8/31/18

Tom Brennan - HOW ARE THIS YEAR'S DRAFT'S METS' PITCHERS DOING?

(pictured: Simeon Woods Richardson)

Tom Brennan - HOW ARE THIS YEAR'S DRAFT'S METS' PITCHERS DOING?


How is that heading, for using an apostrophe in 3 straight words in my article?  My grammar school grammar teacher approves, I'll tell you that much.


Jarred Kelenic has had quite a rookie season as the 6th overall pick 
- but he is not a pitcher.  


So forget him for a minute.  How the heck are the drafted pitchers are doing (based on stats through Sunday)? 


(Hint: you'll like what you are reading):



SIMEON WOODS RICHARDSON - Round 2, overall pick # 48 - the 17 year old flamethrower has been dandy in rookie ball, 14.1 IP, 0 earned runs, 20 Ks.  Dwight Gooden II?

(Richardson did give up 3 runs in 3 innings in a game after I wrote this article, but fanned 6, bringing him to 26 Ks and just 4 BBs in 17 innings!)

(My take: Kelenic and Richardson could be the best combined 1st and 2nd round draft picks by the Mets, ever).



ADAM HILL - Round 4, pick # 110 - the 21 year old 6'5", 215 righty is very impressive in Brooklyn so far.  12.1 IP, 1-1, 2.92, but 22 Ks (16.1 per 9 IP).



RYLEY GILLIAM - Round 5, pick # 140, 5'10" 175 RHP and fireballer, he has gone 14.2 innings with Brooklyn and fanned a tremendous 28 (17.3 per 9 IP) while going 0-1, 3.38, but with 11 walks.


KEVIN SMITH - Round 7, pick # 200, 6'5", 233, 21 year old lefty.  Terrific start in Brooklyn - 4-1, 0.79, 22.2 IP, 0.75 WHIP, 26 Ks.  Gets up to the mid-90's.


TYLOR MEGILL - Round 8, pick # 230 - 6'7", 230, just turned 23 year old is also doing well - after his shaky debut with the Cyclones (2/3 of an inning, 3 earned runs), he has gone 22.2 innings, 7 earned runs, 28 Ks, including a few starts.


BRYCE DE OCA - Round 9, pick # 260 - the 6'7", 265 22 year old RHP has not pitched due to injury - but they say he throws 100 MPH.  We'll see in 2019, I guess.


FRANKLIN PARRA - Round 11, pick # 290 - 18 year old 6'1". 185 LHP has done great so far for the GCL Mets, albeit a bit wildly...10 innings, 11 walks, 10 Ks, 1 run, 5 hits allowed.


CHRISTIAN TRIPP - Round 13, pick # 380 - another giant, at 6'7", 215, he has done mostly well with 18 IP, 4.50, 12 Ks for Kingsport in the tough Appalachian League. 


ANDREW MITCHELL - Round 14, pick # 410 - the almost 24 year old lefty has had a very solid season for Kingsport and Brooklyn, going 2-3, 1.42 with 26 Ks in 19 innings with 2 saves.


TOMMY WILSON - Round 19, pick # 560 - the 6'4", 220 righty has been great for Brooklyn - 15.1 IP, 18 K, 1-0, 0.59.


ZACHARY HAMMER - Round 21, pick # 620 - the 6'3", 170 righty just turned 18 in July.  Just 2.1 innings so far in the GCL, 5 runs, 3 Ks.  He'll still be 18 when next season opens, and hopefully will be ready to rock and roll.


SAUL GONZALEZ - Round 23, pick # 680 - almost a clone of Hammer, he also has thrown just 2.1 innings and allowed 5 runs.  6'7", 235 RHP.


BRENDAN HARDY - Round 31, pick # 920 - ANOTHER 18 year old, 6'4", 190 RHP - for the GCL Mets, he has thrown 16.1 IP, allowed 6 earned runs and 14 walks, and registered 19 Ks.  Looks like yet another good, young pick.


BRIAN METOYER - Round 40, pick # 1,290 - a 6'4", 160 righty, and 21 years old with a rep of walking a lot of guys, he has thrown 11 innings, 0-1, 3.27, walked 10, hit 3 guys, and fanned 7 for Kingsport.  Work to do, but deserves a promotion for 2019 to Brooklyn.

That's it.  The Mets got hosed by the pundits for this draft, but  that seems off base.

The above is a heckuva lot of good performance from a bunch of very big fellas, boding well for 2019 and beyond, especially in the case of Richardson.












9 comments:

Mack Ade said...

Ya know Thomas...

ANY team in baseball would be proud to have this kind of return from their 2018 draft pitchers.

I still think that Gilliam will be the star here and the future Mets closer in 2022.

Tom Brennan said...

I think so, Mack....and imagine if de Oca had been healthy.

On another subject, I'd call up Pat Kivlehan, even if no one is talking about him. he started to really hit in mid-July.

In 25 August games, .380, 13 doubles, 12 HRs, 28 RBIs. TWENTY FIVE EXTRA BASE HITS IN 25 GAMES! And he had 200 MLB at bats last year, in which he hit just above Mendoza, but with 10 homers - so, why not?

Reese Kaplan said...

Regarding Kivlehan, there's another guy who in just 167 ABs in the majors hit 9 HRs while hovering around the Mendoza line and most people want to ship Dom Smith out for the proverbial bag o' balls...just sayin'

Eddie from Corona said...

This out look gives hope... that what we are looking for... Richardson may be the most exciting player... could we have maybe stolen a Jose Fernandez? A star that could be up by the time he is 20/21???

Mack Ade said...

Maybe I have bee wrong about drafting college junior starters.

Maybe targeting high school seniors like Richardson is the way to go.

Eddie from Corona said...

Mack I think its all bout high upside every time...
Player when they say have low ceiling but high floor should be a pass...
Yes you can miss with high ceiling but there is no guarantee with low floor players
So SHOOT for the MOON...

That Adam Smith said...

That’s a lot of VERY big guys out of one draft. Funny thing is that the guys everyone expects to make it to the show first is 5’10, 175. Size clearly matters, but it’s not the whole story, huh?

Tom Brennan said...

Adam, the Mets will be changing their team name to the New York Offensive Line, these guys are so big.

Tom Brennan said...

Eddie, we have definitely drafted too many low ceiling high floor guys over the past decade - which is why a guy like Alonso was a breath of fresh air - OK he is slow and somewhat fielding-challenged - but he can hit balls 500 feet. We need outsized skills - no more high picks on Matt Reynolds and Branden Kaupe types