Tom Brennan – WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT – MINOR LEAGUE UPDATE

Tom Brennan – WHO’S HOT, WHO’S NOT – MINORS UPDATE 

It's a short holiday week, so I'm going to shorten up my list this week. 

Shortened to my top 10 hottest guys.   

And then my next 10 hottest will be listed more briefly after that. 

1.     Steve Matz is 6-2, 1.99, leading the PCL in Ks with 68, and hitting .350.  He needs an address with a Queens zip code immediately. So he can get his feet wet in the majors this year and win the Cy Young award next year.  If there is a better pitcher in all of the minor leagues, can someone tell me?  

2.    Casey Meisner was brilliant again in his last start in Savannah.  St Lucie belongs in his near future.  He is, by the way, only 6'7". 

3.    Brad Wieck and his strikeout extravaganze roll on in Savannah.  52 in his last 34 innings for the Gnats as a starter is murderous.  He is 6'9" of nasty. 

4.    Robert Gsellman is 6-0 in 8 starts, with an ERA under 2 in St Lucie.  A shrimp at 6'4". 

5.    Akeel Morris recently allowed a few hits in relief.  That was awfully generous of him. The St Lucie closer may just decide no more hits for another month or two. Those baserunners can be mighty pesky. 

6.    Michael Conforto won player of the week in the FSL.  He has had a very solid, extra base hit filled season so far. I'm waiting for the Conforto Surge.  

7.    Jeff McNeil was hitting .194 in mid-April, and is up to .348, and it is not the end of May.  Off the top of my head, that means .400+ for the past 5 weeks. Ted Williams approves.  Low on extra baggers, though. 

8.    Luis Guillorme is (per Stubby) the Mets' best shortstop glove since Rey Ordonez.  I'm sticking with Stubby on this one. So can LG hit a little?  Dang tootin', with a .320 average and fine on base % with the Gnats. One extra base hit and counting, though. 

9.    Amed Rosario is up to a steadily improving .276, which from the perspective of him being 19 and doing it in St Lucie is amazing.   

10.  Dominic Smith - the still homerless 1B has surged of late, with lots of doubles and lots of RBIs.  My brother was at Citifield when Smith first signed, and watched him in BP smacking a bunch of 400+ foot shots into the seats, so there is power there, HRs should follow.  Please recall Ike Davis went over 300 at bats before socking his 1st minor league dinger.  Lucas Duda is telling everyone to be patient. 

That's my Top 10.

Now my honorable mention 2nd 10, with a few added notes: 

·       Duane Below (back to back 9 inning complete games in AAA)

·       Matt Reynolds (not so much lately after a scorching start)

·       Jayce Boyd - nice hitting streak under way

·       Paul Sewald - terrific reliever

·       Eudy Pina (.322 in AA).

·       Xorge Carillo - slow start, hit pretty well since

·       Rob Whelan - another low ERA year in progress for RW

·       Eudor Garcia - raking since added to Gnat roster

·       Colton Plaia - the catcher had 8 RBIs in 2 games, hitting .300 – there must be a “catch” there somewhere.

·       Dave Roseboom - working his craft, looking to improve.  His rookie ball ERA in 2014 was 1.59 in 22.2 innings. In 2015, lowered to 1.57 in 23 innings, so the improvement is unmistakeable.  Kidding aside, the 6'3" Gnats lefty has a WHIP under 1.00, fine K rate, and is 3-0, with 3 saves. That qualifies as hot.  Not quite enough to crack my top 10, though. 

Other guys could easily have made that list, but those are mine.  

NOT HOT:

The guys who are not hot?  You guys know who you are. Keep your chins up. 

Have a great day.