12/1/09

The Keepers - #9 - 3B - Zach Lutz


9. Zach Lutz – 3B – AA – 24/yrs.


Lutz was the D3ielderBaseball.com National Player of the Year. He also was named PAC Player of the Year andpart of the All-PAC 1st team. His stats in his last year for Alvernia were .454/.541/.858, 12 HRs and 58 RBIs in 40 games.

The Mets drafted Lutz in the 5th round of the 2007 draft. He was signed and played the 2007 season for Brooklyn (1 game, 2 at bats).

9-9-9 From www.hardballtimes.com: - Lutz, the Mets fifth round pick in 2007 out of Alvernia College, is able to smoke the ball. He got off to an okay start for St. Lucie, then took off the rest of the year. The right-handed 23 year-old hit .284/.381/.441 and maintained a solid eye with a walk rate of 12.3%. In a brief call-up to Binghamton, Lutz hit .207/.324/.241 (14.7% walk rate) in eight games. He's a polished hitter who has a great eye; however, he needs to hit for more power if he wants to be a starting third baseman in the major leagues because his defense isn't good enough to make up for it.



Lutz played the entire 2008 season for Brooklyn, going .333/.442/.514/.956 in 72 at bats. This included 4 doubles, 3 HRs, and 12 RBIs in 24 games.

In 2009, Lutz mastered A+ ball, going .284/.381/.441/.822, with 11-HR and 62-RBI in 356-AB and 99-G. He was ranked second in the league in OPS, and seventh in slugging percentage.

He had a cup of coffee at the end of the season for Binghamton, where he will play 2010.

Forecast:


I have never met anyone in the Mets organization that isn’t high on this kid. Lutz’s pro career spans three years at three levels and he has a combined .438 slugging percentage and an .823 OPS. The srtange part is the lack of press he has been getting. If we assume he hits at the same pace in Binghamton this upcoming season, and he plays the season at 24 years old, and he plays 3B, where the hell does he go? I expect to start seeing him play second base soon.

3 comments:

Mash said...

Mack.....

I have been following Lutz since the Mets drafted him, and I get very excited about this kid. I agree that if he keeps hitting, no matter how well, a guy by the name of David Wright might be blocking his path to Citi Field

If he does move to 2B, dont you think the Mets would start Reese Havens over Lutz?

Could be a tricky situation between Bowman and Lutz if they both continue to hit, how would they help the big club?

Mack Ade said...

Mash:

Traffic is being to pile up, which is a good sign.

I see Bowman as the next Alex Cora.

Havens is supposed to play second for Binghamton in the spring, so I have no idea what the heck they are going to do.

Wright will never go to first, so, if Lutz plays 2010 at 3B in AA, he'll play it again at AAA in 2011 because Havens gets first shot due the money being paid him.

I think :)

Mack

Mash said...

Alex Cora with a bit more power? sign me up LOL

and yeah, Id suspect Havens would get the shot to play 2B as well

Thanks Mack