Tom Brennan - 2017 Draft Picks: Performance Update

Tom Brennan - 2017 Draft Picks: Performance Update

Here is a status update through Wednesday’s games for the 2017 draft class, which still mostly has limited playing time to act as some reliable indicator of a player’s future direction.  Draft round to the left of each name, age indicated in parentheses. 

Ones I thought were playing well so far I highlighted in yellow,

indicative of being a good, growing Guppy. 

Finally, draft round numbers I skipped below constitute guys NOT signed, mostly long shot draft picks of young highly regarded talent which normally foregoes early draft entry – so while it is disappointing not to sign them, it is disappointing.   29 or 30 of the 40 were signed, including all of the top 11 and all but 4 of the top 20.

1.      LHP DAVID PETERSON (21) – throwing but not yet in games.

2.      IF MARK VIENTOS (17) – the teenager is hitting .231 in 14 games with the GCL Mets.  Four doubles and a HR. Considering his age, so far, so very good.

3.      OF QUINN BRODEY (21) – .244/.310/.308 for Brooklyn, with 26 Ks in 21 games.

4.      RHP TONY DIBRELL (21) – for Brooklyn 9 Ks and 2 walks in 6 IP (great), but 10 hits and 7 runs (not so great), including 4 HRs allowed, as many as the entire anemic Cyclones batters had hit thru 29 games.

5.      OF MATT WINAKER (21) – .268/.402/.282 in 21 Cyclones games.  Just one double.

6.      RHP MARCEL RENTERIA (22) – for Cyclones, 3 IP, 2 runs, 0 BB, 6 Ks

7.      RHP CONNER O’NEIL (22) – 6.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 7 Ks for Cyclones.

8.      RHP TREY COBB (22) – 8.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 Ks for Cyclones.  Nice!

9.      RHP CANNON CHADWICK (22) – 10.1 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 14 Ks for Cyclones.  Applause!

10.   RHP STEVE VILLINES (22) – 5.1 IP, a high 9 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K with Kingsport.

11.   RHP JACK SCHNEIDER (19) – has not pitched in a game yet for the GCL Mets.

13.   RHP NATE PEDEN (18) – 2 scoreless one inning outings with GCL Mets.

15.   SS DYLAN SNYPES (21) – 4 for 23, 6 BB in 8 games with 12 Ks for Brooklyn.

16.   OF RAPHAEL GLADU (21) – 5 for 19 in 5 games since signing, with Kingsport

18.   3B CARL STAJDUHAR (21) – Cyclones: out several days since being beaned, he started out 0-14, but then went 9 for 29 pre-beaning.  20 Ks in 13 games. Has 2 HRs.

20.   RHP YADIEL FLORES (17) – 1 brief tough GCL Mets outing: .2 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs.

21.   LHP AARON FORD (22) – Nice! 7.1 IP, 2 runs, 14 Ks for Kingsport.

22.   RHP JOSHUA PAYNE (22) – Great!  4 Kingsport games, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10Ks

23.   LHP JOSE SIERRA (21) – 3 scoreless innings with GCL Mets; 5 walks.

24.   RHP JOE CAVALLARO (21) – 4 games, 5 innings, 5 runs, 4Ks.

25.   SS LAINE HUFFMAN (21) – not in games yet.  Not sure if he signed or not.

26.   1B GAVIN GARAY (20) – 9 for 44, a rather high 18 Ks with Kingsport so far.

27.   RHP BILLY OXFORD (21) – 5.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7Ks for Kingsport so far.

28.   1B JEREMY VASQUEZ (21) – Great!  .325/.426/.554 in 22 games with Kingsport.

29.   RHP LIAM MCCALL (18) – one scoreless IP with GCL Mets.

31.   RHP RYAN SELMER (23) – 7 IP, 8 H, 4R, 5 BB, 5K for Kingsport so far.

33.   RHP MAC LOZER (22) – doing well: 6.1 IP, 1 R, 7Ks with Kingsport.

36.   C ROBBY KIDWELL (19) – one of 3 catchers for the GCL Mets – 2 for 16 so far.

37.   LHP JOSH WALKER (22) – first outing great – 2 perfect innings, 2 Ks.  Next one, 7 runs in less than one inning. Not so great.

39.   RHP NOAH NUNEZ (18) – GCL Mets – 1 scoreless inning.

I think that’s everybody. 

What is unnerving a bit is how little power (homers or even doubles) the hitters have, at least so far.  Even if they are stressing contact and walking over power with these hitters, the lack of homers is “typically Met.”   Based on admittedly limited performance time to date, hitter drafting seems weak, pitching draft selections seem OK but not great.  Meh.

Jeremy Vasquez is the best hitter so far, Cannon Chadwick and Joshua Payne are the best pitchers to date amongst several off to good starts.