2017 Winter Leagues | Final Report on Venezuela Winter League

Pitchers

RHP Wilfredo Boscan: 4-5, 5.89 ERA, 4.9 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, .333 Average Against

• 2017 is a certainly a season to forget for Boscan. After struggling through the rigors of the Pacific Coast League where he posted a 4-13 record with a 5.44 ERA, Boscan returned to los Aguilas de Zulia to be the staff ace of a club he's had success with for the last 6 seasons. Unfortunately, His poor luck followed him to Venezuela as he posted Foreign League career worsts in Hits and Earned Runs allowed. At one point in the season, after a string of poor performances, the club actually pulled him from the rotation to try an sort himself out. Boscan returned to the rotation in December, but was still ineffective posting only 1 quality start in his final 6 games started. At only 28 years old, Boscan should probably still be able to find work as organizational filler in the MiLB system, but, to date he has not been signed off of Minor League Free Agency.

RHP Jonathan Albaladejo: 5-6, 4.91 ERA, 5.2 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, .325 Average Against

• Albaladejo was the king of tip-toeing into and out of danger this year in the LVBP. Considering he allowed 98! total hits in only 73 IP and still managed to stay below a 5.00 ERA is quite amazing when you think about it. On top of that, the 35 year old did show signs of aging as his fastball velocity was reportedly down and the K/9 rate he posted was the lowest he's ever produced in any Foreign League or organized stateside season. As was expected, he was granted MiLB free agency after the Mets signed him from the Independent League to fill out the Las Vegas rotation. To date he has not received a minor league contract offer and could very well head back to the Bridgeport Bluefish if he wishes to continue his career. 

LHP Kevin Canelon: 0-0, 1.94 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 0.0 BB/9, .242 Average Against

• Chalk this one up as a player the Mets just let get away. Coming off of a successful season in (A+) Port St. Lucie, Canelon chose to declare MiLB free agency and to play Winter baseball to showcase his skills to other clubs in hopes of signing with an organization that would allow him to progress faster than the Mets were willing to allow him. Not only did Canelon pitch well.....he dominated the LVBP. In 13 appearances for los Tiburones de la Guaira, Canelon only allowed 1 ER and limited teams to 0 baserunners in 7 of those 13 appearances. Sure enough, after he declared free agency, only 1 week progressed before Canelon had himself a new contract with the Cincinnati Reds. 

LHP Alberto Baldonado: 0-1, 5.14 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 5.8 BB/9, .240 Average Against

• Don't let the stat line above fool you....Baldonado was one of the best RP this season in the LVBP. Of his 17 appearances this season, Baldonado held his opponents to 0 ER in 14 of them. As a matter of fact, if you take away this 1 appearance from November 26th, Baldonado would have posted a 1.35 ERA this season. The Chicago Cubs recognized the strong performance that he was showing in Venezuela and offered him a new minor league contract WITH an invitation to MLB camp. This could potentially set-up Baldonado with the opportunity to make his MLB debut sometime in 2018. Not bad for an unheralded international signing from Panama, a country that hasnt produced an MLB pitcher since Manny Acosta.

RHP Darwin Ramos: 0-2, 7.53 ERA, 8.8 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, .383 Average Against

• Ramos returned to his native Venezuela to participate in his 2nd Winter League season with los Navegantes del Magallanes. For the 2nd year in a row though, Ramos did not have much success as he was knocked around pretty frequently. Of his 13 appearances, Ramos only held opponents to 0 hits in 2 of them. He also allowed at least 1 ER in 7 of those 13 appearances as well. Ramos found himself deactivated by the club mid-way through November after only half a season. 

RHP Jenrry Mejia: 0-1, 3.86 ERA, 4.8 K/9, 11.6 BB/9, .242 Average Against

• Being suspended is tough. Not only does it prevent you from playing in the MLB, but you also cannot play baseball in the MiLB, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, or most US based Independent Leagues. Suspended players are allowed to participate in the Caribbean Winter Leagues though which is exactly what Mejia did.......IF a team is willing to take them. The LIDOM based Tigres del Licey, who own Mejia's winter contractual rights, refused to let him play so instead Mejia had to travel to Venezuela to play for los Navegantes del Magallanes. In the 6 appearances he made, Mejia had major control issues, walking 12 batters in 9.1 IP, however, according to reports, his velocity looked pretty good (sitting between 90-93mph) and the movement on his pitches were just like the Mejia of old.

Hitters

OF Wuilmer Becerra: .194 AVG, .488 OPS, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 32.4% K Rate, 2.7% BB rate

• After an extremely disappointing 2017 in Port St. Lucie (A+), we were all excited to see if Becerra could bounceback after 2 months of rest and recovery. We got even more excited after Becerra went deep in his debut for los Tigres de Aragua on November 5th and followed up with 2 more hits the next start he got. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there as Becerra posted a .143 Avg with a .310 OPS the rest of the way and called it quits after Thanksgiving. Becerra's career is at a cross-roads right now; he is 23 yrs old now, he has lost his spot on the 40 man roster, no one claimed him in the Rule 5 draft, he is approaching MiLB free agency, and he is now likely to be forced up to (AA) because of the college OF talent behind him. 2018 is likely his last chance to show that he can be any sort of future MLB contributor. 

2B Walter Rasquin: .083 AVG, .167 OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 41.6% K Rate, 0.0% BB rate

• Rasquin was an interesting addition to the foreign ranks after playing 5 seasons in the lower levels of the Mets organization. With a very new IF roster for los Leones del Caracas, there was some thought that Rasquin could garner some part-time work. Instead, Rasquin mostly saw appearances as a pinch runner or as a throw in sub for blow out games. On the rare occasions that he did get ABs, he was clearly over-matched by the level of pitching that was present in the league this year. Granted, it's tough to get any sort of rythem going when you only appear in 9 games, with a month long break (did not play from 10/19 - 12/11) in between game appearances.

3B Kenny Hernandez: -- AVG, -- OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0.0% K Rate, 0.0% BB rate

• Dear los Tigres de Aragua, Thanks for the tease.....lol. The #14 overall International Free Agent prospect from the 2014 class has been handled with kid's gloves so far in his career; having never appeared in a game above the Rookie ball level. So, to see his name pop up on a Venezuelan league roster in early October was an incredible surprise considering the league carries the talent equivalent of approximately a  (AA) team. Alas, the surprise was short lived as Hernandez only appeared in 1 game, scoring a run as a pinch runner on October 11th. 

C Natanael Ramos: Did Not Play

• Despite being an opening day addition on the Tigres de Aragua roster, Ramos never came off the reserve squad. He also declared MiLB free agency in November and is probably done with the Mets organization as a whole.

C Jose Garcia: Did Not Play

• Same as his teammate up. Opening Day inclusion on the Tigres roster. Never made an appearance. However, Garcia is still property of the Mets organization for at least 1 more year as he is not eligible for MiLB free agency until AFTER the 2018 season.