Mack’s Apples – Chris Flexen, Mississippi State, Greyson Jenista, Freddy Valdez, Latin Players

Fangraphs   Top 18 Mets Prospects –

11. Chris Flexen, RHP

        Drafted: 14th Round, 2012 from Memorial HS (CA)

        Age   23       Height           6’3      Weight          250     Bat/Throw   R/R

Tool Grades (Present/Future)

                               Fastball       Slider    Curveball     Changeup    Command

                                 55/55           45/45     50/55              50/55          45/50

Flexen melted under the big-league lights after starting the year on a 10-start heater, but we’re still betting that his stuff makes him a big-league No. 4/5 starter at peak. He sits 90-95, will touch 97, and has viable strike-throwing ability despite his size and somewhat stiff delivery. He does not have the kind of command that his early-season numbers would indicate, but he throws hard and competes in and around the zone with a knuckle curve and changeup. He hasn’t thrown many innings above A-ball because of a 2015 Tommy John, so it’s too early to look at his big-league performance and assume it’s not going to work.

Mississippi State Prospects    –

         

  MSU baseball is in a rough spot. They lost three players to the MLB draft this past year, and lost their coach this year just a few weeks into the season (he resigned AMID SCANDAL, pearl clutch). Konnor Pilkington, listed as MLB.com’s 23rd best prospect, is a command/control lefty with a three-pitch mix who can go deep into games thanks in part to his big, durable frame. He’d be an overreach at 14, but if he somehow makes it to the second round he’d be a great fit for an organization that prides pitchability over raw stuff. Jake Mangum was drafted by the Yankees in the 30th round last year, but opted to return to school; he might be more encouraged to go this year, and will probably go in a significantly higher draft position after a summer where he was an All-Star in the Cape Cod League and is off to a strong start to his junior season.

College player stock trending up -

     

      Greyson Jenista (Wichita State) - Jenista hit a rough patch near the middle of the season, but he’s starting to rebound. After seeing his batting average dip to around .281 he’s boosted it back up to .320. He hasn’t shown much power this season, but he has hit 3 doubles and a home run since April 10th. If he keeps tapping into his raw power more he’ll move back up draft boards.

Top International Prospects –

       

    Freddy Valdez | Rank: 25 Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Position: OF Age: 16 DOB: 12/06/2001

Bats: R Throws: R  Height: 6'3" Weight: 212 lb.Watch

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50

The player who some scouts think Valdez resembles the most is a young Jermaine Dye.

Valdez has built his reputation on his big bat and big body. He's athletic and is able to transfer the raw power he shows off in batting practice into games. There's bat speed now and the potential for plus raw power in the future. There was some swing-and-miss to his game early on, but Valdez has improved his approach at the plate and has what was once considered a "sometimes wild swing" consistently under control.

Valdez could end up in right field and has a chance to be a decent defender, but it's his offensive potential, not his defensive prowess, that will carry him, at least early in his career. He has also been praised for his overall makeup, specifically his competitiveness and the way he enjoys the game.

Valdez is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and trains with Luis Pereira. The Mets are the favorite to sign him.

27% Of Major League Baseball Players Are Foreign-Born –   
  

    The Dominican Republic has the most foreign-born Major League players with 84, followed by Venezuela with 74 players, Cuba with 17, Mexico with 11, Japan with 8, Canada and South Korea with 6 each, Colombia and Curacao with 5 each, and Australia, Brazil, Nicaragua and Panama have 3 players each. Aruba, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, South Africa and Taiwan had 1 player each. Lithuania (Dovydas Neverauskas, Pittsburgh Pirates) and South Africa (Gift Ngoepe, Toronto Blue Jays) are the latest countries to have players make the major leagues.