Mack’s Morning Report – 7-27 – Wagner Lagrange, Dilson Herrera, Chris Flexen,

Good morning.

Wagner Lagrange –

            Let’s continue our series of highlighting what looks like superior Latin ballplayers recently signed by the Mets.

There was no fanfare when outfielder Wagner Lagrange was signed during the 2014-15 International bonus baby signing period. And there was no huge bonus. Maybe something but not above the $30,000 level that is the numbers usually reported. He also was 18-years old at the time of his signing which is around two years older than normal. Not everyone of these Latin kids are groomed through grade school. Some just play superior baseball in local and regional leagues.

That being said, his first season as a Met came in 2015 where he played for both the DSL-1 and DSL-2 team. He hit .347 and was named the Sterling Award winner for the combined DSL teams.

His first stateside assignment was last year for the GCL-Mets and, though he did start slowly (.231), he has rebounded nicely this season for Kingsport, hitting .350 through Sunday.

Projection: Assuming he continues ++ growth, I see him spending at least four more seasons in the minors, making 2023 his target.

Dilson Herrera –

           From MLBTR.com:  -  The Reds may not get a look at Dilson Herrera in 2017, as Triple-A manager Delino DeShields recently told Redleg Nation’s Jason Linden, “from what I’ve been told, he’s probably done for the year” due to a shoulder injury. Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes that no one in the Cincinnati front office has offered such a definitive take just yet, though he reports that team doctors are set to evaluate Herrera in Cincinnati this week. Acquired in last year’s Jay Bruce trade, the 23-year-old Herrera hit .264/.312/.397 in 265 Triple-A plate appearances this season. Herrera also battled shoulder issues in 2016 and spent most of this past Spring Training as a DH due to his shoulder.

Mack – I’m sorry to see Dilson having continued shoulder problems, but it’s nice to see a trade that went our way once in a while. I really thought he was going to have a great career. There’s a good chance here that he was traded because Mets doctors projected long term health problems for him. Who knows. We wish him well in 2018.

Chris Flexen –

           The promotion of Flexen directly from AA-ball to Flushing caught the entire Mets world off guard (except for Tom Brennan who nailed this). Doing something this intelligent is just not the norm for the brass in Queens.

           I have a theory on this move. It came less than a day after the Boston Red Sox promoted their top prospect, 3B, Rafael Devers, from AA-ball to the parent team. I can hear the discussion now. The season is over… the rotation is in disarray… and the best we have is some kid in New York State that never walks anyone and just keeps throwing baseballs past bats.

           I love this move for so many reasons, but mostly because it firms up one more top chip in my 2018 team.

           It also does wonders for projecting the 2018 rotation. My locks are d’Grom, Syndergaard, Flexen, and Matz. My pick for SP5 would be Lugo and I would send Harvey Wheeler, and Gsellman to strengthen the pen.

           Great move Sandy and Company.