Down The Pipeline

The Mets, like most every other baseball team, has nine minor league teams. Each team fields 25 players, thus, there are always 225 minor leagues in the system. The reality is there are usually at least 50 more, either in extended camp or on injured reserve, so let’s round the number off to 275.


On the other side, there are 25 players on the active roster.


Right now, six of those 25 players came out of the system (Jenrry Mejia, Jon Niese, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Mike Pelfrey, and Ike Davis), while the others were obtained either through free agency or trades. That’s about the average amount both for the Mets and all big-market teams.


Small-market teams have more players come out of their system, not because they have more talent, but because the team can’t afford to sign a bunch of huge salaries via free agency. If they could, they would.


Small-market teams promote more players because that’s the only solution to their positional problems.


Large-market teams have more options to obtain already established starts rather than untested rookies.


The additions this year of Mejia and Davis as caused many Mets fans to think that the minor league system isn’t as bad off as everyone writes about. Believe me, with Mejia and Davis now in Queens, the minor league talent has once again been depleted.


Being a prospect and being ready are completely two different things. SP Brad Holt is a prospect. Check his AA ERA. He ain’t ready. Nor, can you project when he will be ready. An example of ready is Davis, who turned heads in ST and then dominated at AAA again. That’s ready.


There are many talented players in the Mets system, but as of right now, only a few that would be projectable.


For 2010: No additional players are banging on the door. Yes, there will be additions once the rosters open up in September, but not because they should be playing major league baseball this year.


2011: As of right now, RP Robert Parnell and 2B/SS Ruben Tejada project as probable additions to the Mets 25-man roster. Others, like SP Dillon Gee, SP Tobi Stoner, and OF Chris Carter may be ready (both experience and age wise) to go the next step, but all three do not project out as a big-market starter. In addition, C Josh Thole (hitting slump and fielding limitations) and OF Fernando Martinez (durability) are also not projectable for next year. Lastly, positionless Daniel Murphy can’t be projected because he can’t seem to find a position to play better than everyone else.


2012: 3B Zach Lutz and OF Kirk Nienwenhuis are currently on projection to make the Mets roster in 2012, though Lutz has no chance of taking away David Wright’s job.


Pitching: Sadly, and realistically, there are no pitchers down the pipeline right now. All the so-called prospects at AAA and AA are not dominating that their level, some of which are even repeating that level afer not dominating there the year before. The A+ staff is off to a slow start and it’s too far off to project anyone at the A level.