From Independent Ball to the Major Leagues

After playing Division II baseball at Shorter University in Georgia, Jonathan Pintaro went undrafted in 2022, only to wind up pitching in the Pioneer League before signing a minor league deal with the Mets in 2024. The Mets placed him in High-A with the Brooklyn Cyclones to start his professional career, and his stock has risen ever since. He managed to work his way all the way up to Triple-A before the season ended and was ranked the #25 best Mets prospect according to Baseball America. In 74 innings in 2024, Pintaro managed to post a 2.68 ERA in 17 games.

Photo Courtesy of MLB.com

Pintaro started the 2025 season pitching in Double-A while posting a 3.40 ERA. This led to his promotion to Triple-A on June 24th. Surprisingly, this promotion wouldn't be the only one, as on the same day, The Athletic's Will Sammon reported that the Mets were promoting Jonathan Pintaro to the major leagues. He is expected to pitch out of the bullpen for the Mets, and they hope he's going to make a positive impact as they've struggled to a 1-10 record in their last 11 games. This meteoric rise to the majors in the span of a year after pitching in independent ball shouldn't be understated, as the jump from being undrafted to playing in the major leagues is extremely challenging. Stories like this should serve as an inspiration for those who are struggling to find their footing in baseball and in life.

• https://www.milb.com/player/jonathan-pintaro-702752#stats-block

• https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/06/mets-to-select-jonathan-pintaro.html