AAA:
Rene Rivera .233/.271/.404/.675
Robinson Cancel .248/.297/.333/.631
AA:
Josh Thole .328/.395/.422/.816
Sal Paniagua .217/.285/.329/.613
Mike Nickeas .164/.278/.180/.458 - combined AA/AAA
Raphael Arroyo .065/.216/.098/.314 - combined A+/AAA/AA
A+:
Francisco Pena .224/.258/.329/.588
Julio Rivera .250/.222/.250/.472
Tony Maccani .185/.241/.185/.427
A:
Jordan Abruzzo (DH) .208/.250/.337/.587 - combined A+/A
Kai Gronauer .243/.294/.352/.646
Jean Luc Blaquiere .238/.326/.354/.680
Luis Allen .143/.262/.179/.440
Michael Moras .274/.317/.316/633 - combined A/KPort
Low-A:
Dock Doyle .270/.345/.356/.702 - combined A+/low-A
Juan Centeno .164/.212/.200/.412
Ralph Henriquez .276/.316/.364/.680 - combined A/A+/low-
K-Port:
Tyler Howe .245/.519/.388/.907
Juan Torres .333/.370/.471/.841 - combined GCL/KPort
John Freeman .221/.271/.305/.576
GCL:
Amauris Valdez .278/.304/.370/.674
Nefli Zapata .261/.341/.370/.710
Camden Moran .293/.408/.415/.823
Orlando Rodriquez (DH) .298/.411/.404/.815
DSL:
Arickson Caba (DH) .230/.278/.405/.684
Humberto Mejia .191/.254/.278/.532
Wandel Avila .229/.374/.248/622
VSL:
Nestor Moreno (DH) .320/.381/.393/775
Nohisglin Rivero .308/.344/.429/.772
Albert Cordero .278/.343/.423/.765
Hector Alvarez .248/.342/.314/.656
Rene Rivera .233/.271/.404/.675
Robinson Cancel .248/.297/.333/.631
AA:
Josh Thole .328/.395/.422/.816
Sal Paniagua .217/.285/.329/.613
Mike Nickeas .164/.278/.180/.458 - combined AA/AAA
Raphael Arroyo .065/.216/.098/.314 - combined A+/AAA/AA
A+:
Francisco Pena .224/.258/.329/.588
Julio Rivera .250/.222/.250/.472
Tony Maccani .185/.241/.185/.427
A:
Jordan Abruzzo (DH) .208/.250/.337/.587 - combined A+/A
Kai Gronauer .243/.294/.352/.646
Jean Luc Blaquiere .238/.326/.354/.680
Luis Allen .143/.262/.179/.440
Michael Moras .274/.317/.316/633 - combined A/KPort
Low-A:
Dock Doyle .270/.345/.356/.702 - combined A+/low-A
Juan Centeno .164/.212/.200/.412
Ralph Henriquez .276/.316/.364/.680 - combined A/A+/low-
K-Port:
Tyler Howe .245/.519/.388/.907
Juan Torres .333/.370/.471/.841 - combined GCL/KPort
John Freeman .221/.271/.305/.576
GCL:
Amauris Valdez .278/.304/.370/.674
Nefli Zapata .261/.341/.370/.710
Camden Moran .293/.408/.415/.823
Orlando Rodriquez (DH) .298/.411/.404/.815
DSL:
Arickson Caba (DH) .230/.278/.405/.684
Humberto Mejia .191/.254/.278/.532
Wandel Avila .229/.374/.248/622
VSL:
Nestor Moreno (DH) .320/.381/.393/775
Nohisglin Rivero .308/.344/.429/.772
Albert Cordero .278/.343/.423/.765
Hector Alvarez .248/.342/.314/.656
You can’t have enough catchers on a minor league team for a lot of reasons. There’s a ton of pitchers to catch in practice, so most teams carry at least three, sometimes four of them throughout the season. The problem is finding enough talent to stock your team. Remember, this is the position that starts out in grade school as the fat kid that can’t run. Most ballplayers wouldn’t think of putting the mask on and. Most that do, look for any chance to throw it away.
The Mets have had a poor history over the past ten years in developing a catcher. Jesus Flores might have been the most talented, but was left unprotected in the Rule V draft. Jason Phillips was thought of as being the future replacement for Mike Piazza, but it just didn’t develop that way. And, Vance Wilson was a 44th round draft pick in 1993 who backs up in Texas these days. No, you’d have to go back to the 1987 drafting of Todd Hundley in the 2nd round as being the last decent catcher the Mets have signed, either out of high school, college, or the international cities.
It’s fitting that the only prospect currently in the organization that catches was drafted as a first baseman. John Thole is a self-made prospect that I have making the trip permanently next season, as part of a catcher’s platoon.
Other than that, there are a few kids that have showed a spark (Torrez, Moran), a couple of more DHers that need to pick up the glove (Rodriquez, Moreno), and a complete waste of big money (Pena).
On The Way To Queens: Thole
On The Way Home: Cancel, Nickeas, Allen, Arroyo.
Current 2010 Projection:
AAA: open
AA: Pena, Abruzzo
A+: Doyle, Gronauer
A: Henriquez, Torrez
Low-A: Zapata, Howe, Moran
K-Port: open
GCL: open
In Summary:
The Mets will not spend money here in the off-season. My guess is most of the money will go to starting pitching and some possibly to left field, but the other two critical positions on the team, first base and catching, will be left to platooning what the team currently has in their system.
Right now, the “big board” has Omir Santos and Thole splitting time, but you might see a secondary free agent that doesn’t cost a lot of money, wind up the third catcher assigned full time to Buffalo.
Santos/Thole could be the best hitting duo next year but I have a concern about them not finding a veteran catcher. There are several headcase pitchers who needs a catcher to call a game and stroke their ego. Schneider looked like a coach during Pelfrey's last outing reassuring him, point at him, head nods, walks to mound after close pitches etc.. will Thole/Santos handle these guys this way I'm not sure there at that point...
ReplyDeletebengie Molina would be my pick long history with young pitchers, great arm and best hitting catcher not in Minny..
I watched Thole in Binghamton, and the glove just isn't there. If you ever thought Mike Piazza was a defensive throwing liability, just know that Thole is half that. I know people want a youth movement, but given his lack of any semblance of power and the fact that his .330 average will translate to .270 or below in the big leagues, and this just isn't a big league catcher, platoon, backup,....nothing. Youth movement Met fans are reaching on this one. Thole's value is at its highest....maybe a Moneyball type team could be fooled with his value.
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