BINGHAMTON, NY - When a player gets invited the first time to Major League Spring Training, it puts him in the spotlight and gives him the opportunity to learn from the stars.

That’s what happened to Mets pitching prospect Yusmeiro Petit.

“I was with All-Star veterans,” Petit told NY Sports Day. “Pedro Martinez taught me how to do the changeup and throw it in the right spots.”

The Venezuelan will need the extra pitch in his arsenal as he continues his climb to the Majors. Last season he had a meteoric rise in the organization and went a combined 13-6 in Capital City (low A), St. Lucie (high A) and Binghamton (AA). He also recorded 200 strikeouts -second in all of the minors - over 139.1 innings. Those stats have put the 20 year-old on the radar and he is now rated as the number two prospect in the Mets organization by Baseball America.

Even with those lofty expectations, the right-hander hasn’t changed his style.

“I don’t feel any pressure from anyone,” he said “All I do is go to the mound and play my game.”

But he does understand that work still needs to be done. Petit is working on his slider and curveball in Binghamton, as well as the changeup Pedro taught him. He is also trying to gain more experience pitching from the stretch, because the right-hander knows he will have to pitch with runners on base at the higher levels.

That work ethic is to be expected from Petit; baseball is in his blood. Even in his spare time, the right-hander plays the MVP 2005 video game on his X-Box and follows fellow Venezuelan Johan Santana of the Minnesota Twins. As he adjusts to the colder temperatures of Upstate New York, Petit is just waiting for his call-up.

“I have to take it day by day and step by step,” he added.

Now with New York’s eyes watching him.

  E-mail this story |  Printer-friendly |  Discuss