8/10/11

The Keepers: - #14 - Cesar Puello

14. Cesar Puello



Puello signed as an international free agent in 2007. He passed on Latin ball and came straight to the GCL Mets in 2008: .305/.350/.364 in 151 at bats.


Puello signed as an international free agent in 2007.


In September 2008, Baseball America listed the top 20 prospects coming out of the GCL league, and Puello was ranked 12th.


In September, Toby Hyde wrote: RF Cesar Puello – .305/.350/.364 – 6 2B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 32 K, 13/18 SB – 151 AB, 40 G - I was a little surprised when I first saw Puello. He’s not built like the typical 17-year-old baseball player from the Domincan Republic. Nope, he’s got some strength and size in his chest and arms. He hasn’t turned that muscular frame into power yet, but he was just 17. Instead, he showed a really nice feel for the barrel of the bat which he was able to translate into line drives into both gaps. He didn’t use his lower half much for power, but when he integrates that into his swing, he will start driving the ball more.


February 2009: Toby Hyde on his # 17 – OF Cesar Puello (#5 on Mack’s Mets Prospect List): Puello was impressive in his professional debut as a 17-year old in the GCL, showing a nice swing that produced line drives to the big part of the park. He’s strong across his upper body and has solid batspeed, but wasn’t yet driving the ball consistently in games in July. That will come as he learns to use his strength. He has the range and arm to handle right. 2008: Puello’s OPS increased in every month from .537 in June to .605 in July and .867 in August. In August, he hit .357/.410/.457, walking three times and getting plunked four times in 70 AB. Projected 2009 Start: Savannah


Mack: Same philosophy as Carson. Puello is easily the 2nd top Mets OF prospect, though he’s only 4 years old. Still, he’s a beast so far and everyone involved in the minor league Mets system is high on this kid. I hope Tobi is right about Savannah. I can’t even begin to imagine Puello, Flores, and Marte all playing for the Sand Gnats at the same time. Woop, woop.


1-1-10 Forecast: - As much as the Brooklyn fans would love to see him, Puello is ready to jump to a full season team and will join the Savannah Sand Gnats in the spring of 2010. Hopefully, he will begin to develop more pop in his bat.


8-4-10: - there’s been very little press this year on Puello, who’s doing a decent job for Savannah (.296/.369/.367/.736 in 368-AB) this year. The 19-year old hasn’t showed much pop but he has produced 27 doubles and walked 30 times. Let’s remember he’s still a teenager and I expect him to move on to St. Lucie for the 2011 season.


9-1-10: - 2011 Forecast: Let's first remember that Puello played the 2010 season as a 19-year old. There is so much ceiling here... 404-AB, .292/.375/.359/.734, 22-doubles, 45-steals... he batted .305 for GCL in 2008... .296 for Kingsport in 2009... and .292 for Savannah in 2010... and... he's only 19. Yes, this is another Mets prospect with little pop, but isn't that There's no doubt that Puello will move on in 2011. My educated guess is St. Lucie to play in a possible all-star outfield with Darrell Ceciliani and Cory Vaughn.


6-21-11: - http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110620&content_id=20786072&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&tcid=tw_share  - Cesar Puello delivered a two-out double down the left-field line in the bottom of the 11th, driving in Travis Ozga with the winning run. Ozga, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth, drew a one-out walk to set up the run. "It was unbelievable," manager Pedro Lopez said of the reaction in the dugout. "I thought that Puello came up with a big hit for us. I was just hoping the ball wouldn't bounce over the wall (for a ground-rule double) and make things more interesting. Ozga did a helluva job drawing a walk after being down 1-2 in the count."

No comments: