Jenrry Mejia is so eager to get back onto a mound, he wanted to arrive early to Port St. Lucie for spring training. But the Mets told the hard-throwing right-hander to stay in the Dominican Republic and work out at the team’s complex there on flat ground, to avoid the temptation to try to do too much too soon as he rehabs from May 16, 2011 Tommy John surgery.

Terry Collins worried Mejia would see Bobby Parnell throwing gas off a mound if Mejia arrived to camp early and ramp up his activity too quickly.

Make no mistake, though, Collins said the 22-year-old Mejia is progressing well. And Mejia is slated to begin throwing off a mound as soon as pitchers and catchers officially report on Monday.

Collins believes Mejia should have no problem returning to regular minor league activity in May, at the 12-month mark of the elbow surgery.

Mejia suffered the ligament damage while working as a starting pitcher for Triple-A Buffalo last season, after the Mets reverted to using him in the rotation to allow him to develop.

Mejia appeared in 33 major league games (30 in relief) in 2010, in the final season under Jerry Manuel, before the organization recommitted to using Mejia as a starter at least for the time being. Pitching coach Dan Warthen has said Mejia ultimately projects as a reliever.