As hard as it may be to believe, the picture above is of Noah Syndergaard.
Yes, the same Noah Syndergaard who just pitched the New York Mets within two wins of the World Series.
What a transformation he has made.
Syndergaard talked about the change when he was making his way through the Toronto Blue Jays system a few years ago. Here's what he had to say in 2012, via Bob Elliott of lfpress.com:
"Back in eighth grade I was a chunkster, kids would tease me for being overweight," said Syndergaard.
He came home from school one day in Mansfield, Tex., told his father he wanted to join the YMCA and eat healthier.
So, he worked out at the Y, ate his veggies, worked out some more and, oh yeah, had a growth spurt from 5-foot-11 to his current height.
That self-proclaimed "chunkster" has now developed into one of the best young arms in baseball. More importantly, the 6'3", 240-pound 23-year-old is part of a talented young trio that has the Mets in championship contention.
Syndergaard looked like an ordinary kid back then. With hard work and dedication, he reached his full potential and made it to the big leagues. Now he can look back and see how far he has come.
[Ben Reiter, h/t Deadspin]
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