HOW ARE THOSE AA BINGHAMTON METS LOOKING? by Tom Brennan

HOW ARE THOSE AA BINGHAMTON METS LOOKING?  Tom Brennan

A few days ago, I noted that there’s a baseball world beyond the baseball played by the pros in Queens.  Four Mets’ farm teams are active right now…who’s on each roster and how does that roster look to my four eyes?

I wrote about AAA Vegas on Monday; today, the AA Binghamton Mets.  

Still to come: High A’s St. Lucie Mets (who coincidentally play in St. Lucie) and the A-ball Columbia Fireflies. The short season teams will just have to wait until they start in June.

Great players spring out of the Mets minors all the time, so who’s next?  Besides Vegas’ Matt Reynolds of course, who was hitting 400 points higher than Curtis Granderson thru Monday’s action, but who’s counting?  It’s early, right?

The Binghamton squad loves to play, but it snows in Binghamton in April so they are hoping it thaws out soon there.  Meanwhile, they have ordered snowshoes with spikes.

Anyway, here’s my snippets on Bingo’s players:

PITCHING: A decent but not awe-inspiring squad:

Name	Pos	Thw
Robert Gsellman	P	R	Top of an OK starting staff.  Can he K enough for future success?
Tyler Pill	P	R	Brutal in AAA but solid in AA; has this hitter/pitcher peaked?
Mickey Jannis	P	R	Knuckleball wild card…can he replicate R A Dickey’s success?
Kyle Regnault	P	L	Came out of independent ball to pitch in Lucie in 2015: 58 IP, 1.99 ERA
Domingo Tapia	P	R	What will emerge after his TJ rehab ends?  He was mediocre prior.
Rainy Lara	P	R	Decent pitcher who sputtered in Vegas.  Can he elevate his game?
Logan Taylor	P	R	Decent A ball season in 2015.  Can the big righty handle AA?
Akeel Morris	P	R	8-4, 1.27 ERA, 230 Ks in 163 IP past 3 seasons.  Almost ready?
Luis Mateo	P	R	Former rising star looking to resume climb after arduous TJ recovery.
Beck Wheeler	P	R	27 year old righty still in AA.  Poor man’s Akeel Morris.
Kelly Secrest	P	L	Two solid seasons since drafted.  Future LOOGY?
David Roseboom	P	L	Two solid seasons since drafted.  Future LOOGY?
Mike Hepple	P	R	Two solid seasons since drafted, but just 53 Ks in 82 IP.
Andrew Barbosa	P	L	28 year old who K’s and walks a lot. Future LOOGY?

CATCHERS: No future Mike Piazzas here:

Name	Bat	Thw
Xorge Carrillo	R	R	Just 781 at bats in 5 years.  Lot of winter ball.  Decent.
Raywilly Gomez	S	R	Career started in 2008 .284/.367/.362.  Makes very good contact.
Colton Plaia	R	R	Solid year in St Lucie in 2015 (.285/.342/.347).  Ks a lot.

 INFIELD: Like in Vegas, this group has fine prospects, just fewer:

Name	Pos	Bat	Thw
Dominic Smith	1B	L	L	Ernest Dove’s favorite. Will he supplant Duda in 2017?
Jeff McNeil	3B	L	R	Ernest Dove’s 2nd fave.  Will lots of added muscle propel him?
L.J. Mazzilli	2B	R	R	Back in Bingo after shortened 2015.  Can he excel in 2016?
Matt Oberste	1B	R	R	Quietly hit .301 in St Lucie in 2015. Will DH. Can he add pop?
Derrik Gibson	2B	R	R	Playing since 2008, hitting .249.  Apparent utility guy.
Niuman Romero	3B	S	R	31 year old rounding out the infield.  Seinfeld loved Niuman.

OUTFIELD: No Confortos – pretty weak:

Name	Pos	Bat	Thw
Victor Cruzado	RF	S	R	Can the 23 year old break out of mediocrity?  Some pop.
Maikis De La Cruz	LF	R	R	At 25, he needs to do more.  Career .270, first time in AA.
Kyle Johnson	LF	R	R	Poor 2015 for the 26 year old.  .265/.352/.373 career.
Jared King	LF	S	L	Hit .214 in Bingo last year without power or speed.
Stefan Sabol	LF	R	R	Improved to mediocre in A ball in 2015.  Needs to do much more.

Looks like a team that will struggle to reach .500. 

Will the few bright prospects lift this team?

Next article: Advanced A St Lucie Mets.