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10/23/12

Mets Draft Analysis – 2008



The Mets really didn’t like high school kids this draft. They signed only nine of them, one of which was out of Puerto Rico. Only nine of the 52 picks didn’t sign.

15 are still in the organization of which five have already made it to Queens.

This was another of those dream drafts where the Mets had three picks in the first round, which results in the top 33 players picked. Pundits looked to this draft as a game changer.

1 (18) 1B Ike Davis - Arizona State University -  This has turned out to be a primo pick. Davis looks to be a 30+ home run threat with the ability to win a Golden Glove as well. A great start in the draft.

1 (22) SS Reese Havens - University of South Carolina – Havens may have the same raw talent as Davis, but he simply couldn’t stay healthy until last season. So what does he do? He hits .215 in 325-Abs. Havens will get one more season to put it together; however, he could lose his job in 2013 if David Wright is signed to a long term deal and Wilmer Flores is shifted to second.

1 (33) Brad Holt - University of North Carolina -  Holt looked like the real deal early (2008, Brooklyn: 5-3, 1.87, 14-starts), but the Mets coaches got a hold of him and tried to change everything he did. It got in his head and it’s been uphill ever since. The good news is the story isn’t over. Holt had a very good relief year last season in Binghamton (2-1, 3.40, 39-appearances) and should be a major part of the Las Vegas bullpen come spring.

2 (68) OF Javier Rodriguez - Puerto Rico Baseball Academy – there is nothing good to say about this pick. Puerto Rico baseball has gone to shit ever since it was incorporated into the MLB system and ‘J-Rod’ was a perfect example of someone with big stats against inferior competition. Was cut after 2011.

3 (100) CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis - Azusa Pacific University – the bad news is this pick will be is a good 4th outfielder in Queens. The good news will begin when he opens the season as the Mets centerfielder. Based on the math, this is a good pick for a third rounder. Not a great one yet, but a good one.

4 (134) OF Sean Ratliff  - Stanford University -  great hitter that was hit in his eye by a foul ball hit by a teammate. He simply never healed well enough to play baseball. Very sad story.

5 (164) C Dock Doyle - Coastal Carolina University SF  - attitude guy that simply was a bad pick. Pissed a lot of coaches off and was finally cut after 2011.

6 (194) 2B Josh Satin - University of California - Satin has done nothing wrong, but has been blocked his entire professional career. My guess is he will be a Rule 5 loss come December and the least he will be for another team is a very good utility player.

7 (224) P Mike Hebert - Saugus (Saugus,CA) – injuries, injuries, injuries. The good news is he was a high school pick and he’s still only 22.Not bad when he pitched (4-seasons, 12-14, 3.85), but time is running out for him.

8 (254) 3B Eric Campbell - Boston College -  may be the steal of the draft. Campbell plays everywhere and hit .297/.391/.439/.830, 9-HR, 50-RBI for Binghamton last year. I look for Campbell to start in Vegas in 2013 and be on a fast track to Queens as a utility player.

9 (284) P Eric Beaulac - Le Moyne College -  Beaulac’s best year was in Savannah (2009 – 7-7, 2.95, 116.0-IP, 133-K) but couldn’t cut the mustard at upper levels. Baltimore licked him up after the 2011 cut, and did well last season (3-2, 3.38) out of the pen at the AA level.

10 (314) P Brian Valenzuela - Vista Murrieta (Murrieta,CA) -  another bad pick that, in his defense, wasn’t given much time to prove much (3-years, 2-10, 6.09). Cut after the 2011 season.

11 (344) P  Jeff Kaplan - Cal State Fullerton -  another unfinished story… has pitched well when uninjured and went 3-0, 3.12, 1.65, 19-G for Binghamton last season. Has to work on the number of hits he gives up. Should be in the Vegas pen in the spring.

12 (374) P Mark Cohoon - North Central Texas College -  boy, did he look like the real deal… went 9-2, 2.15 for Brooklyn in 2009 and 7-1, 1.30 for Savannah in 2010. Then, was bumped two levels to Binghamton and the magic was reduced to a 2012 season (8-11, 3.62, 23-starts) with Binghamton. Should be part of the Vegas rotation come spring, but no one talks about him making it anymore.

13 (404) P Scott Shaw - University of Illinois -  Shaw burned out at the AA level in 2010 (4-7, 8.42) and was cut after the season. Played AmerAssoc ball in 2011 (11-6, 5.49).

14 (434) P Brandon Moore - Indiana Wesleyan University -  Moore has bee suspended twice for drugs…  Moore is a good pitcher (5-yrs, 26-23, 3.78, 1.29)… he’s just an idiot.

15 (464) 1B Jamie Bruno - Mandeville (Mandeville,LA) – never signed…  went to Tulane for one season (.229) and was never heard of again.

16 (494) P  Travis Babin - Sonoma State University – Babin walked away after two seasons in Kingsport (1-2, 4.78, 35-games).

17 (524) P Mitchell Houck - University of Central Florida 2008 – Mitch pitched well for three seasons (6-4, 3.24), but injuries ended his career early.

18 (554) P Collin McHugh - Berry College -  A great 18th round pick. No one is sure what his role will be in 2013. He did not impress as a starter in Queens (0-4, 7.59), but his minor league stats over five years have been outstanding (31-23, 3.32, 1.26). My guess is he starts off in the Vegas rotation.

19 (584) P Zach Rosenbaum - University of North Carolina – cut very early after only two seasons in K-Port (3-7, 5.49). Played Frontier ball in 2010 (1-9, 4.61).

20 (614) C Michael Moras -  University of New Haven – Moras was only used as a 3rd, or bullpen catcher. Played the last two years in the Atlantic League.

21 (644) P Jim Fuller - Southern Connecticut State University -  another injury riddled draft pick. Lost the entire 2011 season. Lifetime (4-years) 19-16, 2.90, 1.21 but will play 2013 as a 26-year old and hasn’t been past St. Lucie.

22 (674) P Chris Schwinden - Fresno Pacific University -  2008 – an even better pick than McHugh at 18. Was an emergency 6th starter for both 2011 and 2012 (0-3, 6.98). Another stellar minor league career (5-yrs, 38-32, 3.61,1.27). Should join McHugh at Vegas.

23 (704) OF Evan LeBlanc  - Santa Clara University SF – LaBlanc was given only one year to impress (2009 – 152-AB, K-Port, Brooklyn, Savannah, .197). He might have walked away on his own.

24 (734) P Kyle Allen - The Pendleton School (Bradenton,FL) – Allen has trudged along for five seasons with some nagging injuries. He pitched 2012 for St. Lucie (2-0, 4.18, hi first season as a reliever. Will pitch 2013 as a 23-year old, probably in the Binghamton pen.

25 (764) P Erik Turgeon - University of Connecticut – Turgeon was cut during the 2012 season after proving a couple of times that he couldn’t make the jump to AA.

26 (794) OF John Servidio - Barry University – hit poorly for Brooklyn in 2008 (.239) and 2009 (.181). Cut after the 2009 season.

27 (824) 1B Jeff Flagg - Mississippi State University -  Flagg had an outstanding season for Kingsport in 2009 (.301/.365/.500/.865, 10-HR, 59-RBI) and it looked like the Mets might have one here, but things went south in Savannah the next year (.162) and the Mets seemed to have cut him early for some reason.  Played 2012 in the Frontier League (20-HR, 83-RBI).

28 (854) P Jimmy Johnson - Biola University – pitched will for Brooklyn in 2008 (1.25) and Savannah in 2009 (1.09), but hit the wall twice in A+ ball.  Cut during the 2010 season and finished that year in the Frontier League.

29 (884) 2B Michael Giuffre - Tottenville (Staten Island,NY) – local high school boy who didn’t sign and was never heard of again.

30 (914) P Mike Lynn - College of Charleston –  pitched a little in 2008 and 2009, but walked away from the game.

31 (944) P  Michael Powers - University of Michigan – the 23-year old has pitched well over four active seasons (19-15, 3.14) but lost 2012 to TJS. No word if and when he will be back.

32 (974) P Mark Grbavac - Oregon State University – never signed and never played again.

33 (1004) OF Neil Medchill - Oklahoma State University – never signed… was drafted by the Yankees in 2009 and played AA in 2012 (.276).

34 (1034) OF Justin Garber - Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania – roster fill pick that was given a small window in 2008-2009 in Kingsport and Brooklyn. Cut after the 2009 season when the new kids came in.

35 (1064) 2B Kyle Suire - University of Louisiana-Monroe -  busted for PEDs and cut.

36 (1094) P Jake Goldberg - College of Charleston SF  SC  - roster fill pick that was cut after the 2009 season.

37 (1124) P Tim Erickson - Lamar University – pitched one inning… hey, he didn’t give up a run!

38 (1154) P Chris Hilliard  - Itawamba Community College – Hilliard surprised everyone with an outstanding 2010 with Brooklyn (9-1, 3.74). He just couldn’t find a place in the overcrowded rotations and his major league career was over after the 2011 season.

39 (1184) C Charlie Hinojosa - Don Antonio Lugo (Chino,CA) – Roster fill pick that was cut after playing for Kingsport in the 2010 season.

40 (1214) OF Seth Williams - University of North Carolina – roster fill pick that was given a full shot in 2009 with St. Lucie (197-AB, .264). Was cut after five games in 2010.

41 (1244) C Tyler Howe - University of Kentucky – Bullpen catcher cut after the 2009 season.

42 (1274) P Tim Smith - Catawba College – roster fill pick cut after the 2009 season.

43 (1304) OF Mark McGonigle  - University of New Orleans – played 2008 for the GCL Mets (.297). Joined Seattle for 2009 and played the Frontier League in 2010.

44 (1334) P Jean-Francois Ricard - College Ahuntsic - never signed and never heard of again until last year when he played CanAm ball  (3-G, 3.09).

45 (1362) 1B David Phillips - Texarkana College – never signed, went to Mississippi, never signed again, and played Frontier and NAML ball for three years.

 46 (1389) OF Brian Gump - University of California-Santa Barbara -  didn’t sign and was signed by the Phillies in 2009. Played a full season of A+ ball in 2011 (.217) and was cut at the end of the season.

47 (1416) P Matt Bischoff - Purdue University -  didn’t sign… was drafted by Seattle in the 20th round of the 2010 draft… played parts of three years for them and then pars of three for Baltimore. Finished last season in AAA after going 0-0, 2.89, 16-appearances in AA.

48 (1443) OF Tyler Baisley - Gateway Community College – never signed, went two years to Northwestern State, never drafted again, and never heard of again.

49 (1470) 1B Doug McNulty - University of Akron – McNulty was a roster fill sign that filled a slot for Kingsport in 2008 (.201). He was cut at the end of the season.

50 (1497) OF Kameron Brunty - Gulf Breeze (Gulf Breeze,FL) – didn’t sign and went on to four sub-par years at Southern Miss. Available for this year’s draft.

Summation: This is another draft that hasn’t played out. One of the three first round picks has already showed all-star potential and two later picks developed into emergency starters. I like the result so far, though I there should be a better result from their top 10 picks
Grade:  B-

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