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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Zac Thornton? Thor-nton to be wild about him.

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Zac Thornton
New York Mets – No. 49
Pitcher
Born: (2002-01-17) January 17, 2002 (age 24)
Winona, Minnesota, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 20, 2026, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through August 7, 2026)
Win–loss record3–2
Earned run average2.52
Strikeouts27
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Zachary Charles Thornton (born January 17, 2002) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Amateur career

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Thornton attended Lawrence Free State High School in Lawrence, Kansas. He played two seasons of college baseball at Barton Community College before transferring to Grand Canyon University for the 2023 season. In his lone season at Grand Canyon, he started 15 games and went 9–2 with a 3.87 ERA.[1] After the season, he participated in the MLB Draft League.[2]

Professional career

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Thornton was selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft.[3] He signed with the team for $350,000.[4]

Thornton made his professional debut in 2024 with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and was promoted to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones in August. Over twenty games (12 starts) between the two teams, he went 5–4 with a 4.10 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 68 innings. He returned to Brooklyn to open the 2025 season and was named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month in April.[5] He was promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies in late April and earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors in May.[6] Thornton made 14 starts between the two teams, going 6-2 with a 1.98 ERA and 78 strikeouts over 72+2⁄3 innings before an oblique injury ended his season in June.[7] Thornton returned to Binghamton to open the 2026 season and was promoted to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets in early May.[8] Across seven starts between both teams, Thornton pitched to a 1-3 record, a 3.16 ERA, and 40 strikeouts across 37 innings.[9]

On May 18, 2026, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that Thornton would be promoted to the major leagues to take the roster spot of Clay Holmes, who had been placed on the injured list.[10] On May 20, his contract was formally selected to the 40-man and active rosters.[11] He made his MLB debut that night as the Mets' starting pitcher at Nationals Park against the Washington Nationals. Thornton pitched 41⁄3 innings in which he gave up four earned runs (including a three-run home run to CJ Abrams), four hits, and two walks alongside recording three strikeouts in an 8-4 Mets loss.[12]

References

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  1. ↑ Obert, Richard. "How GCU has 3 players go in 1st 5 rounds; why top HS SS not taken on 2nd day of MLB Draft". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  2. ↑ "With competition level rising, MLB Draft League gives talent added exposure". MLB.com.
  3. ↑ "Former Free State LHP Zach Thornton drafted 159th overall by New York Mets".
  4. ↑ "Mets sign 20 of 23 picks in this year's Draft". MLB.com.
  5. ↑ "Jacob Reimer and Zach Thornton Collect Monthly SAL Awards after Amazin' April".
  6. ↑ "LHP Zach Thornton Named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week".
  7. ↑ DeMayo, Joe (October 15, 2025). "After the rise of elite Mets pitching prospects, who should fans watch out for next?". sny.tv. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Mets promote LHP prospect Zach Thornton to Triple-A Syracuse". sny.tv. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  9. ↑ Sanchez, Robert. "Mets' Zach Thornton 'super surprised' by MLB promotion after brief tenure in Triple-A". sny.tv. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  10. ↑ Britton, Tim; Sammon, Will (May 18, 2026). "Mets to call up Zach Thornton to pitch Wednesday". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Mets Select Zack Thornton". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  12. ↑ Mastracco, Abbey (May 20, 2026). "Mets offense provides little support for Zach Thornton, fall to Nationals". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
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