Former Comets Hurler Making Waves in New York Mets Farm System

Sometimes Adam Kolarek has to stop and realize how far he has come.

Less than five years ago, the former Catonsville High School standout was striking out hitters against the likes of Western Tech and Lansdowne.

Now, as a reliever in the New York Mets organization, Kolarek has sat just a few lockers away from two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana and chatted about baseball’s finer points with six-time All-Star Carlos Beltrán during the club’s extended spring training.

Drafted out of the University of Maryland in the 11th round by the Mets in 2010, Kolarek is working every day to enhance his pitching repertoire and soak up as much knowledge as he can from anyone he comes across. However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t enjoying the experience.

“You really do pinch yourself and you try not to stare at them sometimes,” the 22-year-old Kolarek said of some of the MLB stars he’s encountered in his two years of minor league service. “Sometimes when you go home for the day you think back and you say, ‘man I just talked to Carlos Beltrán’. There is a little kid inside of everybody in the minors who’s still trying to make it. Not too many guys take that kind of stuff for granted.”   

However, amid a very strong season for the Savannah (GA) Sand Gants (the Mets Single-A affiliate), the 6-foot-3, 215-pound southpaw is looking to do far more than just be around proven MLB players—he’s working toward being one of them.

Pitching primarily out of the bullpen for Savannah, Kolarek is 4-0 with four saves and boasts a microscopic 0.96 earned run average. He’s allowed only three runs all season, and over his 28 innings pitched Kolarek has struck out 31 batters while walking only 10. 

More importantly than the stats themselves, the Sand Gnats and pitching coach Glen Abbott are outwardly impressed with the improvements Kolarek’s made in such a short time.

“Each and every time out he’s getting better and better,” said Abbott, a former minor league pitcher himself. “I like what I see. He has a nice live arm with a good fastball and a good changeup. He’s got a good upside, good size and good movement on his pitches.”

Aside from being left-handed—which in baseball is always an advantage because MLB teams are always looking for lefty hurlers—Kolarek’s array of pitches is helping distinguish himself.

While many lefties earn their living with slow breaking pitches supplemented by average fastballs, Kolarek powers his heater upwards of 90 to 93 miles per hour, and, already equipped with a paralyzing changeup, he’s spent much of this season adding a sharp, biting slider—a pitch that breaks away from lefties and in on the hands of righties—to his arsenal.

As a result, South Atlantic League hitters are batting just .179 and reaching base at an average of less than once per inning.

Although he’s only had him under his wing for a few months, Abbott has marveled at Kolarek’s improved confidence and fearlessness when attacking hitters. It is somewhat early to predict, but the pitching coach does view Kolarek as a major league-caliber pitcher a few years down the road.

“He’s got the opportunity. I can see it [happening] because you don’t find left-handed pitchers,” Abbott said. “He’s got the ability, he’s got the size, a fastball, the makings of a slider and a pretty good changeup. That’s what you look for. Now, whether he develops into that I don’t know, but he’s got that ability and that potential.” 

As Kolarek eventually makes his way through the different tiers of the Mets farm system, he’ll undoubtedly have to acclimate himself to several coaches and their differing voices. However, along that journey, there’ll be one “coach” who remains a constant—his father, Frank.

A former minor league catcher in the Oakland Athletics’ system, Frank Kolarek has been absolutely vital in molding his son into the ballplayer he is today.

“All the knowledge that my dad has passed down to be has been invaluable,” said Kolarek, who routinely calls his father after outings to dissect his performance, batter by batter. “As a catcher he learned how pitchers prepare physically and mentally and how to attack hitters with certain pitches in certain counts, and that’s something I never take for granted. It’s a very outstanding relationship and I continue to learn from him.”

In addition to his father, Kolarek’s strong bond with his family, including his mother, three sisters, grandfather, aunts and uncles, is something he said he’s fortunate to have.

During a 140-game season away from home—one that includes lengthy bus rides and considerable downtime—having the support of family and friends goes a long way.

“I talk to my family as much as possible,” Kolarek said. “Anytime I’m down or need to talk to someone I can just pick up the phone and call any one of my family members.”

While there’s time set aside for reconnecting with those close to him, as well as enjoying the beautiful Savannah landscape, Kolarek’s central focus is continuing to improve and ideally climb the ladder en route to the majors.

He’s proven that he’s durable enough to throw multiple innings, while talented enough to dish out the type of “stuff” capable of getting one key out in a critical situation, if necessary.

“If I can continue to show I can have success at each level and continue to improve, not just each year but each outing, each day—I’m still a young pitcher, haven’t thrown many innings in college, so I think my arm's still fresh—so god willing I think I can stay healthy and hopefully pitch as long as possible,” Kolarek said.

“As long as they keep letting me pitch I will pitch for as long as I can.”