Mack’s Apples - Seth Beer, Luis Guillorme, Venezuela Baseball, Daniel Poncedeleon, MiLB.com Mets System Ranking

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Players To Watch in  College Baseball   -

      

     OF/1B Seth Beer, Clemson - Beer won the Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball's top player in 2016 and was a semifinalist last year. Remarkably consistent over his 125 career games, with 34 homers, 30 doubles, 123 RBIs and 126 walks. He reached base via a hit or walk in 66 straight games with a plate appearance. Last season he batted .298 with 16 homers, 17 doubles and 53 RBIs and was second in the ACC with 64 walks.

John Sickels on –

Luis Guillorme, SS-2B, Grade B-: Age 23, 10th round pick in 2013 from high school in Coral Springs, Florida; hit .283/.376/.331 with 72 walks, 55 strikeouts in 481 at-bats in Double-A; has no power at all with a career SLG of .328, however he makes contact readily and has a terrific eye for the strike zone; it is possible he may show more pop eventually, but even if he doesn’t his defense will get him to the majors; a very good defensive shortstop but has been truly outstanding when used at second base; ETA late 2018. 

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Turmoil forces Twins, Major League Baseball to vacate  Venezuela -

          

Hugo Chavez had once tried to lead a military coup in Venezuela. Then, in 1998, he was elected as president, and brought a Communist autocracy to the country. Eventually, the economy collapsed and Venezuela became a more dangerous place.

Kidnapping became an industry. Major league players had to worry about family members back home. Then-Washington catcher Wilson Ramos, a former Twins top prospect, was kidnapped and found three days later in November 2011.

After life-threatening scare,  Daniel Poncedeleon is back -

          

More than 8,000 fans on hand collectively gasped. Poncedeleon's teammates rushed the dugout railing in silent shock. Hopping over, Memphis head athletic trainer Scott Ensell sprinted to the foot of the mound. He knelt over Poncedeleon as a group formed around them: infielders, umpires, coaches and Caratini, all huddling helplessly, their hands on their heads.

MiLB.com on Mets farm system ranking –

        

   25. New York Mets  -  Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith are no longer prospects, leaving the Mets with no prospects in the Top 100. Still, 19-year-old infielder Andres Gimenez gives them another exciting young shortstop. The native of Venezuela played well over 92 games in the Class A South Atlantic League last year, and his makeup draws praise. There's plenty to like in Peter Alonso's bat, and third baseman Mark Vientos made a quick and promising adjustment to pro ball after coming aboard as a second-round pick. Athletic Desmond Lindsay has progressed slowly through the Minors because of injuries, but he remains a strong prospect. Smooth-fielding Luis Guillorme put himself on the brink with an impressive showing for Double-A Binghamton.