Here are five more names to keep on your radar:
SS Wilfredo Tovar – Tovar is the next prospect shortstop to keep your eyes on. He’ll play 2011 at 20-years old, and Wally Backman is quoted as saying: “Tovar makes plays at shortstop that a human being shouldn’t be able to make.He’s the best shortstop in this league, no question.” Hit .266/.307/.327/.634 in 2010 combined at St. Lucie/Savannah/Brooklyn. Mets need to slow him down and not create another Tejada. Will probably play Savannah in 2011.
C Blake Forsythe – Forsythe was off the charts in his sophomore year (.347/.486/.663 for Tennessee) and was projected as an easy first round pick. Then came a miserable junior year, a 3rd round pick by the Mets, and an equally bad freshman year at Brooklyn. Still, he hit 30 home runs in his last two years in college and 2011 could be the year he returns to his old self.
2B Reese Havens – Havens is one oblique muscle away from Queens. He was having a banner season in 2010 when he was taken out on a bush slide. The healing was slow, but the Mets smartly didn’t rush him and sat him out for the rest of the season. He should be back strong in 2011 at Buffalo, or he might even start slower in April at Binghamton. Either way, he will be ready to take second base away from the platoon of Murphy/Emaus in 2012.
CF Cesar Puello – Puello has very quietly moved up to the top outfield prospect in the organization. He is easily the faster, and the best center fielder. I don’t expect much more pop out of him, but he could easily develop into the Mets future leadoff hitter, playing centerfield, and leading the league in stolen bases. His tools are that sharpened.
1B Josh Satin – Satin is trying to find himself a future in the Mets organization by playing first base. So far, he has done little wrong bat wise, hitting at all levels. Hopefully, his off-season program will give him a little more pop and I expect him to come out of the box leading Buffalo in OPS no matter what position he plays. Right now, the Mets’ backup first basemen are Duda and Nick Evans, neither of which project as an every day players. Satin is just trying to add his name to the mix.
Mark Cohoon too!
ReplyDeleteI love the Mets!
ReplyDeleteI just found it a bit incongruous to say only Wilmer Flores could be a starter in 2012, and then you mention in your 5, by 2012 Reese Havens (whom I love as a player FWIW) would be ready to take over. It's also not really fair to leave Dillon Gee off the list, as he's going to be the #4 starter unless he all but fails to get anybody out in Spring Training. Gee is still considered a rookie despite some reasonable innings last year. Thus, I consider Gee a rookie who IS ready to start this year, much like Jon Niese, despite having pitched in 2009 in the majors, was considered a "rookie starter" last year. We can only hope Gee shows as much promise as Niese did last year. There are some really great reasons to watch the Mets this year, even though I don't expect them to be much more than a .500 team (barring career years from Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Bay, Pagan, Pelfrey, Niese, and Dickey, all in the same year--extremely unlikely). Josh Thole should absolutely also be mentioned as a more or less rookie. Yes, he played a bit last year, but wasn't the regular starter at any point last year. This year he'll start the year as the starter. So, AFAIC, the Mets will have at least 2 "home-grown" rookies in their 13 (starting 8+5 starters). Even though, as I said, I don't expect the Mets to win, watching Pelfrey, Niese, Dickey, and Gee, all effectually home-grown (I know, I know... Dickey is arguable, but he did come from the Mets AAA, and he's about 26 or 27 in Knuckleballer years :-). He really only became a full time Knuckler last year, so, that's my argument LOL! ). I honestly can't remember the last time the Mets first 4 starters were all up from the minors AS METS! (87? Gooden, Darling, Fernandez, Aguilera--though Ojeda stared the year, he was injured, thus didn't pitch much. 85 for certain with Gooden, Darling, Lynch Fernandez).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, just my 2 cents.
Behave:
ReplyDeleteGood post...
you are right about the Flores/Havens reference. My bad.
Gee is off the list because I have him as a member of the parent squad and no longer a prospect. I had written a seperate post, promoting him, earlier this year.