ve got to work on now.”

After the game, Pintaro was given the souvenir ball from his first strikeout, which came against Braves shortstop Nick Allen.

Pintaro was born in Pelham, Alabama, and pitched for five seasons from 2017-22 at Shorter University, a small, private Baptist school in Georgia. The right-hander was toiling in independent ball for a second consecutive season when the Mets signed him to a minor league deal in June 2024.

“There was a mix of emotions,” Pintaro recalled. “I called my family and we were all crying because I finally got signed.”

He pitched at three levels in the Mets’ farm system last year, going 3-6 with a 2.68 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 74 innings while making 15 starts and two relief appearances.

That was good enough to get a look in the Arizona Fall League for top prospects.

“It’s been unreal,” Pintaro told reporters. “It’s been a dream come true. I did six years of college and then I was like, all right, nothing happened. So I went to indy ball in Montana. I was like, I’ll give it one or two more years, see how it goes. That second year, it happened.”

This year, Pintaro was 0-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 11 starts at Double-A Binghamton, where he racked up 57 strikeouts against 15 walks in 42 1/3 innings.

“This is a kid that continues to get people out,” Mendoza said. “It’s kind of like a funky delivery, you know? Got a combination of a sinker and a cutter. So, pretty special day for him. Dream come true. And look, with the way where we’re at bullpen-wise, this is a guy that can give us up to 75-80 pitches if we need to. So, looking for length here, and we’ll go from there.”

Pintaro had just been promoted to Triple-A this week when he was re-routed to the big leagues. He was driven to Syracuse on Tuesday morning and caught the team bus to Rochester for a road series against the Red Wings. That’s where he was informed he was suddenly heading south to New York City to join the Mets.

He thought it was a joke.

“Crazy ride,” Pintaro said.

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