Tom Brennan - ANDRES GIMINEZ: 18 & I LIKE IT
While all Met fans drool at getting 21 year old wunderkind SS Amed Rosario in the Mets' everyday lineup for the next 15 years or so, we've got an 18 year old proceeding AHEAD of Rosario's minor league career pace:
18 year old ANDRES GIMINEZ - DANDY ANDY
Giminez tore up the DSL at age 17. The Mets liked what they saw so much, they skipped him past 3 rookie leagues and straight to the venerable South Atlantic League where he and Tim Tebow averaged out at 24 years old together prior to Tim Terrific's promotion to St Lucie.
So how would an 18 year old fare in full season A ball as a shortstop while teammates mostly 3 or more years older frequently struggle? Silly question!
Through Friday's game, he was hitting .289 in 65 games! And the lefty bat has been consistent:
.295 at home, .282 on the road.
.276 against lefties, .294 against righties.
And he improves in-season, right before watchful eyes:
.321 in 21 July games.
14 for 32 in his last 8 games with 4 walks. Table setter? He is setting the whole cafeteria!
He shows some power, not much, but my guess? It will soon follow. All these guys beef up as they get older. Michael Conforto, interviewed after his 2 homer game in Seattle this weekend, remembered that as a 16 year old there, those fences seemed much further away. Dandy Andy will see the same happen as he turns 19 next year.
Speed? Yes. 10-16 in steals, but 10 for 12 in June and July.
Fielding? Just 8 errors in 65 games at shortstop!! And 1 in 12 games at second base. At 18!!!
Which, by the way, is better than Rosario is fielding this year.
And at 18 in Brooklyn, Rosario played the same number of games at SS (64) and made 21 errors.
Frankly, NO shortstop at age 18 that I can ever recall makes anywhere near as few errors as Giminez.
Luis Guillorme made 8 at age 18, but in just 37 games, or just about half the games as Andres. Heck, Gold Glove CF Juan Lagares made 40 errors in 82 games at shortstop when he was 18.
Bud Harrelson made 18 errors (yes, 18!) in just 36 games at shortstop in his 1st minor league year - at age 19!!
Andy G is VERY special - defensively as well as offensively.
CONCLUSION:
Giminez is an absolute gem. And I think he will be playing shortstop for the Mets and bumping Rosario to 3rd base in 2019 as a 20 year old, at the latest on opening day 2020.
Believe me, as the Mets think of who to sign in the infield, like a Mike Moustakas, long term, this kid is roiling the equation. They won't block his rapid path to the big leagues. He'll be here soon. He's Dandy.
He may be the best player in his league right now - at 18 years of age. And I like it. Yes I do.
Just hope that being from Venezuela, with its tremendous current turmoil, he is allowed to stay here permanently.
He will be the most famous Andy G since, well, Andy Gibb. Saturday Night Fever at Citifield is coming soon.
8 comments:
Here's hoping Sandy Alderson won't trade him away for a 33 year old middle reliever.
One with elbow issues
Mets got lucky here. He was promoted to Columbia because of an injury to the original SS there. It was supposed to be a temporary promotion which it is not now
I like him a lot.
Gee Thomas I'm very impressed not only about this kid SS but you mentioned Buddy Harrelson wow it's been awhile since his name was referred to. I wonder if he gets bumped up when our Dynamic Duo gets promoted. Trading deadline days go soooo slow comon Sandy lets get it going.
I have never been one for a player needing x amount of time in this level or that level... I dont believe it ever Hurts their development... And if it really doesn't they wouldn't make it anyway... Arod, Ken griffey
heck even reyes made it to the league as a Teenager...
Push this kid next year in St lucie 2018, Double AA in 2019, Majors in 2020... (let his performance not his age dictate) ...
Winners want the ball...
I'd super excited to see him in A+ next spring. He absolutely dominated DSL, and clearly he's more than holding his own as a boy among men right now. I'd love to see some tape of him at SS.
He'll be a top 100 prospect in the off season. But at 18 he isnt even close to grown man strength yet. Give the kids some food, some time in the weight room and next year he'll be even better.
also great piece!
Robb, thanks - I remember that Lagares was always listed at 170 for years...he sure bulked up. I think Giminez will ultimately play at 5'11', 200, and the power will ramp up.
Adam, I'd like to see him do at least two teams next year - half a season in High A, the rest in AA. Devers just had 4 hits as a 20 year old for the Red Sox - if our kid can also play in the bigs at age 20, get Giminez up here in 2019.
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