Griffin Canning Embraces Mets’ Cutting-Edge Pitching Lab: ‘It’s a No-Brainer!’

PORT ST. LUCIE — This offseason, Griffin Canning fell in love with the Mets during a Zoom call. Team officials highlighted their use of technology for helping pitchers improve, and it caught his attention.

One tool they mentioned is KinaTrax. It provides a 3D view of a pitcher’s movement instead of just a standard video. Canning found this fascinating and it played a big role in his choice to join the Mets, who signed him to a one-year, $4.25 million deal.

The Mets are now in their third season of using this advanced pitching lab, placing them among the leaders in MLB for tech-driven pitcher development.

Previously, Canning spent six seasons with the Angels, who didn’t use technology as extensively. “It’s different here,” he noted. “The Angels had all the tools, but they didn’t use them as much. They wanted to wait until players were ready for the information, which can be a lot to take in.”

Canning acknowledges that all this new info can feel overwhelming for some pitchers. However, he’s eager to learn. As someone focused on perfecting his delivery, he believes understanding his mechanics will help him add new pitches to his arsenal.

“Not using technology to improve would be a mistake,” he said. “But it’s also about having the right people to explain it simply.”

The Mets’ coaching team includes pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel, and director of pitching development Eric Jagers.

Last season, Canning had a 5.19 ERA over 32 games, mostly as a starter. This year, he’s set to help the Mets in their planned six-man rotation.

Last season, the team saw success with pitchers like Sean Manaea and Luis Severino, who were looking to bounce back in their careers.

“Entering a new environment often brings fresh perspectives,” Canning remarked. “You can feed off the energy of the players around you. After the strong season the Mets had last year, there’s definitely a positive vibe going into spring training.”