Stuff – Cory Vaughn, Melky Cabrera, Jorge Rivero, John Gant, Updated Mack’s Top 15

Cory Vaughn

Cory Vaughn has his 20th homer of the season. It’s probably too late to expect his BA to become respectable this season, but 20 home runs is 20 home runs. He and Aderlin Rodriguez currently represent the two big bats in the system. Both will test AA next season and possibly ETA for 2014.

My string is still out on Cory. We all remember my initial thoughts on this pick which were both wrong and uncalled for. The talent is there, but the game seems to be attached to his head instead of his ability. What I hope is he adds around 6-8 pounds of muscle in the off season balanced off with another year of maturity. We all know the path to the Mets outfield is wide open and Cory will play 2013 at 24-years old. It’s time. 

Melky Cabrera

I remember going to a press dinner years ago when I managed WNEW radio, and Coach Parcells spoke to the crown in the dining room. “People don’t change,” said Parcells, “they may look like they do for a while, but they really don’t.”

At what point during a great season do you decide to shoot your ass with this stuff? It can’t be something you’ve done all your career because, if it was, you would failed other tests, right?

All of baseball knew this happened, but no one reported it awaiting the appeal process. And what’s with that? You can still play shot up while you’re trying to prove what, the needle was wrong?

Here’s what baseball will do. He supposedly was worth a minimal $50mil contract that would have been signed in the upcoming off-season. He’s miss the first week and someone will sign him for, oh, around $50mil. Nobody cares anymore.

                         “This is the business we've chosen.”

                                                         Hyman Roth 

Jorge Rivero

We wrote about Vincente Lupo earlier this week. There’s another kid in the system that I know little about, but we may want to keep an eye on.

Jorge Rivero is a 23-year old playing Kingsport, which could make him the oldest player in the league. The 6-0 converted shortstop (now that’s always a good first step in this organization) comes out of La Habana, Cuba and is currently hitting .351, which would qualify him for the 2^nd highest BA in the league if he had around 40 more at-bats

Here’s something I wrote in 2011:

8-1-11: - I don’t know much about this kid, but his output in 2011 is worth nothing. This is his first season in the Mets system and the 22-yr. old batted .292 for the DSL Mets in 120-AB. He was transferred stateside and is now matting leadoff for the GCL Mets. So far, after 45-Abs, he’s .289. That combines to .291 which is just fine for a young second baseman.

Rivero will play 2013 as a 24-year old, so he has to move quickly. I hope the Mets recognize the talent here and send him all the way to St. Lucie next spring. 

John Gant

Gant is an intriguing find that has silently creeped close to the ‘blue’ list lately.

The 19-year old 6-4, 198 righty was drafted by the Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 draft and chose to sign rather than attend LIU. His limited GCL-Mets stats that year didn’t jump out at you (4-G, 6.48), but it was a start of a professional career.

In 2012, he was assigned to Kingsport and immediately went out to the mound and stunk up the joint (an important thing to note here about the 2012 K-Port team… talent wise, you are basically on your own out there).

John gave up 20 runs in 17.1-IP in four of his first five starts and, if the Mets still had a GCL team, he would have been sent back there.

But, things have settled down since then and his numbers in his last four starts are impressive: 22.1-IP, 4-ER, 21-H, 19-K, 7-BB (trust me, he’s working on the BBs).

PG wrote before draft day:

John Michael Gant is a 2011 RHP/1B with a 6-4 180 lb. frame from Wesley Chapel, FL who attends Wiregrass Ranch HS. Nice projectable pitcher's build, long arms and legs, should be able to gain strength. Drop and drive pitching style, long extended arm action, 3/4's release, whippy loose arm action. Steady 85-87 mph fastball, gets nice sink/run on fastball, short mid 70's curveball with some depth, developing change up. Projects to add velocity. Signed with Long Island University.

Where do we project Gant. Well, we now know he’s capable of producing stellar professional numbers regardless of what he does the rest of the year. His youth will probably send him to Brooklyn if for no other reason Savannah will be filled up with the likes of Rainy Lara, Luis Cessa, Luis Mateo, Gabriel Ynoa, and Hansel Robles. His chance to jump the Clones is dependent upon whether Mateo or fellow K-Port hurler, Steve Matz are moved that fast. My guess today is Brooklyn.  

Updated Mack’s Top 15

1.      RHSP Zack Wheeler –  ETA: mid-2013 – A – Starts season as SP1 in AAA

2.      RHSP Rafael Montero – ETA: 2015 - B+ - no rush… back to St. Lucie

3.      RH?P – Jenrry Mejia – ETA: 2012 – B+ - back on prospect relief list

4.      3B-1B Wilmer Flores –  ETA: Sept-2013 – B+ - Starts season as 3B in AAA

5.      CF Brandon Nimmo –  ETA: 2015 – B+ - should jump two levels to A+

6.      RHSP Michael Fulmer – ETA: 2015 – B+  St. Lucie bound

7.      LHRP Jack Leathersich – ETA – Sept-2013 – B - 106-K/66.1-IP – B-Mets

8.      RHSP Domingo Tapia – ETA: 2015 Closer – B – Star studded Lucy rotation

9.      RHRP Jeurys Familia – ETA: 2012 – B - will open in Mets 2012 pen

10.  OF Cory Vaughn – ETA: 2014 – B - has now reached 20 home runs

11.  3B Aderlin Rodriguez – ETA: 2016 - powerful bat will get him to B-Mets

12. RHSP – Luis Mateo – ETA: 2016 – the old man will jump to St. Lucie

13.    CF Gilbert Gomez – ETA: 2015 –   will take time, St. Lucie bound

14.  RHRP Marcos Camarena – ETA: 2016 – blocked from starting in Lucy

15.      OF -  Vincente Lupo – ETA:  2017  - DSL sensation

(it’s important to note that 10 out of the 15 picks were NOT draft picks)