The Keepers: - #35 - SS - Juan Carlos Gamboa

photo by Allan Greene

35.     SS      Juan Carlos Gamboa:

           Gamboa was signed by the Mets in 2010, out of the Mexican League.

In 2010, he played the entire season for the DSL Mets and hit .294/.390/.389/.768, with 16-SB.

9-23-10 – 2011 forecast: - The 5-7 Gamboa will return to the DSL team next year to prove 2010 wasn’t a fluke.

7-3-11: - The best bat so far on the GCL Mets team is shortstop Gamboa (.371/.436/.457/.893. The 20-year old played earlier this season in the Mexican League (.265), but his game has gone up a notch in Florida. He’s only 5-7, but he can run with the best of him.

9-1-11: - Stock Up – SS Juan Gamboa – Gamboa was promoted on Thursday to Savannah for the playoff series. Gamboa has had very little press so far as a Met, but he’s holidng his own and turning heads at the lower levels.

10-26-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7132/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-shortstop-prospects  -  Juan Carlos Gamboa DOB: 4/18/1991  Birthplace: Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico  Height: 5’7”  Weight: 152  L/R - Gamboa was not on anyone’s radar prior to this season and he is still not on anyone’s radar. He’s your “little engine that could” story. The first thing that jumps out is his height: 5’7”. Right away, you might think of Jose Altuve, the dynamic second basemen for the Houston Astros who proved everyone wrong this season. But this is Gamboa’s first real season. He’s got a ways ahead of him. With his height, you cannot project power. He jumped between 4 leagues this season, starting out in Mexico (no idea there was a team there), to Gulf Coast, to Kingsport, to Savannah. In a combined 61 games, Gamboa hit .293 with 5 homeruns, while driving in 25 runs. He struck out 41 times in 191 at-bats, which is worrisome, but he’s only 20 years old.

10-29-11: - Who? Once in awhile, someone sneaks up on me. At last look, I had Gamboa ranked 116th 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 keepan eye on him.