The Keepers - #17 - 3B - Wilmer Flores

17.           3B      Wilmer Flores

Flores was signed as an international free agent in October 2007.

In late January 2007, Baseball America ranked Flores as the 17th overall Mets prospect, adding:      "should grow into his body and become a force with the bat ... ..internal comparisons to Miguel Cabrera for his present pull power and ability to use the whole field."

Flores played most of the 2008 season for K-Port, played one game for Savannah, and finished the year with Brooklyn. His combined stats were: .307/.347/.468/.815, 8 HRs, 42 RBIs, in 68 games. Flores won the Sterling Award as the top Met player for the 2008 Kingsport team.

Flores played most of the 2008 season for K-Port, played one game for Savannah, and finished the year with Brooklyn. His combined stats were: .307/.347/.468/.815, 8 HRs, 42 RBIs, in 68 games.

Flores won the Sterling Award as the top Met player for the 2008 Kingsport team. 

In 2009, Flores played the entire season for Savannah: .264/.305/.332/.637 in 488-AB, only 13 errors.

1-1-10 Forecast: - We never know if the 16-year old bonus babies are going to make out until three, sometimes four, years later. Most don’t, and, frankly, the string is still out on Flores. He had an okay season in A-ball… yeah, I know, he’s old three years old…  still, there’s no rush here, what with Miquel Tejada in line to step in if Jose Reyes goes down (or away). I wish they’d play him again in Savannah, but he’s probably on his way to Florida.

I wrote on Feb 10: - Wilmer Flores – everybody on the Mets are still excitied about this kid… me too… he definitely looks like he has what it takes to make it big time. Watch for the Mets to move him to Lucy this spring and take his time with him. There’s no rush since I’m sure Jose Reyes is going nowhere soon. Look for Flores to graduate to Queens in 2013.

4-15-10: - SS- A-Savannah:  The 18-year old prospect is repeating A-ball this year, which tends to tell me that the Mets have big, long range plans for Wilmer. As usual, he's starting the season off with less pop, but his .333 batting average after 30-AB leads the team in hitting. I stil look for him to be converted to either right field or first base in the future, but probably not this year.

4-28-10: - Wilmer Flores – SS – A-Savannah – the 18-year old Flores is off to his best professional start. This is his third pro-season and he’s still three years away from the legal drinking age. More important, is the fact that his pop has come around these past couple of weeks, especially on the last road trip. Stats for the season: .338/.384/.525/.909

5-5-10: - SS Wilmer Flores – A-Savannah – 19/yrs. old – Flores went over 100 at bats on Tuesday and has impressed once again at the A level: .327/.376/.535/.911. He especially has stepped up power wise in the last month and seems to be primed for the next level. The only shortstop prospect ahead of him is Reese Havens, who’s playing second base lately. If you live around the Savannah area, get a game in quick. Flores won’t be around long.

SS Wilmer Flores: Wilmer is dominating during his second year at Savannah. He currently is batting second in the league with a .343 batting average. This is a kid with a. 946 OPS and he doesn’t turn 19 until August. I’ve had the pleasure of watching him first hand for two years and this is the real deal. Expect him to be switched to right field next year and it’s going to very difficult to keep this kid in the minors past the 2012 season.

5-24-10: - Wilmer Flores – 3B – A – this is Flores’ second year in Savannah and he definitely looks ready to move on: .330/.388/.520/.907 in 179-AB. He also is leading the team in home runs, with five. The problem with any movement is the fact that St. Lucie gave their shortstop job to 19-year old Wilfredo Tovar, who is holding his own at the A+ level. Yes, Flores is scheduled to eventually be moved to the outfield, but that won’t happen until winter ball. Neither Flores or Tovar would hold their own at the AA level, so my guess is, even though Wilmer deserves the promotion, he probably is going nowhere.

5-7-11: - Question: Just what do the Mets do with Wilmer Flores? Flores turns 20-years old this August. He’s already playing his fourth season in the Mets organization and is currently hitting .284/.315/.362/.677 for Lucy. The pop still hasn’t come and he only has one home run this year with 19 runs batted in (116-AB). He’s leading his team in errors (guess what other infielder he’s tied with?) and no one has ever projected him as a future shortstop in Queens. Additionally, his lack of foot speed (this guy is really slow) doesn’t project him as an outfielder in CitiField.

That leaves first base and no one is moving Ike Davis, right? The Mets seem to have a bunch of infield prospects playing the wrong position. 3B Jefry Marte is projected as a future corner outfielder. 3B Aderlin Rodriguez isn’t thought of as the future replacement for David Wright. Only SS Wilfredo Tovar is projected to stay in the infield, but he weighs around twelve pounds and makes Ruben Tejada look like Miquel Tejada.  Normally, I would say use this guy as trade bait to an AL team, but a .362 slugging percentage isn’t going to earn him a DH slot.  No… enough with second base.

5-24-11: - Wilmer Flores needed a good day. He went into Tuesday’s game hitting only .167 in the past ten games and his slugging percentage was down to a mere .365. Then came a double, a home run, and five RBIs and hopefully it will be the start of something good.

6-5-11: - It’s time for us to take a deeper look at SS Wilmer Flores and see how he is… err… progressing this season. In his defense, he’s still only 19-years old, which translates to a college freshman, or sophomore. However, let’s look deeper. The one true stat teams look for progress from the kids is OPS. Here’s what Wilmer has done: 2008 K-Port: .842… 2009 Gnats: .637… 2010 Sav/Lucy: .751… 2011 Lucy: .679. I’m going to keep saying this until someone important reads it. Leave the kid in Lucy through the 2012 season and give him time to lose his baby fat. At the same time, bump Robbie Shields ahead of him, which is where he’s supposed to be in the first place.

8-4-11: - Stock Up - Wilmer Flores – Yes, the Mets are still trying to figure out a position for Flores to play, but let’s not forget what Toby Hyde pointed out after Wednesday’s game. Wilmer is ranked fourth in the Florida State League with 69-RBIs… and he’s still only 19-years old (birthday is on Saturday). Last ten games:  .353/.410/.647.

8-22-11 Observation: - 1B Wilmer Flores – Flores has done everything he can to convince the Mets that he can make it someday as a third baseman, but the reality is he can’t. He is too slow which takes out any corner outfield option as well. I would keep him in Florida for another season, playing and learning first base. Hopefully, his bat will blossom to its projected level. - ETA: Ready in 2013, but blocked

10-18-11: - (The Keepers Update to #10) - I have no idea where this guy is going to play in 2012. I have him on first base. He's just too slow for a corner outfield position. 2012 will be his year to prove if he's a... well... keeper.

3-9-12 – So, the Mets have a new third baseman. Boy, I hope this works.