2009 Mets Outlook - SS

2009 Outlook - Shortstop



Current Mets: Jose Reyes… through 2010



Top Mets Prospect: Wilmer Flores


Projected Starters:


Mets: Jose Reyes


There’s no question that this position is Reyes for years to come, but the interesting time will be the end of the 2010 season, when the Mets will have to decide to renew Reyes, at 11mil, or buy the contract out at only 500 grand. It especially will be interesting if one or more of the kids listed below keep hitting the snot out of the ball…



New Orleans: Jose Coronado


Anderson Hernandez played short for most of 2009 and, thank God, that’s over with. The natural progression will be the promotion of Coronado from B-Town where he batted .260 in 507 at bats. Coronado was once thought of as a prospect, but not anymore. He’ll play next year as a 23 year old and first has to survive the Rule V draft.



B-Mets: Ruben Tejada


Tejada had 497 at bats in Lucy while playing shortstop. He only batted .229, but the good news is he’s still only 19 years old. There’s no one ready to go to B-Town other than Tejada, so why not. It’s not like there isn’t someone behind him that will come racing by in a year or two. I look for someone like Joaquin Rodriquez to back him up.



Lucy: Reece Havens


Now things start to get tricky. It may be a stretch to have Havens play at this level after not hitting the field once for Brooklyn and being injured for most of the year, but what’s the alternative? You can’t send 17-year of Wilmer Flores here yet.. Frankly, the Mets should let Tejada repeat another year here, but then things get really clogged up. Other candidates include Juan Legares, a fallen-prospect, and Matt Bouchard, who had a horrible year in Savannah.



Gnats: Wilmer Flores


There’s always an outside chance that Wilmer Flores gets showcased in Brooklyn, but I expect the Mets will want this kid in Hispanic-friendly Savannah (if they re-up in savannah), away from the hoopla of Da Big Apple. This will keep him right on pace for Reyes’ option year (he he…). I expect Flores to be at the A+ level by the end of 2009, on to AA in 2010, and then… hopefully, he’ll be either an outfielder or first baseman. Luis Nieves will back up Wilmer.



Clones: Seth Williams


Does anyone really care who’s going to follow Wilmer Flores up the chain? Seriously, this will most probably be filled by a draft pick or it could be Ignacio Medrano, who also plays 2B.



K-Port: Miquel Tejada


Last year’s all-that, Tejada had a miserable year in 2008 and will try and get back on track in Kingsport.



GCL: Draft Pick


There’s no one in particular, either on the DSL or VSL staff, that is ready or worth sending stateside.



Summary: The future of who plays SS for the Mets in the next 10 years may depend on whether the Mets try and change Flores from a SS to either an outfielder or first baseman. We know Jose Reyes will play there for 4 more years. After that, this is a good problem.