7/3/17

Mack’s Morning Report - 7-3 – Third Base, Top 10 Pitching Prospects In June, Helium Alert, International Signings



Morning.

Most of the other Mack’s Mets writers continue to keep you up to date with what’s going on each day in Queens-ville. I will continue to try and target some prospects out there we might be able to wrap a deal around, using a year-ending contract like Addision Reed, and let’s say a key 25-man player like Wilmer Flores or Travis d’Arnaud. Calm down Wilmer fans… just using his name as an example, but one top guy like Reed and another team controlled player could pull away a top prospect from a team.

Here, according to MLB, are the top third basemen in their current Top 100 Prospect List –

#12 - Rafael Devers/Red Sox - Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55 - Scouts considered Devers the best left-handed bat on the international market in 2013, and he has lived up to that billing since the Red Sox signed him for $1.5 million out of the Dominican Republic. The third-youngest regular (age 19) in the Class A Advanced Carolina League in 2016, he scuffled below the Mendoza Line for the first two months before batting .326/.367/.539 in the second half. Devers' signature tool is his prodigious power to all fields, the product of impressive bat speed and strength. He's more than just a slugger, however, which he proved yet again with his ability to make adjustments in high Class A. While he can get aggressive at the plate, he recognizes pitches well for his age and understands he's at his best when he tries to drive the ball from gap to gap and just lets his power come naturally.

#20 – Nick Senzel/Cincinnati - Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55 - Senzel first started to raise his profile in the Cape Cod League in 2015, then with a strong junior season at Tennessee in 2016. The top pure college hitter in that Draft class, he went No. 2 overall to the Reds, signing for $6.2 million, the top bonus in the Draft, albeit below pick value. Senzel kept on hitting during his pro debut, spending most of it hitting over .300 in the full-season Midwest League. The right-handed hitter has both strength and bat speed to go along with an advanced approach at the plate. He uses all fields and draws walks, which should help him continue to hit for both average and power. His speed plays up thanks to outstanding instincts which allow him to be a base stealing threat. Senzel has worked hard on his defensive craft and there are no longer questions about his ability to stay at the hot corner long-term, with a strong arm, good hands and quick feet.

#83 - Jeimer Candelario/Cubs - Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55 - Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $500,000 in 2010, Candelario became part of a Cubs collection of position prospects that is unrivaled in recent memory. Many of those hitters fueled Chicago's drive to a 2016 World Series championship and others were used in trades that contributed to the title run. Candelario, meanwhile, had a strong second half in Triple-A and made his big league debut in July but remains hopelessly blocked at third base by Kris Bryant. That's a shame, because Candelario is a talented offensive player who could start for several clubs. A switch-hitter with a fluid stroke from both sides of the plate, he makes consistent hard contact and draws a healthy amount of walks. Most of his power has come in the form of doubles to this point, but he could develop into a 20-homer threat as he adds strength and experience.

#87 – Matt Chapman/Oakland - Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 75 | Field: 70 | Overall: 55 - When the A's gave Chapman $1.75 million as the No. 25 overall Draft pick in 2014, they saw a toolsy-but-raw college player with untapped potential at the plate. After an uneventful pro debut, the Cal State Fullerton product paced Oakland's system with 23 home runs in his first full season -- despite playing in just 80 games -- and then finished third in the Minors with 36 in 2016 while reaching Triple-A for the first time. Chapman always possessed impressive raw power, but it wasn't until he entered pro ball and worked with the A's hitting coaches that he learned to consistently get to it during games. The power plays to all fields, too, thanks to his quick bat, leveraged swing and huge extension through point of contact, and it could make him a threat to hit 30-plus homers annually. But with that power comes quite a bit of swing-and-miss, and some scouts question his ability to hit for average at the highest level. Revered by scouts as a future Gold Glove award-winner at third base, Chapman makes it look easy with his excellent hands, smooth actions and plus range, as well as arm strength that's among the best in the Minor Leagues.



1.     Marcos Molina - Binghamton:  3-G, 0-3, 4.26, 1.42, 19-IP, 18-K
2.     Jordan Humphreys – Columbia/St. Lucie:  4-G, 2-0, 2.73, 23.1-IP, 10-K
3.     Merandy Gonzalez – Columbia/St. Lucie:  3-G, 1-1, 0.98, 18.1-IP, 13-K
4.     Justin Dunn – St. Lucie:   4-G, 1-2, 2.75, 1.42, 19.2-IP, 16-K
5.     David Peterson – did not play/unsigned draft pick
6.     Anthony Kay – did not play/season ended TJS
7.     Chris Flexen – Binghamton:  - 4-ST, 3-1, 1.69, 0.64, 26.2-IP, 29-K, 0-BB
8.     Thomas Szapucki – Columbia: 4-G, 1-1, 2.82, 1.12, 22.1-IP, 21-K
9.   Corey Oswalt  – Binghamton:  3-G, 1-0, 0.66, 1.17, 13.2-IP, 10-K
10. Nabil Crismatt – St. Lucie:   4-G, 1-2, 1.95, 1.05, 27.2-IP, 27-K


Helium Alert

Ivan Santana is a 23-year old pitcher for one of the DSL Mets teams. It’s his third year in the DSL chain which is never a good sign that he will come stateside someday. The DSL year is dominated with 17-21/year old players, so it’s odd to see the kind of numbers Santana has produced over the last three seasons without a stateside promotion:

2015 – 13-G, 1-start, 3-0, 2.92, 1.35
2016 – 17-G, 6-starts, 9-1, 1.89, 1.05
2017 –  5-G, 4-starts, 2-1, 0.46, 1.47, 19.2-IP, 1-ER, 20-K


I was very upset to not see his name last week when the GCL Mets roster was announced. I don’t know what more this guy can do.

And lastly...


Yesterday was International Signings Day and, so far, the Mets have announced and walked away with the following players –

            Ronny Mauricio, SS, Dominican Republic (No. 3 prospect), $2.1 million.

Position: MIF      Bats: Switch     Throws: Right   Date of Birth: 4/4/2001     Age: 15  Height: 6’2″     Weight: 165 lbs.  -  Analysis: Ronny Mauricio is a very athletic, switch-hitting shortstop, whose actions are similar to Jurickson Profar. Mauricio carries a projectable frame which will add some muscle and strength. He can pick it with soft hands and the ability to throw from different angles with a fast glove/hand transition. For a switch-hitter this young, he shows a very advanced feel from both sides. Mauricio is one of the most projectable shortstops in the international class of 2017. link

Adrian Hernandez, OF, Dominican Republic (No. 16 prospect), $1.5mil

Hernandez, born February 8, 2001, is an athletic outfielder with five-tool potential. At the plate, he has shown the ability to consistently square up on the ball and drive it all over the field, for both average and power. With his a plus arm and plus speed—the youngster from Santo Domingo is among the fastest in the showcase Dominican Prospect League—he should remain in center field for years to come. link

OF Stanley Consuegra, OF, $500K


           In addition, the Mets are the favorites to sign 16-year-old outfielder Stanley Consuegra out of the Dominican Republic. He ranks No. 40 on Badler’s list. Here’s what Baseball America had to say about him: “He’s a solid-average runner and his best tool is his outstanding arm, which already shows glimpses of being a 70 tool. A righthanded hitter, Consuegra shows good bat-to-ball skills against live pitching and isn’t a home run threat right now but makes loud, quality contact.” link


Eduardo Salazar, OF, Venezuela

Jorge Polanco, SS, Dominican,

Eduardo Salazar, OF, Venezuelan,

Mack - This seems like a good international signing year for the Mets, but let's remember that these kids are 15 and 16 years old and we might not see them play for the DSL teams until 2020 or 2021.

We also have to remember that we will never see a third of them again. Give a 15-year old over a million dollars that lives in a slum with his penniless family and, well, you get the picture.




15 comments:

Hobie said...

Don't see how Reed plus a 25-man filler could bring back a Devers or Senzel an Theo would want (& could get) more for Jeimer.

Cliff Cook? er... I mean Chapman? Maybe, but the guy K's 1/3 (!) of the time in AA & AAA (and 50% in small MLB sample). Don't care if he really can field like Brooks, Wilmer's better.

Mack Ade said...

Hobie -

I'm just printing out the top 3B prospects ranked by MLB

Tom Brennan said...

I like our top 10 starting pitcher prospects. I think that's quite a list. I would have further up on the list.

Reality set back in yesterday. We do very soon have to start thinking about trades. These guys look good.



Mack Ade said...

Tom -

Scouts never look at what a pitcher has done so far in the ENTIRE season. They just look what they have done in the PREVIOUS MONTH or last 10 outings.

Reese Kaplan said...

Suppose the other team said Reed for now and a pitcher from your stellar list for later...would you still do the deal for a top 3B prospect? I sure would.

Tom Brennan said...

Most of these guys have done well all season AND in the past month. which is good

Tom Brennan said...

Reese, I would. There is nothing like a great hitting and fielding position player.

Charles said...

The Mets have some of last years international signings playing this year for the DSL teams and they're 17 years old. I think it's safe to assume we'll see them next year in the DSL. To think that they wouldn't start playing in a pro league for another 3 years doesn't seem correct. If Amed Rosario hadn't started playing in the DSL until he was 20, he certainly wouldn't be in AAA right now. At 20, he was already in St. Lucy.

I like that the Mets went out and spent their entire pool allotment yesterday. Grabbing one of the three highest rated prospects according to Baseball America, as well as a few more good young players. At 2.1 million, Mauricio now holds the Mets' record for biggest international bonus they've ever given.

Charles said...

Nobody is getting Devers.

With the players the Mets have to sell, the best they can hope for is to heavily scout the back fields in hopes of finding an unknown arm or bat that one day may become a top prospect.

I think that's their best chance at landing a potential impact talent. The Mets just don't have any true stars to trade off and all of them have expiring contracts.

Tom Brennan said...

Charles, agreed....great work on the international front. Seems that is a truly essential and successful pipeline. Helps make up for spotty to poor drafts.

That Adam Smith said...

I think that the Mets can get a top prospect at the deadline with a package of Bruce and Reed (and maybe a minor league piece) to a team that wants to shore up both their lineup and bullpen for the stretch drive. Adding those two would be a major upgrade in both spots for a number of teams, and might be hard to resist.

Unknown said...

So have we all given up on seeing D Wright? O.K. just joking and I hope I'm wrong but I really don't see Sandy making the buy/sell decision until the last minute unless we get swept in Washington and lose say 2 out 3 to the Cards.

Mack Ade said...

Charles -

Feel free to pick 100 international draft picks and write down the year they signed and the year they made the majors.

Mack Ade said...

Gary -

No one even writes about Wright anymore.

Very sad.

Anonymous said...

I actually think David Thompson has a chance to earn a spot on the big club in the future.

As far as the pitchers are concerned, Merandy and Jordan are really good. They dominated the SAL. Merandy has pitched well in FSL and Jordan's last outing was great (bull pen was horrible). I think Jordan was nervous his first game in the FSL. Plus these guys really haven't pitched this much. The team is watching their innings closely.

Thomas Szapucki has a chance to be really good. He is a left who strikes out batters. He struggles with command from time to time, but he looks really good. The Flies just played Rome who has some really nice young pitchers.

Uceta needs a shot in the FSL. In my opinion, he has proven everything he needs to in the SAL.