The Keepers: #100 - Briener Soto CF

This begins a new daily feature, called "The Keepers"

It will include the 100 Mets minor league players that have definitely earned themselves a bump up to the next level, or, at least, a full season at the level they finished up with this season.

Yes, it will include all the so-called prospects, but as we have learned from players like Josh Thole, you can still develop into a major leauge player after you have signed a professional contract.

100. Breiner Soto – CF – VSL – 20/yrs.

Evaluating talent out of either the Dominican Republic or Venezuela is close to impossible. We never know where most of these kids come from, there’s never anything written about them, and 95% of them go away without even a hasta la vista.

That being said, we usually are able to determine which ones will get a visa simply by the stats they put up the year before; however, it’s only a safe bet if it’s the second year they are in the organization.

So debuting at #100 in the keepers is OF Breiner Soto.

Soto debuted with the 2007 VSL Mets, batting .189/.302/.216 in 74 at bats. He returned the the VSL Mets for the 2008 season, going .228/.277/.370 in 219 at bats. The third time looks like the charm, with his .298/.330/.436/.766 in 188 at bats for the 2009 team.

The 6-2 19-year old (turns 20 in February) needs to put on some weight in the off-season and add to his 147-lb. frame. His wOBA has gone .260/.275/330 over the past three seasons and he played in center field exclusively this past season.

Forecast: Soto has earned a visa and should play for either Kingsport or the GCL Mets in the spring.