Red - Top Prospects
Blue - Middle Range projected Prospects
NY Mets -
The assumption is that super prospect Amed Rosario will play 162 games next year, hit .400, and make no errors. Nice try.
What will happen is he will get the lion share of starts for the entire season regardless he starts slow or fast. This kid has to be a ray of sunshine for the Mets. He has to. My hopes is that the Mets sign Jose Reyes on the cheap to keep mentoring the kid. And who doesn't like that smile in the dugout and clubhouse?
Option three will be Wilmer Flores, who could move over from second.
I'm going to break out the minors as how I see it laying out so far in 2018 before Sandy adds AAAA backups.
AAA - Las Vegas
Phillip Evans - 24/yrs. old - 15th Rd. 2011 - I've loved this kid since we talked him out of going to college in 2011. Second, he plays all three infield positions. And third, he doesn't get injured. An off at year in Vegas last season: .279 in 466 at-bats. He's ready to take on more and I like him better than guys that are already playing in Flushing.
Gustavo Nunez - 29/yrs old - IFA - signed mid-season after Detroit released him in April. He has played second, short, third, all three outfield positions, and even pitched a game. Now that's a utility AAAA player! Hit .270 for the Mets in 244 at-bats.
AA - Binghamton
J.C. Rodriguez - played SS, 2B, and 3B - 25/yrs. old - IFA - Rodriguez has been an excellent utility infield player in the system and I hope he comes back next year in Binghamton... but, he hit only .215 for Lucy and the B-Mets this past season. He'll play anywhere you want him to play in the field... well. That's what want from a utility infielder. Now, all he needs is to up that bat a bit.
A+ - St. Lucie
Andres Gimenez - 19/yrs. old - yes, he finished 2017 on the disabled list, but he will be back at 100% in the spring. Hit .265 in 347 at-bats for Columbia after being called up for emergency reasons. Hit great through July but tailed off in August (.204). Injury related? Either way, this is a red star that could be ready by 2020 if Rosario turns out to be Ruben Tejada.
A - Columbia
Pickings are thin here. Remember... all four guys listed under second base play short also.
Past that would only be Edgardo Fermin who only hit .219 in Brooklyn this past season and Cecelio Aybar, who hit .188 for the same Cyclones.
My pick... move Luis Carpio back to starting shortstop here.
Low-A - Brooklyn
Mark Vientos -The 17-year old second rounder was used at short and as a DH, but he also played on his natural position (3B) and I'm going to list him there.
My guess is that the Mets will draft someone to start here at short... or give last year's Princeton walk-on, Danny Hoy (.188 at Kingsport) another shot.
Another optin is Yeffry De Aa that hit .217, also in Kingsport.
Like I said, not much here at this level.
Rookie - Kingsport
Shervyen Newton - 2015: $50K signing bonus - played DSL-2 in 2017 and hit .311 in 241-ABs. This isn't easy to do in that league. This alone made me jump Newton over Guerrero and make him the Kingsport starter next spring.
Sebastian Espino - Espino is a pure shortstop. He played 2017 as a 17-year old, and hit .267 in .269 at-bats. Lots of potential here. Was sent stateside near the end of the season when Guerrero wound up on the DL.
Rookie - GCL
Gregory Guerrero - signed 2015/$1.5mil - Greg is one of out top prospects, but so far he's been a two year dud. Injures and slumps reduced him to only 143 at-bats and he only hit .217. That's what a mil and half has got us so far. I'm going to leave him in Florida to play another year with the GCL team.
Rookie -
DSL The 16-year old Ronny Mauricio was signed for a record $2.1mil bone. Nuff said.
The 16-year old Jorge Polanco was signed for a $325K bonus.
Summary - Counting Amed Rosario, there are six names in red playing shortstop in the pipeline. This is very deep and very exciting. And I understand there will be at least one more top Latin shortstop signed in a few months. Remember... all the top Latin kids that have the most talent play shortstop and teams then develop them and move them to other positions.
My guess is that Vientos will push Gimenez into becoming trade bait in the future.
Either or, lots of good news here.
Rating: A+
Guillorme?
ReplyDeleteLuis G has to be very high up there, but Evans' superior bat to me gives Evans the edge over Luis, even though LG has the better glove. Depends if you need D or O more when needed. But Evans is a year more advanced too.
ReplyDeleteAnon -
ReplyDeleteI have Luis on 2B where he is almost exclusively playing this year.
Here is one possible solution to the "log jam";
ReplyDeleteAndres Gimenez moves to 2B and Mark Vientos moves to 3B......that would give you an all homegrown, 2020-2021 infield of Vientos, Rosario, Gimenez and Smith.
Mike
Don't worry. The Mets will sign Arenado and Machado and move Rosario to 2B.
ReplyDeleteMike, I really think that is 2021 infield is what they'd hope to see.
ReplyDeleteThomas,
ReplyDeleteIf we go by the stats, the area where Evans shows better numbers than Luis G, it is power but that difference doesn't translate in a benefit for the team during their pro careers. Let's see it:
Evans: Runs 238(34), RBI 226(32.3), BB 193(27.6), SO 359(51.3), 2B 111(15.9), 3B 8(1.1), HR 30(4.3), Avg 260, OBP 323, SLG 360
Guillorme: Runs 246(49.2) RBI 172(34.4), BB 204(40.8), SO 233(46.6), 2B 66(13.2), 3B 2(0.4), HR 2(0.4), Avg 285, OBP 361, SLG 328
With that big difference in HR and triples, Luis' rbi's and runs average per season it is still bigger that Evans.
IMO after checked batting stats, Luis has a bigger value for the team than Evans. If we add the defensive part it's bigger.