Tom Brennan - Majoring on the Minors: Top 30 Prospects - #2 Steven Matz

MAJORING ON THE MINORS: TOP 30 PROSPECTS – #2 STEVEN MATZ - VOL.29 – Tom Brennan

I’m doing my Top 30 Prospects articles a bit differently – in 2 lists:

·       A top 10 list of lower minors guys who likely won’t show up until 2017 or later.  Already done. See list at end of this article. 

·       Followed by my top 20 list of guys who are closing in on the big leagues.  Guys who could help in the near future or be trade bait.

Here is the list so far:

20.   Daniel Muno

19.   Michael Fulmer

18.   Miller Diaz

17.   Dario Alvarez

16.   Jayce Boyd

15.   Rob Whalen

14.   Hansel Robles

13.   Gabriel Ynoa

12.   Gavin Cecchini

11.   Jack Leathersich

10.   Cory Mazzoni

9.      Cesar Puello

8.      Matt Bowman

7.      Akeel Morris

6.      Matt Reynolds

5.      Brandon Nimmo

4.      Kevin Plawecki

3.      Dilson Herrera

Moving on up to my prospect selection #2:

STEVEN MATZ

What one stat impresses me the most about Steve Matz? Only 8 homers allowed in about 300 innings.  As a lefty dealing mostly to righty batters.  REALLY incredible.

Career ERA in the low 2's, more than a K per inning. Amazing progress for a guy who went through a grueling Tommy John surgery rehab period.  One often wondered if he'd ever fully recover. Boy, has he ever. It gives a fan hope that a guy that was highly regarded not too long ago, Luis Mateo, will follow suit in 2015.

Matz can touch the upper 90s, has improved his secondary pitches, and on earlier Met teams shorter and weaker on pitching, would likely be in the opening day rotation. Think briefly back to Sean Marcum, for example.  Matz is in the opening day rotation over a Sean Marcum type in a heartbeat.

But in 2015, we'll most likely need to be patient for Super 2 to pass for him to be called up.  One might say, "Well, he hasn't even pitched in AAA yet.”  

That is because they wanted Steve to do what he does best, dominate in playoff games, which he did for the second straight year, a man against boys.  In 2013 and 2014, in 4 starts, 2-0, 1.44, 25 innings, 13 hits, 33 Ks.  A little bit of Koufax there.  And what could be better than a pitcher who has proven to be able to dominate in playoff games.

Steve Matz will be another of the 3 to 5 Mets starters by 2016 of the type who’d be considered many other teams’ best starter.  Exciting pitching times truly lay just ahead for the Mets, with the highly competitive 6'2", 200, 23 year old Matz as part of that ovation rotation.

Not bad for a local kid from Ward Melville HS in Setauket, Long Island, where my niece and nephew attended HS a few years before Matz.  

I am expecting a homegrown All Star soon in Steve.  He's my #2 prospect behind Thor.  Mr. Syndergaard won my #1 by a flip of the coin over Matz. Take your pick.  Both will be a blast to watch.

MY TOP 10 LOWER MINORS LIST:

# 1 - Marcos Molina

#2 – Michael Conforto

#3 – Amed Rosario

#4 – Dominic Smith

#5 - Jhoan Urena

#6 – Vicente Lupo

#7 – Wuilmer Becerra

#8 – Luis Guillorme

#9 - Casey Meisner

#10 - Milton Ramos