Who's Hot, Who's Not – Minors July 23 Edition - Tom Brennan
I posed this scenario last week:
Lots of minor league teams playing right now...
4 Mets full season minor league squads, 3 short
season teams, 2 developmental teams. 9 teams - LOTS of players.
What’s a conflicted writer to do?
Answer: Do again what I did last week - list guys who have been scorching of late, with data shown through Tuesday's contests this week. This week, boosted to 25.
Here are the 25 guys serving
time in the "fuego-tentiary"
for being unlawfully hot of late,
list in descending league order:
AAA:
Matt Bowman
is rebounding very nicely from a highly difficult start to his 2015. ERA
under 3.00 in his last 9 appearances, including a brilliant 2 hit shutout
Tuesday night against a premiere PCL team.
AA:
Michael Conforto - his bad weeks = another guy's great ones. He might be the best hitter produced via the Mets' drafts since David Wright.
Michael Fulmer - the hard throwing righty is pitching like Syndergaard. 1.68 ERA in last 10 games over 59 IP thru Tuesday, and then he added 5 shutout innings of 9 K ball Wednesday. WOW.
Gabe Ynoa – really getting it done. Just 9 earned runs and 3 walks in his last 7 starts covering 53 innings. ERA had ballooned to 5.72 on June 10, now all the way down to 3.31!! The 22 year old might be critical trade bait in the days to come.
Gavin Cecchini - an error-prone-in-2015 SS he may be, for now, but in 20 July games, he's .410/.484/.566, climbing him to .310. WOW WOW WOW! Qualifies as SUPER NOVA FUEGO.
Dario Alvarez - HOTTEST OF THE HOT ( other than Cecchini, of course). Since June 1, he’s thrown 14.2 scoreless relief IP, with just 2 hits & 20 Ks in AA. That is sick! My advice? Cut Alex Torres and call Dario up.
Paul Sewald - this stellar reliever, ALWAYS HOT, had the honor of recently participating in the Pan Am games. Returns to Binghamton and strikes out the side. Get out of town, Paul, you are just way too good. With Akeel Morris getting back on track with scoreless outings in his last 3 games, Alvarez, Sewald and Morris are a mind-blowing trio of relievers to have on any minor league squad.
HIGH A:
Dominic Smith – cooled a bit this week, but he stays on the list at .297.
Casey Meisner - the 20 year old ace is 10-3, 2.21, 1.08 WHIP.
Kelly Secrest is 6-2, 2,66, 1.69 in the last 10 of his 28 relief appearances this year. A workaholic.
Jeff McNeil leads the FSL in hitting at .320 BA and 109 hits in 85 games. Just 42 Ks in 383 PAs. Simply a terrific season – at least that is what I heard on the McNeil Lehrer News Hour.
Phil Evans was sputtering at .186 on July 8. Pretty dismal. Lots of other good infielders. Falling behind. NOT HOT! Then the ‘go’ switch flicked on: 9 game hit streak, 14 for 32 since, now hitting 50 points higher at .236. Keep it up, buddy.
MID A:
Christian Montgomery - hard throwing righty reliever, recently promoted to Savannah. 10.2 scoreless IP, 3 H, 0 R, 20 Ks. Watch this guy closely.
NY PENN SHORT SEASON:
Matt Blackham – small in stature, but this dude is Guidry tough: 40 Ks in 29 innings as a starter? Wow. Saw him in his last start (10 K in 6 IP) routinely hitting 94 MPH and executing his pitches.
Blake Taylor – is showing real progress compared to last year’s wildness. Last 3 games, 9 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 7 K.
Alex Pasha - little used of late, he's Brooklyn's pen ace.
Corey Taylor – 9 pro outings, 9 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 8 K,
0.00. Way to begin. Two Taylors rockin' Brooklyn.
Vince Siena - 29 games, .339, .403 OBP, 6 of 7 steals. Best Cyclones hitter so far.
A trio of swatters:
Patrick Mazelka, 2015 8th round draftee, is terrific so far with a .326/.434/.573 slash with 21 RBIs and 14 XBHs in 25 games. No errors. So far, so great.
Dash Winningham - the 19 year old 1B Kingsport slugger is .286/.339/.510 with 19 RBIs in 25 games. Dash loves to bash.
Kevin Kaczmarski - .326/.408/.430, 25 games, just 9 Ks for the lefty OF.
Ali Sanchez - the 17 year old continues to dazzle, hitting .366 in 71 ABs, 4 walks and only 9 Ks. Amazing performance at that age, like fellow neophytes Luis Carpio and Ricardo Cespedes, but even more so.
Wagner Lagrange - 19 year old OF, .350/.416/.431 slash in 31 games. 20 year old Grabiel Jiminez (.320/.412/.451) almost as good.
Nick Debora: 4-0, 0.92 in 49 IP, 43 Ks, 0.82 WHIP. 6’5” righty is almost 22; get him stateside, see what he's got against tougher competition.
Who’s not hot? Taking a pass on them this week to focus on those who are HOT!
Vince Siena - 29 games, .339, .403 OBP, 6 of 7 steals. Best Cyclones hitter so far.
APPALACHIAN ROOKIE:
A trio of swatters:
Patrick Mazelka, 2015 8th round draftee, is terrific so far with a .326/.434/.573 slash with 21 RBIs and 14 XBHs in 25 games. No errors. So far, so great.
Dash Winningham - the 19 year old 1B Kingsport slugger is .286/.339/.510 with 19 RBIs in 25 games. Dash loves to bash.
Kevin Kaczmarski - .326/.408/.430, 25 games, just 9 Ks for the lefty OF.
GCL ROOKIE:
Ali Sanchez - the 17 year old continues to dazzle, hitting .366 in 71 ABs, 4 walks and only 9 Ks. Amazing performance at that age, like fellow neophytes Luis Carpio and Ricardo Cespedes, but even more so.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE:
Wagner Lagrange - 19 year old OF, .350/.416/.431 slash in 31 games. 20 year old Grabiel Jiminez (.320/.412/.451) almost as good.
Nick Debora: 4-0, 0.92 in 49 IP, 43 Ks, 0.82 WHIP. 6’5” righty is almost 22; get him stateside, see what he's got against tougher competition.
Who’s not hot? Taking a pass on them this week to focus on those who are HOT!
Have a great day. It's No Minor Thing When You Do.
9 comments:
Here is a question for you guys:
Is Cecchini the long term replacement for Wright?
Clearly he has the arm for 3rd - I never realized how big he was (6'2" 200) until reading a report on here last week -- I think his growth has impacted his defense at SS and he may be growing into a 3b -- the growth tends to lead to more power - which he is also showing this year.
I am so overwhelmingly positive about Michael Fulmer. Cannot say enough good things.
Lew, I really never even considered it but you're right he does have the arm. Wow what a connection. I'm impressed. Write a piece on it? It's a great suggestion if Wright is down for the count.
When a guy like Cecchini as a 21 year old can hit .410 for 20 games with a nearly .500 on base % in a league as high as AA, you have to alter preceptions. I think Lew's 3B idea makes a ton of sense. If Conforto is basically ready now, give Gavin another 50 games this season and maybe he'd be ready for opening day 2016. Let's see how hot he stays.
Fulmer could be a huge trade chip, but maybe we keep him and trade Wheeler instead. Fulmer is really starting to look like he'll be a legit rotation arm, and could come fast. DeGrom did. Michael has been outstanding over the past several weeks..
I subscribed to MILB TV to watch the Matz vegas games. Since he was called up I have been watching the Fulmer games. I think the Syndergaard comparison is a good one. His velocity is more like deGrom's but his command isn't what deGrom's is. In the games I watched Fulmer has a very nasty slider. The action on it kind of reminds me of Familia's.In the comparisons I'm not saying he is as good has those pitchers just that parts of his game reminds me of those other pitchers.
I keep seeing that he throw 99 easy. In the 6 games I watched I never saw him reach 99. I can't say for sure in never did but he does not hit that velocity easy. Someone is trying to build a Sis Finch myth. He hits 94-96 regularly. Like Matz or deGrom. That is plenty for success as those two have demonstrated. He is inconsistent with his command and there is where I see the Syndergaard comparison. I would hate to see him traded but you do have to give in order to get. The Mets need to get.
Richard Jones
You may have heard 99 from me, which has been reported from fans/writers at the Binghamton games who have seen him to it. I have not personally seen it either. Like you, I've typically seen mid-90s with the ability to reach back for more and have reported as such. I haven't seen anyone reporting that he's throwing 99 regularly, merely touching it on occasion. Regardless, that's some serious arm strength.
We are in desperate need of another power pitcher! Fulmer, you're hired! Throw in some power hitters too (other than our pitchers when they bat, of course - no upgrade needed there)
Stephen
I think it is likely he touched 99 at times. I would dispute someone stating he touch 99. I easily that was attached to that had me shaking my head.
SNY put up a graphic of the top pitchers as far as average fastball goes. Syndergaard was #1 in the majors. Harvey was #2. deGrom was the 3rd Met starter and I think #6 in the majors. Fulmer is right there with deGrom maybe a little more velocity. So like you said he has some serious arm strength. He also has some serious late movement.
Richard Jones
Richard, I'm excited about Fulmer. That's been my favorite draft pick of Sandy's and for years I thought I'd just missed on that one.
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