Mets Prospect Alert – SS Juan Carlos Gamboa

photo by Allan Greene

Who?

Once in awhile, someone sneaks up on me. At last look, I had Gamboa ranked 116^th in ‘The Keepers’ series. He was a kid that was signed out of the Mexican League (2010) after hitting only .265. Big deal.

He played the 2010 season for the DSL Mets and impressed: 221-AB, .294/.388/.380/.768. The 5-7 speedster also had 16-SB.

He went back to the Mexican League again (loan?) in 2011, but returned to put in some licks for the GCL-Mets (.340), Kingsport (.256) and an exciting 11 at bats for Savannah (.455/.538/.727/1.266). Okay, it’s a small sample but I don’t get a chance to quote a line like that too often.

Really? Well, here’s his current line in the Mexican Fall League:  .442/.529/.721/1.250 in 43-AB.

Who is this guy? I Google’d his name and the guy that has written the most about him was… me.

Looking at the position of SS in 2012, we assume Jordany Valdespin will play Buffalo. Wilmer Flores and Robbie Shields are projected for Binghamton, and Brandon Brown should open up with Lucy. That leaves either Gamboa or Phillip Evans for Savannah. I would think, for age reasons alone (will play 2012 at 21), Gamboa will play here and Evans will start for Brooklyn.

Sandy Alderson is quoted as saying that he feels the team is light in middle infield prospects. We’ll keep an eye on this kid to see if we found another one.