Former Mets prospect Brandon Sproat talks facing old team, pitching opposite Zac Thornton: 'It was a good challenge'

One of the many storylines from this Mets-Brewers series was that former prospect Brandon Sproat was set to take the mound against the team that drafted him.

And on Tuesday night, Sproat had his chance to show his stuff to the Mets. While the 25-year-old was solid, the Mets got the better of him as New York took a 4-0 win to tie the series.

From the start, Sproat struggled to keep his pitch count down. It took him nearly 30 pitches to get through a scoreless first, but the young right-hander wasn’t deterred and leaned on his experience to try and make it further in the game.

“It was roughly 30 pitches in the first, two walks doesn’t help. We’ve been down this road before…it’s not my first time at it,” Sproat said of his pitch count after the game. “Just tell myself ‘keep going’ no matter how I’m feeling, just keep making pitches. Maybe get a five-pitch inning to get back on track, that’s my mindset.”

Sproat was unable to get back on track. After allowing a solo shot to Jared Young in the second, Sproat would pitch into the fifth inning when the game got away from him. After two outs, he walked Bo Bichette on six pitches, putting him at 99 pitches. Brewers manager Pat Murphy had seen enough, going to his bullpen. However, the Brewers pen could not get it done, allowing two runs to score in that inning and putting a bow on Sproat’s night.

Sproat would allow two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out four batters in his 4.2 innings.

When asked after the game if the added adrenaline of facing the Mets contributed to his inefficient start, Sproat denied it affected him.

“Nothing extra, really the only difference is seeing familiar faces,” Sproat said. “Pretty much every single one that comes to the plate. It was a good challenge. They know me, I know them. At that point, it’s a chess game. It was definitely a fun matchup.”

Sproat was drafted in the second round by the Mets in the 2023 draft, the same year New York drafted Zac Thornton in the fifth round. Thornton pitched opposite Sproat on Tuesday night and his night was different from Sproat’s. The left-hander pitched six scoreless innings, en route to his first big league win.

“That’s what Thornton does. That’s what he’s done his whole career so far,” Sproat said of his former teammate. “I know him pretty well. He’s a super crafty lefty. He mixes super well and the pitchability is there. He’s not afraid of who’s in the box. That’s who he is. He’s a great pitcher. Tip of the cap to him tonight.”

It was a disappointing start for Sproat, who is looking to keep his place in the Brewers rotation after Milwaukee traded Freddy Peralta to the Mets for a package that included Sproat.

However, the young right-hander’s first full season in the bigs is starting to look promising. After getting off a tough start through the first two months — owning a 6.24 ERA after May — Sproat has settled in. Even with the loss, his ERA dropped to 5.09 and he has allowed two runs or fewer in five straight starts.

Sproat made just four starts with the Mets last season, pitching to a 4.79 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.