43. Zach Lutz:
Lutz was the D3ielderBaseball.com National Player of the Year. He also was named PAC Player of the Year andpart of the All-PAC 1st team. His stats in his last year for Alvernia were .454/.541/.858, 12 HRs and 58 RBIs in 40 games.
The Mets drafted Lutz in the 5th round of the 2007 draft. He was signed and played the 2007 season for Brooklyn (1 game, 2 at bats).
Lutz played the entire 2008 season for Brooklyn, going .333/.442/.514/.956 in 72 at bats. This included 4 doubles, 3 HRs, and 12 RBIs in 24 games.
- In 2009, Lutz mastered A+ ball, going .284/.381/.441/.822, with 11-HR and 62-RBI in 356-AB and 99-G. He was ranked second in the league in OPS, and seventh in slugging percentage.
He had a cup of coffee at the end of the season for Binghamton, where he will play 2010.
1-1-10: - I have never met anyone in the Mets organization that isn’t high on this kid. Lutz’s pro career spans three years at three levels and he has a combined .438 slugging percentage and an .823 OPS. The srtange part is the lack of press he has been getting. If we assume he hits at the same pace in Binghamton this upcoming season, and he plays the season at 24 years old, and he plays 3B, where the hell does he go? I expect to start seeing him play second base soon.
2-10-10 - Zach Lutz – nothing wrong here, either… Lutz is showing the minor league brass that they just might have three major league third basemen in their organization… hit .284/.381/.441/822 for Lucy this year and will join most of his 2009 teammates with the B-Mets this season. Remember this name.
4-22-10: - Stock Up: We talked yesterday about the fact that the Mets have solved their first base problems for the next 5+ years. It’s also true that they don’t need a new third baseman during that same period, but the fact remains that there is a new one developing down on the farm and we might see him branching out to a new position someday to hopefully make this team both as the backup to David Wright, and a quality power utility bat.
5-10-10: - Stock Up: Lutz is one of those minor leaguers that doesn’t seem to get any press, but just goes out and does his job every night. And, don’t be fooled by that baby face… the kid’s got some real power! Lutz was a 5th round pick in 2007 and has produced well in Brooklyn (2008: .333/.442/.514/.956) and St. Lucie (2009: 11-HR, 62-RBI, .822-OPS). The soon-to-be 24-year old (June 3) continues to develop power and currently leads the Eastern League in both home runs (8) but also the best HR-AB ratio (13.13). ETA: 2011
5-26-10: - 3B Zach Lutz placed on 7-day Disabled List retroactive to May 21 with a left foot fracture.
7-17-10: - it’s not that Zach Lutz did anything special on Saturday. What he did was simply play. Lutz was on his way to a great season with Binghamton (8-HR, 17-RBI, .896-OPS in 126-AB), when he broke his ankle. No one expected him back this quick, but, you know Zach. Anyway, he did go 1-3 for the GCL Mets on his first rehab day and we expect him back in the B-Mets lineup this time next week.
7-23-10 – The Mets top third base prospect is now rehabbing with the GCL Mets and got back into gear on Friday. He belted a 2-run homer, knocked in a total of four runs, and went 3-5 in their win. I’m sure he will be returning Binghamton sometime next week, if not sooner. The most important thing about his return is it comes just when the Mets need another trading pawn to hopefully pull off a pitching deal before the deadline.
8-1-10: - Lutz was having a great year before he wound up on the disabled list. Well, he’s been back for five games and now has five home runs in that span, which included two on Sunday. Lutz is one of those secondary prospects we always talk about when we discuss the Mets minor league system. He has a lifetime .285 professional BA going into this year, and showed the first sign of power last season for St. Lucie (11-HR, 62-RBI). This season, he had 14-HR in 170-Abs and currently has a .612 slugging percentage and 1.028OPS at the AA level. What all this means is the Mets may wind up with a hell of a third base prospect in 2012, especially if he aces AAA next season.
8-10-10 - The Mets have some decisions to make about a prospect that plays only one position which simply is not available on Roosevelt Avenue. 3B Zach Lutz has the talent to play MLB ball and his ETA is 2012 at the latest. He’s going to quickly learn what Shawn Bowman came to realize a year ago… his baseball future is probably not as a Mets. David Wright is going nowhere, and now that Ike Davis is at first base, he’s not even going to that position. Wright is projected as the Mets third sacker through the 2019 season, so whoever is going to dethrone King David someday is probably in middle school as we write. Lutz is a hitter, and his recent injury simply was a broken bone, not a series of nagging injuries. He wasted little time upon his return and let everybody know right away that he was back by hitting seven home runs in his first six games back. For the season, with three teams, he’s hitting: .280/.393/.593/.985 in 189-AB, with 16-HR and 37-RBI. Lutz turned 24 this past June and, if it wasn’t for his recent hiccup, he would have been once of the major names bantered around before the trade deadline. There doesn’t seem to be any plans to move him a round on the field, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he got an invite to Queens in September, simply to start showing him off. Regardless, watch for more press on a definite trade bait.
8-30-10: - Stock Up: The Mets top third base prospect, Zach Lutz, went 2-4 on Sunday, which included a two-run home run, his 18th of the season. His combined minor league stats this year are now: .283/.380/.561/.941. We’ve talked about Lutz many times this season, especially the fact that he only plays one position, which happens to be the most blocked in Mets history. Lutz is a hell of a minor league hitter, but he’s never going to move David Wringt off of third base in Queens. Concervatively, his ETA would be September 2011, so it will be interesting to see what the Mets do with him in the off-season. No, please, not another person trying to play second base…
10-8-10: - I think we just finished watching Zach Lutz become a full fledged prospect in 2010. Now, all the Mets have to do is find a place to play him. He will obviously do Buffalo in 2011, but, sadly, he will probably go the route of Shawn Bowman since he is boxed out by King David. This is one of the mew General Manager's prime trade bait in the off-season.
7-8-11: - Ever since the Mets selected Lutz in the fifth round of the 2007 draft, the 6-foot-1 third baseman has repeatedly landed on the disabled list with a variety of injuries. In his first professional game with the Brooklyn Cyclones in 2007, Lutz was lost for the season after suffering a hairline fracture in his right foot. This season, Lutz, playing for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, missed several weeks thanks to an injured hamstring, followed by a broken finger when he was hit by a foul ball while watching the game in the dugout. He then missed another week after getting hit in the head with a curveball June 24 against Norfolk. - http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/lutz_back_on_field_and_planning_Ag1zlkTiFkL6lqsfBvmDKM
7-20-11: - Lutz got hit in the head with a baseball yesterday. This is not to be confused with the other time he has been hit in the head this year with a baseball. He also broke a finger while in the dugout after… yes… being hit with a baseball. Lutz tried to stay in the game this time, spent a little time thinking he was back in Kansas, and was removed with what obviously was at least a concussion. I don’t think we’ll see him back this year. He needs to spend some time away from this game… and baseballs.
8-14-11: - http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/32042/projected-prospect-call-ups - ZACH LUTZ, third baseman (.301, 6 HR, 17 RBI, 156 at-bats with Buffalo): A solid hitter whose father Yogi coached him at Alvernia College before Lutz was drafted in the fifth round in 2007, injuries have been Lutz’s biggest obstacle. Early in his pro career, Lutz dealt with stress fractures in his feet, which required surgery. This year, he originally landed on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain. And while on the DL, he was struck with a foul ball in the dugout, breaking the ring finger on his non-throwing hand. Lutz also has suffered a pair of concussions this season -- both the result of being hit in the head with pitches. Lutz, not a gifted fielder, also has been exposed to first base during his minor league career.
Zach Lutz 3B Buffalo Bisons: 53 games with Bisons in 2011, 10 HRS, 27 RBIs, .312 BA, 36 Rs The Mets drafted Lutz in the fifth round of the 2007 MLB draft and when he has been on the field since then, he has truly impressed. Lutz is a solid defensive third baseman but his real and only major problem is staying on the field. He has only played in 127 games in his last two professional seasons which comes out to roughly 63 games per season. That simply won't cut it if Lutz wants to be effective in the majors. Despite this problem, Zach still has a lot of pop in his bat and that's exactly what the Mets need, regardless of which position Lutz is changed to bend to the strengths of star third baseman David Wright.
8-28-11: - #42 – 3B Zach Lutz – Yes, Lutz has been on the DL a lot the past two seasons, but none of the injures were genetic or career threatening (broken wrist, broken finger, hit by ball). When he does play he hits. He currently is hitting over .300 again (.302) and has 11-HR, 31-RBI in 212-AB. Like his predecessor, Shawn Bowman, he only plays third base which doesn’t give a Mets prospect that much to look forward to each spring. He’ll be back at AAA next year as an insurance policy and you’ll probably see him in Queens next month for a peek.
9-3-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/09/prospect-pulse-buffalo-2012-help-on-the-way.html - Zach Lutz - What do I want for xmas? I want Zach Lutz to play a full season with no injuries, just to see what kind of numbers he can put up. The guy absolutely rakes, but he has been snake-bit with injuries. He would have been perfect to call up once DWright went down, but Lutz was on the DL the same time Wright was. If he can stay on the field next season he is just a phone call away from Citi and could be called up anytime to play 1B, 3B, or righty PH duties.
Even though Ike Davis basically has first base locked in for the New York Mets in the foreseeable future, they have a young prospect by the name of Zach Lutz that could eventually give him a run for his money.Lutz, who also plays third base, has been compared to Lucas Duda in that his power is borderline legendary and that is his greatest asset.
11-11-11: - http://www.metstoday.com/7142/mets-minors/a-look-into-the-future-top-3b-prospects - If the Mets were to part with Wright, Zach Lutz would be the first one to fill the hole because of his experience. The 25-year-old would have been in Queens sometime this year if he didn’t get hurt midway through the Triple-A Buffalo season. Prior to the injury, Lutz was tearing up International League pitching, batting .295 with 11 homeruns and 31 RBI. Those numbers look very good for an MLB-ready talent like Lutz, however he strikes out too much, conjuring thoughts of Casey McGehee or Mark Reynolds. In 220 at-bats, Lutz whiffed 70 times, while accumulating just 27 walks.
Surprisingly, Lutz hits for average, as he’s never hit below .275 in his 5 years in the minors. At worst, he becomes a Mike Hessman kind of player, minus the hype that Hessman had as a prospect. At best, he’s a serviceable third basemen. Because of his injury, he’ll likely start off in Buffalo again and will definitely get a taste sometime during the season.
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