This post will act as a primer for some of the names you need to familiarize yourself with before draft time. Three of these guys could easily be a Met and all represent some of the best talent to come into the system since the top four picks in the first two rounds (Ike Davis, Reese Havens, Brad Holt, Javier Rodriguez) of the 2008 draft.
Round 1:
OF-3B Travis Harrison – will be extremely hard to pass on him if he is available… broke Bryce Harper’s HR distance with 504-foot shot… Tustin High School in California… also plays 1B and 3B… 6-2,220… 4.5 to first base… strong upper body… plus arm… in the past, the Mets love to draft big pitchers with their first pick, but this is a new management team and, pound for pound, Harrison might be the best bat in the draft.
C Blake Swihart – on paper, Swihart does not qualify as the 13th most talented player in the draft, but he is easily the top catcher, and the Mets desperately need a prospect-type at that position in their organization. High schooler out of New Mexico… 6-0, 175, good gap power and power arm… all-metro first baseman as sophomore… good footwork and decent receiving skills… looks like the real thing but it’s always a big chance drafting high school catchers.
RHP Matt Barnes – big time solution to future SP2/3… 6-4, 205, out of Univ. of Connecticut… sits in the mid-90s… three additional off-speed pitches… strikes out around 25% of batters he faces… needs to develop more consistency with secondary pitches, but he is easily a projectable ace. Barnes is another in the mold of Matt Harvey and Mike Pelfrey.
LHP Danny Hultzen – Experts have Hultzen going as high as 5th in the draft, but he has fallen a little lately, not because of lack of talent, but because of growing interest of other players who play different positions. Currently projects out as 3rd top LHP in nation… only touches low 90’s but plus plus curve, plus change and split-finger. Very deceptive. 6-3, 195, out of Virignia. Won’t take long to be ready for Queens. Projects out as SP4/5.
Supplimental Round 1:
C Peter O’Brien – the Mets would only have interest in O’Brien if Swihart isn’t picked in the first round. Bethune-Cookman… MEAC Conference MVP… 20-HRs last year… solid arm… 1.92 with full gear… team leader…
LHP Tyler Anderson - 6-5 out of Gonzaga… fastball sits in the low-90s (hits 94) plus good overall command on his slider… had a bad sophomore season, going 5.67… but pitched well in the summer and Alaskan League…
RHP Hudson Boyd – high schooler out of Florida… 6-2, 235… fastball sits at 93… very good 77-79 breaking ball… power curve with downwood action… could be tough to sign, but money can solve that… big dude
RHP Austin Wood – 6-4,220 who went unsigned after transferring from Florida State to St. Petersburg J.C… fastball 94-95, hits 98… hard slider dominant at times… raw… projects out as a Bobby Jenks/Jeff Farnsworth type.
OF/LHP Jake Cave – two way high schooler out of Virginia… 6-1… consistent gap hitter… power will come… 5-tool potential… velo spike this summer to 93 might make it hard to pass on him as a lefty pitcher.
Round 2:
OF Larry Green – another high schooler… big, big bat… seen as a corner outfielder… 6-1,225. Raw, but very talented…
RHP Jose Fernandez – there has been a tremendous amount of press around this Cuban-born pitcher. Fastball consistently hits 95… touched 97 this summer… high schooler out of Florida… 11-5 80-83 curve, and an 81 change-up… recently granted 5th year of eligibility due to his exit from Cuba, which might make him hard to sign.
LHP Alex Panteliodis – “Johnny Pants” is sophomore-eligible out of Univ. of Florida… 6-2, 235… fastball 93-95 with excellent command… nickname alone will make him a fan favorite in New York
RHP Logan Verrett - 6-2, 180, out of Baylor… fastball tops out in low 90s, and mixes in 77-79 change-up.
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