FORMER BOULDER AND WILD THING ALEX CARRILLO GETS CALLED UP TO MAJORS WITH METS
WASHINGTON, PA – For the 60th time in Frontier League history, a former Frontier Leaguer is headed to the big leagues. Former New York Boulder and Washington Wild Thing Alex Carrillo has had his contract selected by the New York Mets ahead of their series with the Baltimore Orioles, which starts Tuesday night.
Carrillo, who pitched for the Boulders in 2021 and the Wild Things in 2024, signed with the Mets in the offseason while pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League. He started the year in Double-A Binghamton and was 2-1 with a 4.19 ERA in 15 appearances for the Rumble Ponies. In 19.1 innings, he allowed 15 hits, eight walks and posted 30 strikeouts.
On June 23 he was called up to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and had made four dominant appearances for the club. In 5.2 innings, he has not allowed a hit, a run or a walk at the Triple-A level and has a win to go with a save and 10 strikeouts.
The Paramount, California native was with the Boulders during their inaugural Frontier League season in 2021, working 19 innings over 14 relief appearances. He joins outfielder Stephen Cardullo (2016, Colorado Rockies) and right-handed pitcher Justin Topa (2020, Milwaukee Brewers) as the only Boulders alumni who’ve made it to “The Show.”
He becomes the ninth former Wild Thing to be activated to a big-league roster, and, if he appears in a game, will become the eighth former Wild Thing to do that. The Wild Things had four former players called up to the show last summer, starting with Pittsburgh native James Meeker (2018-21) who was called up by Milwaukee. Spencer Bivens (2020-21) was called up and is still currently with the San Francisco Giants. Following Bivens, Mt. Lebanon product Austin Kitchen (2020) got called up by the Rockies and ended up debuting in the bigs with Miami. Finally, Isaac Mattson, who is on the big-league roster for the Pirates right now, was called up by Pittsburgh to make his return to the majors. The others to reach the pinnacle of the sport are Zac Grotz (2016), Chris Smith (2011-12), Vidal Nuño III (2011) and Tom Cochran (2007).
With the Wild Things in 2024, Carrillo posted a 3.31 ERA in 35 games, logging a 3-1 record with one save in 35.1 innings. He surrendered 26 hits and 17 walks and struck out 49 opposing hitters. Carrillo pitched at Faulkner and in two seasons in college there was 8-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 37 games (nine starts). He struck out 101 in 99.2 innings. Carrillo then pitched with the Texas organization in rookie ball in 2019 before playing for the New York Boulders in 2021. He ended up pitching the next two seasons in the Mexican League for Quintana Roo.
“When I got the call from Alex and heard the excitement in his voice… that’s what makes all of the long hours and time spent on the bus that we all go through worth it,” said Wild Things manager Tom Vaeth. “And the fact that with all the craziness that was going on in his life and family and friends that he had to call, he took the time to call me and let me know this great news, it truly made me feel very humbled and honored. The Wild Things organization cannot express enough how proud we are of Alex and how fortunate we feel to play just a small part in helping him achieve his lifelong goal of reaching the big leagues.”
The Boulders, Wild Things, and the entire Frontier League are thrilled for Alex and wish him continued success as he forges on in his baseball career at the biggest stage.
