New York Mets: Crop Report (Part 2)

We looked at some of the Mets of Today and Mets of Tomorrow in terms of the position players... now... I'd like to look at the starting pitching situation, as it relates to the minors. I think that there are going to be various opinions on the gentleman of Generation 2K... please take my views for what they're worth... nothing. There are a TON of names... so forgive me for focusing on only my favorites (whom I see in Savannah or above).

Starting Rotation:

Johan Santana - Expiration Date 2010
Even a positive guy (when it comes to the Mets) like me can tell that Johan's best... great... and good days are all behind him. What is left is a pitcher who I have faith could be PRETTY good and above average in the middle of most rotations. The major hope with Santana is that he's healthy in 2012 which is NO sure thing.

Jon Niese - Expiration Date (Distant)
Niese is the only pitcher in the rotation right now that I think is a part of the "Met Future". You'll recall I have posted multiple times calling on the Mets to trade him (and still would) if they could get a player like Travis D'Arnaud, Jesus Montero or Wilin Rosario. You'll notice there are some reasonably GREAT names on this list of starters and I didn't bother listing a SINGLE catcher on my other list (Though I considered adding Albert Cordero).

R.A. Dickey - Expiration Date 2013 - 2015
I might not be the only one who is ready to extend R.A. beyond 2012. He's a knuckler and has extended longevity and he's a good human being and leader. I would like a player like Dickey in the rotation when pitchers like Familia, Harvey, Mejia, Wheeler etc... come up.

Mike Pelfrey - Expiration Date 2010 - 2012
Do I think Pelfrey is done? Depends on your definition of done. He's just not good enough to be anything more than a #5 pitcher and he's getting paid too much for what he is. He IS still a perfectly fine #5 pitcher.

Dillon Gee - Expiration Date 2013 - 2015
I am not a Dillon Gee believer. I anticipate that the S.S. Gee will hit an iceberg early in Spring Training and we'll all remember why none of us saw his 2011 success coming.

Chris Schwinden - Peak Ripeness 2012
Schwinden reminds me a lot of Gee and for good reason. He doesn't have a lot of "Stuff" but what he does have... is more "Stuff" than Gee. So... if Gee implodes in 2012 we have someone in the wings... assuming he's not already in the rotation because of injuries.

Pedro Beato - Peak Ripeness 2013
Alderson seems intent on trying an experiment with Beato. He wishes to convert him BACK into a starter. You can all forget Beato starting in 2012 but if ALL goes well... he could be back in the majors in a rotation as early as 2013. That assumes that ALL goes well... which is pretty far-fetched.

Collin McHugh - Peak Ripeness 2012 - 2013
McHugh is an interesting pitcher. In terms of "Stuff" he falls around Schwinden (slightly above) and he's a similar style pitcher in that he knows his way around the zone. McHugh is not and never will be an "Ace" but I would bet more on McHugh making it as a starter in the bigs than a number of other guys on this list. At best he fits into the #4 spot of the rotation but the hope is that he'd be no more than a #5 for the future Mets.

Jeurys Familia - Peak Ripeness 2013
Familia is going to start in AAA and will have a chance to break into the bigs based on how he does in the first few months of the season (Spring Training included). I'm still betting that Familia will eventually fall into the bullpen but that has more to do with me not seeing THREE pitches on the level of his fastball. If he can develop his secondary offerings he could be a #2 pitcher as soon as 2013. The Mets may need him sooner.

Matt Harvey - Peak Ripeness 2013 - 2014
My favorite Met prospect (I'm sure I'm not alone in that) is likely to start the year in AA. If Harvey can channel his success of 2011 in A+ baseball then he should be promoted by mid-year to AAA or EVEN the MLB. The Mets are being more cautious with Harvey (because of where they drafted him) than with Familia. That's fine, I don't think that rushing Harvey serves the team very well. Still... he could justify a 2012 promotion without it being a "RUSH".

Jenrry Mejia - Peak Ripeness 2012 - 2014
I like Mejia a ton but his injury pushes him down the charts. Still if he returns to health and glides as easily through AA as he's glided through other levels of the minors... he will probably get a call from Flushing in 2012 before the end of the season. I am one of the few people who write about such things who has more faith in Mejia being in the Met rotation long-term than say... Wheeler. If he struggles in 2012... he WILL be converted into a reliever.

Zack Wheeler - Peak Ripeness 2014 - 2015
Zack Wheeler has done nothing as a Met to inspire me to have anything short of extreme faith in him. He has earned his right to start 2012 in AA and will even benefit from the presence of pitchers like Harvey, Mejia and Gorski surrounding him. BECAUSE they are there he is a guy the Mets have no need to rush and I doubt that Wheeler will see a promotion to AAA before the end of 2012... though it wouldn't be impossible.

Darin Gorski - Peak Ripeness 2014 - 2015
The Miracle success of 2011... well... in the minors. Gorski is a lefty control pitcher who destroyed 2011 hitters in Port St. Lucie. He won all sorts of awards and is a MUST for making the 2012 AA roster. Looking at his stats... you wonder where it all came from. He went from distinctly mediocre to relevant on a major level in a very short time. Perhaps he figured something out? Perhaps he made a pact with Beelzebub? I don't care... if he pitches that well in AA... he has a future in Flushing.

Brandon Moore - Peak Ripeness 2013 - 2014
Moore probably wouldn't be listed if I hadn't WATCHED him pitch in person. He REALLY isn't half bad. He's got control and the ability to draw swings and misses with his breaking pitches. He's not likely to be anything more than a AAAA pitcher at any point.

Armando Rodriguez - Peak Ripeness 2015 - 2016
Try as I might, I can't promote Armando beyond A+ ball yet. He will get that promotion as soon as there is room. He's fine, if a little vanilla, but I think he COULD have a future in the back of a major league rotation... maybe.

Gregory Peavey - Peak Ripeness 2015 - 2016
Peavey was very good in Savannah in 2011 before stumbling a bit in Port St. Lucie. All in all... nothing to complain about. "The Other Pitcher" from the Harvey draft is flying under the radar because the Mets have some BIGGER stories in their minors for a change. That suits me fine as Peavey can get a pressure-less chance to find his footing in Port St. Lucie. If his 2012 goes well I don't think he'll stay off the radar for long.

Taylor Whitendon - Peak Ripeness 2015 - 2017
I thought about adding Taylor's picture because I happen to REALLY like him as a pitcher but as he's not yet pitched in A+ or above I felt it was premature. He seems like he could rise up a lot with a good 2012.

Chase Huchingson - Peak Ripeness 2016 - 2017
I cam even closer to posting a picture of Huchingson who excites me as much as Taylor but is also a lefty. Chase split time starting and relieving in 2011 so I'm betting he repeats Savannah to get more innings as they decide if his future is in the rotation or the bullpen.

Erik Goeddel - Peak Ripeness 2015 - 2017
Why am I less interested in Erik Goeddel than Taylor Whitendon or Chase Huchingson? Frankly... I don't have a reason.

Domingo Tapia - Peak Ripeness 2017 - 2018
Tapia is part of the NEXT big crop of talent coming through the pipeline. Fulmer, Urbina and Morris might all meet in Kingsport or Brooklyn in 2012 but I'm betting Tapia makes his way onto the Savannah rotation. He sits comfortably in the mid 90s and has toughed 100 MPH on his fastball. He's even supposed to have a pretty solid secondary offering for his development level. I don't think he's a sure thing, but like most people, I have him as a sleeper on my radar.

AAA, Bufalo Bisons:
1. Chris Schwinden
2. Miguel Batista
3. Colin McHugh
4. Pedro Beato
5. Jeremy Hefner

AA , Binghamton B-Mets:
1. Jeurys Familia
2. Matt Harvey
3. Jenrry Mejia (Mark Cohoon to start the year)
4. Zack Wheeler
5. Darin Gorski

A+, Port St. Lucie Mets:
1. Armando Rodriguez
2. Gregory Peavey
3. Taylor Whitendon
4. Angel Cuan
5. Yohan Almonte

A, Savannah Sand Gnats:
1. Gonzalez Germen
2. Erik Goeddel
3. Chase Huchingson
4. Marcos Camarena
5. Damingo Tapia