MLB – NY Mets:
John Sickles scouting report in 1994 on:
Ramon Castro, Puerto Rico HS: First Puerto Rican ever drafted in the first round. 1996: Grade B-; 1997: Grade C; 1998 Grade C+; 1999 Grade C+; 2000 Grade C+. Castro is still hanging around as a reserve due to his defense, but lack of offensive consistency prevented him from living up to first round status.
Mack – never realized he was the first 1st round P.R…. still consider him a great find as one of the best backups in the game
The State of Met’s SPs:
Michael Salfino on Jonathan Niese: - “Yes, he’s a curve ball specialist and you can count those guys in the Majors now on two hands. But his velocity keeps increasing. He’s not physically mature yet. I can see him being a guy who can throw 92 or 93 consistently with that curve and a decent cutter. But he’s not likely to peak until age 27 or 28. Then, I think he can be a middle-of-the-rotation starter on a championship-caliber club. This year, I’d have no problem beginning the season with him as my No. 5 starter even though he’s a contact/command guy at the moment.”
Mack: Sounds good to me. His lips to God’s ears.
Prospect News:
Michael Salfino on: SS Wilmer Flores (Mack’s Mets Prospect #1):
Flores ceiling right now at the plate is Miguel Cabrera — he had the most projectable power in the Appalachian League despite only turning 17 in August.
Mack: That’s quite a compliment and a lot of people are now jumping on the Flores bandwagon. God, I pray he comes to Savannah in March.
Michael Salfino on: Jenry Mejia (Mack’s Mets Prospect #14):
But the worst case for him, barring injury (an awfully big caveat), is to be a Brad Lidge-type of two-pitch closer.
Mack: I don’t know how anybody can predict a kid with this little experience. Ya know, we make prospect lists based on what we see and, yes, many young kids get ranked high because how they start out, but I would never try and predict where someone who has only played at the rookie level or below would wind up in the majors. Frankly, I seldom predict people that last played in Brooklyn or Savannah. You just don’t know until they reach the A+ or AA level (exception being Brad Holt).
P - Jeurys Familia – Mack’s Mets Prospect #8 - From Toby Hyde:
Familia ranks here on the basis of a nice pitcher’s frame and a fastball that boasts average to plus MLB velocity already. Familia, despite inconsistent velocity, consistently threw strikes. In his first start of the year, Familia was throwing 93, 94 mph while that was down to 89-92 in his second appearance. The previous fall, scouts reported that he was consistently in the mid-90s. Familia’s off-speed stuff, a slider at 78 mph and a change at 84 are both about as far away from MLB caliber as one might expect from a 19-year old. 2008: Familia had a nice 11 start run in the GCL, striking out almost three times as many batters as he walked and walking fewer than 2.3 batters per nine innings. Dr. Pangloss Says: Familia’s potential plus fastball and youth allow one to dream of seeing him in a big league rotation a few years from now. On the Flipside: Familia is largely fastball and size. He is a long way away. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah or XST on the way to the Kingsport rotation.
Mack: I’m big on this kid and agree with Toby that he’s a long way away. It will be interesting to watch if he moves to the bullpen the next couple of years.
SS – Jose Coronado (no longer ranked on Mack’s Mets Prospect List) – from Toby Hyde:
Big league skills at shortstop, one of the two most difficult defensive positions to play. Coronado has average MLB range and arm to go with fine hands. He’ll play 2009 as a 23-year old in AAA. Over the course of the last year, the switch-hitter has shown steady, modest improvement with the bat culminating in a VWL season in which he hit .308/.373/.429 in 27 games. Coronado makes contact, rarely striking out and can take a walk. There’s something to the argument that Coronado’s bat is just starting to catch up with the pace at which the Mets have rushed him through the system. In 2004, he played in 33 games in the VSL. In 2005, the Mets reasonably moved him to the GCL where he hit .404/.429/.468 in a whopping 11 games. That prompted the Mets to promote him to Kingsport, where he hit a more modest .266/.338/.382 in 39 games. Nothing strange about moving a guy who was off to a hot start in the GCL up to the Appalachian League, but what follows is harder to justify. The Mets had Coronado finish 2005 in the SAL in Hagerstown where he hit .225/.295/.282 in 18 games as a 19 year old. With no indication that he had conquered the SAL, the Mets promoted Coronado to the FSL to begin 2006 where, as a 20 year old, he hit .226/.283/.278 playing every day in 138 games. To begin 2007, for the second year in a row, after struggling at the previous level, the Mets promoted Coronado, this time to AA Binghamton. Predictably, he struggled to a .212/. 284/.257 line in 81 games. Coronado improved on that in ’08 both in Binghamton and in the VWL. While fans have focused on Mets propensity to push higher profile players, such as Fernando Martinez and Francisco Pena, few players have been hurried through the system as quickly as Coronado. 2008: Coronado hit .253/.330/.291 in 340 AB before the All-Star Break and .275/.346/.359 in 167 AB after the break. Sure, a .084 isolated slugging percentage isn’t usually something to brag about it, but it’s sure better than the .038 he put together before the ASB. Even better, Coronado showed incremental progress in the area, with an isolated slugging percentage of .119 in the winter in VWL to go along with his first .300+ AVG since 11 games in the GCL in 2005. Projected 2009 Start: AAA Buffalo where he’ll be looking to prove that his VWL showing was no fluke.
Mack: I, like many, was a big fan of Coronado, but I can’t believe Hyde would waste all this space for a guy that obviously has not developed into a major league prospect. Coronado is no, and forever will be, an organizational player a la Michel Abreu.
From Dom DiFucci: - OF – Fernando Martinez (Mack’s Mets Prospect #3)
Last season, Fernando Martinez played in only 86 games at the Double A level. While he had moderate success there, hitting .287 in 352 ABs there are some that feel he can benefit from more time in the minors, and a slower promotion through the minors. In 2007, Martinez played in only 60 games because of nagging injuries. Most likely, the Mets will start him in Double A for the third consecutive season and promote him to Triple A at some point. My guess would be that the Mets are not willing to commit more than a one or two year deal to an outfielder given the fact that they plan to promote Martinez to the major league club in either late 2010 or 2011. Clearly, Martinez has the skills to ensure a successful big league career. The biggest obstacle in his career appears to be whether or not he can remain healthy.
Mack: Frankly, I’ve seen this kind of slow growth before, first with Jay Payton, and followed with Lastings Milledge and Carlos Gomez. This was supposed to be that 50 home run hitter the Mets never has developed, and it just isn’t. I’m not saying he won’t be a decent major leaguer, and he stil could be a decent Mets outfielder, but my guess is he will wind up the same place the three guys that I mentioned in this paragraph did… on another team.
From Patrick Hickey, Jr. – C Doc Doyle (Mack’s Mets Prospect #34)
Doc Doyle- With Jason Jacobs and Jordan Abruzzo being the guys behind the plate to lead the team in the locker room and on the field the past few years, a guy like Doyle [who's timid nature doesn't give his hard-working attitude on the field it's due] is a bit of a weird choice as the starting catcher in Brooklyn next season. Nevertheless, his offensive prowess and business-first attitude make him someone that can and will flourish in Brooklyn if given an opportunity. A .300 hitter in Kingsport, Doyle can reproduce those numbers in Keyspan.
Mack: word is that C Francesco Pena will repeat a third year in Savannah, which does open the possibility of Doyle going straight to Lucy. It all depends if the Mets decide to give either Abruzzo or Sean McGraw another shot at A+ ball. At thi point in his career, Doyle is nothing to scream about, but he is off to a good start,
Kyle Suire- (Mack’s Mets Prospect #33)
Spending a cup of coffee in Brooklyn last season, Suire was nursing a sore hamstring and was never capable of showing the league what he was truly capable of. A more than solid hitter, I see Suire as a dependable six hitter and someone that will not hurt the team on the field. Not an amazing fielder, Suire does have good range and a capable arm, but makes the plays he has to, very similar to one of my favorite second baseman’s in Cyclones history, Jon Schemmel. If Wilmer Flores starts the season in Brooklyn like many expect him to, the Cyclones will have a middle infield that can hit and play the field with anyone in the NY-Penn League.
Mack: I disagree here, but who know’s at this point. I expect Flores and Suire to be in Savannah, but since I’m the beat reporter there, sometimes my predictions are more like wishful thinking.
Mike Powers- (Mack’s Mets Prospect #23)
Leading the K-Mets in saves last season, Powers, who was close to a strikeout an inning in 21 frames of work, may be one of the only players from Kingsport’s bullpen to be a real member of the Brooklyn staff next season.
Mack: I hope not. Powers will pitch as a 23-year old and needs to be pushed to Savannah for the 2009 season. Definitely someone to keep an eye on.
Jonathan Sanchez- (not ranked on the Mack’s Mets Prospect List)
The former Cyclones outfielder had a solid season with the GC Mets last season and may make his return as a middle reliever. If that is the case, you can expect a few stories on his progress throughout the season. Extremely confident in his first go round with Brooklyn despite sub-par numbers, it’ll be interesting to see how the tides of time have changed the youngster.
Mack: I hate when writers use the word “solid”. “Solid season” means not great. And not great means, no prospect. Sanchez didn’t even make my honorable mention list.
Stefan Welch- (not ranked on the Mack’s Mets Prospect List)
Aside from Suire and Flores, Welch was one of the K-Mets best hitters. Able to play both corner infield positions and the outfield should make him one of Edgar Alfonzo’s favorite players and should give him the type of versatility that put former Cyclone Eric Campbell in the lineup so much last season. Should be an interesting guy to watch.
Mack: Another guy I have on my Savannah board, but we’ll see. I’m not that big on Aussie kids, mainly because everyone the Mets have ever signed went nowhere.
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