13. Travis d’Arnaud, c, Mets
Age: 25.
Resume: The 2007 supplemental pick has been traded twice for Cy Young Award winners (Roy Halladay, R.A. Dickey), owns a Double-A Eastern League MVP award from 2011 and has compiled a career .990 OPS at the Triple-A level. What d’Arnaud doesn’t have is a clean record for health, having missed the bulk of 2012-13 with, respectively, a torn knee ligament and a broken foot.
2014 Outlook: D’Arnaud started 30 games for the Mets last summer and faces little competition (just Anthony Recker and rookie Juan Centeno on the 40-man roster) when it comes to reprising that role. Many promising rookie catchers require an adjustment period before they hit their stride—Jason Castro in 2010, Devin Mesoraco in 2012 and Rob Brantly and Mike Zunino last year being prime examples—so don’t be surprised by growing pains.
Age: 25.
Resume: The 2007 supplemental pick has been traded twice for Cy Young Award winners (Roy Halladay, R.A. Dickey), owns a Double-A Eastern League MVP award from 2011 and has compiled a career .990 OPS at the Triple-A level. What d’Arnaud doesn’t have is a clean record for health, having missed the bulk of 2012-13 with, respectively, a torn knee ligament and a broken foot.
2014 Outlook: D’Arnaud started 30 games for the Mets last summer and faces little competition (just Anthony Recker and rookie Juan Centeno on the 40-man roster) when it comes to reprising that role. Many promising rookie catchers require an adjustment period before they hit their stride—Jason Castro in 2010, Devin Mesoraco in 2012 and Rob Brantly and Mike Zunino last year being prime examples—so don’t be surprised by growing pains.
17. Noah Syndergaard, rhp, Mets
Age: 21.
Resume: The top-ranked pitching prospect in the high Class A Florida State and Double-A Eastern leagues last year, Syndergaard compiled a career-best 4.8 SO/BB ratio and punctuated his breakthrough season by starting the Futures Game in New York. Few pitching prospects combine premium fastball velocity (up to 98 mph) with such precision (career 2.5 walks per nine).
2014 Outlook: Zack Wheeler, the Mets’ rookie pitching sensation for 2013, made 13 Triple-A starts before getting the call in mid-June. Syndergaard should follow a similar track if he performs at Triple-A Las Vegas. Expect strikeouts and a solid WHIP, but because he’s around the zone so much he might allow more hits and homers than he will at peak.
Age: 21.
Resume: The top-ranked pitching prospect in the high Class A Florida State and Double-A Eastern leagues last year, Syndergaard compiled a career-best 4.8 SO/BB ratio and punctuated his breakthrough season by starting the Futures Game in New York. Few pitching prospects combine premium fastball velocity (up to 98 mph) with such precision (career 2.5 walks per nine).
2014 Outlook: Zack Wheeler, the Mets’ rookie pitching sensation for 2013, made 13 Triple-A starts before getting the call in mid-June. Syndergaard should follow a similar track if he performs at Triple-A Las Vegas. Expect strikeouts and a solid WHIP, but because he’s around the zone so much he might allow more hits and homers than he will at peak.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/rookies-more-vital-to-success-than-ever/
3 comments:
More backing for d'Arnaud.....article is right in terms of growing pains for catching prospects.
Lets just give d'Arnaud the time he needs.
Patience is a virtue and spring stats all go to zero for opening day, so Travis will do fine..!ut just in case, can campbell catch? (Just kidding)
Somebody get Wilmer Flores a catchers mitt just in case.
Post a Comment