Tom Brennan - MY METS PROSPECTS: #19 ANTHONY KAY
There is not much I will say about Anthony Kay here.
There is not much I will say about Anthony Kay here.
I'm pretty sure, tho', that the following statement is not true:
Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for someday
Savin' his pennies for someday
I only elaborate and say a lot when a pitcher has, you know, faced at least one batter in a minor league game, which Kay has not, at least not yet.
Having never pitched in the pros, going straight to the Tommy John School for Surgery, he nonetheless was a supplemental first round selection in 2016 out of U Conn, having previously pitched in high school on Long Island. Drafting a pitcher that high in the draft, he must have been really highly thought of.
Just prior to the draft, John Sickels at Minor league Ball wrote this about Kay, who will turn 23 in March:
...officially listed at 6-0, 187...he's proven durable and there's no shortage of arm quickness or strength. His fastball can top at 95 and he holds his velocity in the low-90s without trouble.
Kay works with a change-up as his main secondary pitch. It is above-average...he will telegraph it on occasion, though it moves so well that hitters still can't seem to pick it up even if they know it is coming. That may not hold true at the highest levels but he likely has the aptitude to make necessary adjustments. His third pitch is a slurvy breaking ball that needs additional sharpening but has shown progress this spring. His overall sense of command is solid and he projects well as a three-pitch workhorse.
Sounds pretty darned good. The reality, though, is that coming back after TJS is never an easy, breezy, guaranteed sort of thing.
He could move forward in 2018 without a hiccup, or this surgery might be a fundamental career setback.
He could move forward in 2018 without a hiccup, or this surgery might be a fundamental career setback.
More often that not, guys return pretty much as good as new from this surgery (e.g., deGrom, Matz, Harvey, even though the latter 2 ended up with other injuries later on).
On that basis, I am guessing at full recovery and therefore slotting him in as my # 19 pick, and we will see exactly how that goes in 2018.
Hopefully he will demonstrate not that my #19 was too high ,because he turns out to be mediocre, but rather that I should have given him a top 10 ranking because he turns out to be great. Wouldn't that be great?
I, and Kelloggs, hope Anthony will be Special Kay.
I think his innings count in 2018 is 250.
ReplyDeleteLove your posts and sense of humor and have a great day my friend
ReplyDeleteTom -
ReplyDeleteHe's reported to be very strong. My guess is he will start off in St. Lucie in the home complex where he can get the best team coaching.
Including Terry.
Gary, thanks. Mack, sure hope so.
ReplyDeleteAny idea how Vlad Guerreo’s nephew has fared since we signed him ? Did we sign the wrong Guerro like we signed the wrong Maddux ?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI think it's pie in the sky to peg Kay - whose never thrown a pro pitch and is coming off Tommy john surgery - to debut in Advanced A.
The more likely is rookie ball, NY Penn and then Columbia in 2018.
Then if is healthy and performs well, begins 2019 in St. Lucie and finishes with Rumble Ponies.
If all goes well, it puts him on track for Vegas in 2020 and potential call up 2020 or 2021.
The Mets don't fast track healthy pitchers, let alone someone coming off T.J. surgery whose never even thrown a pitch in pro ball. Unless there's radical change in minor league process, it's going to be years before Kay sees a big league uniform. He needs time to skill build against progressively more developed hitters and build up innings year to year.
Ed -
ReplyDeleteGuerrero was signed by the Mets in 2015 and was given a $1.5mil bonus at the time of signing.
So far, he has played 2016 for the DSL Mets (.247) and 2017 for the GCL Mets (.217).
He will be 19 next season.
Thank you Mack .. hopefully he will start showing improvement
ReplyDeleteSo yes the wrong Guerrero ...
ReplyDeleteEddie -
ReplyDeleteSi, senor.
@Eddie
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth....the Mets were in on Vlad Guerrero Jr. as well and we actually one of the finalist for him. In the end though, He chose to follow in his dad's footsteps and play for the Blue Jays.....and boy.....does he look REALLY good.
Sucks that we missed on him, but the club did try pretty hard.
The Jays have Bo Bichette AND Vlad Jr - wow - two SUPER and very young talents.
ReplyDeleteI watched a little of Chris Sale while out at lunch today - that dude is a freak.