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| PC - Ed Delany |
Good
morning.
We continue
with a projection for the 2019 catchers in the pipeline.
A word about
Queens first. The Mets need to look to a trade (Realmuto) to solve their
catching needs for the next two or three years. If not, it’s back to a one year
decision which two to go with in 2019, d’Arnaud, Lobaton, or Plawecki.
Secondly,
everyone knows that a minor league team needs three catchers on their roster… a
starter, a backup, and a bullpen guy who usually has no chance of making it
someday to the majors.
For some
strange reason, the Mets released a bunch of their minor league catchers. No explanation.
Right now,
there are only 17 catchers that are under contract and will play for the top
seven affiliates. Based on what I said above, that leaves four openings.
So why do
you drop players last month? We know that this is mostly an AAAA position in
the minors.
Makes no
sense.
So, let’s
start…
AAA – Syracuse
Patrick
Mazeika (25/yrs. old) –
AA: 295-AB .231/.328/.363/691 9-HR
Tomas Nido (24/yrs old) –
MLB: 83-AB .167/.200/.238/438 1-HR
AAA: 17-AB .235/.316/,353/669 0-HR
AA: 215-AB .274/.298/.437/735 5-HR
Colton Plaia (28/yrs. old)–
AAA: 196-AB .255/.332/.474/806 9-HR
Jeff Glenn (27/yrs old) –
AAA: 6-AB .000/.143/.000/143 0-HR
AA – Binghamton
Ali
Sanchez (21/yrs. old) –
A+: 135-AB .274/.296/.385/681 2-HR
A: 193-AB .259/.293/.389/681 4-HR
Dan Rizzie (24 yrs. old) –
A+: 214-AB .248/.304/,318/622 2-HR
A: 22-AB .318/.375/.318/693 0-HR
Jose Garcia (23/yrs/old) –
AA: 18-AB .333/.429/.333/762 0-HR
A+: 14-AB .071/.133/.071/205 0-HR
TBD -
A+ - St. Lucie
Scott Manea (22/yrs. old) –
A: 345-AB .261/.368/.432/800 12-HR
Carlos Sanchez (23/yrs. old)
–
A: 107-AB .178/.198/.196/394 0-HR
Low-A: 26-AB .308/.400/.346/746 0-HR
TBD -
A – Columbia
Jose Mena (21/yrs. old) –
A: 6-AB .000/.000/.000/000 0-HR
GCL: 78-AB .295/.353/.346/699 0-HR
Nick Meyer (21/yrs. old) –
Low-A: 137-AB .226/.275/.270/545 0-HR
TBD –
Low-A –
Brooklyn
Hayden Senger (21/yrs old) –
Low-A: 68-BM .250/.373/.324/697 0-HR
K-Port: 35-AB .400/.488/.600/1.088 1-HR
Juan Uriarte (21/yrs. old) –
Low-A: 1-AB .000/.000/.000/.000 0-HR
TBD -
Rookie –
K-Port
Phil
Capra (22/yrs. old)–
K-Port: 103-AB .146/.266/.184/451 1-HR
Wilfred Astudillo (18/yrs.
old) -
GCL: 50-AB .260/.315/.340/655 0-HR
DSL: 82-AB .256/.371/.354/725 1-HR
TBD
Rookie – GCL
Andres Regnault (19/yrs.
old) –
DSL: 192-AB .333/.420/.573/993 9-HR
Nelson
Mompierre (23/yrs. old) –
GCL: 70-AB .171/.322/.329/650 2-HR
TBD -
Summary –
Finding a great catcher is the most
difficult task in baseball.
The Mets pipeline is particularly low
on fuel.
The closest
we have for a major league prospect would be Mazeika, though he did have a
miserable year in 2018. He was sailing through the chain (2015 K-Port .354…
2016 Columbia .305… 2017 St. Lucie .287) when he hit a wall at the AA level. He
got off to a miserable start in April (.239) which only got worse in May (.176)
and July (.140); however, he bounced back in August (.315) and September
(.545). He’s known for his bat though he has a very powerful arm. He also is a
rare left-hand throwing catcher who many think, at 6-3, is destined to wind up
on a corner position. Still, he needs to return to doing what he does well…
hitting. If he does, he could wind up in Queens before the season ends.
I have Nido listing in Syracuse; however, he is a strong candidate for Queens as a defensive backup on opening day. He's the best defensive catcher in our system, which says a lot when you also have Sanchez. Let's remember he hit .320 in 322-AB for St. Lucie in 2016. He did hit .272 last year in the minors, but poof out in Queens (.167, 84-AB).
I have Nido listing in Syracuse; however, he is a strong candidate for Queens as a defensive backup on opening day. He's the best defensive catcher in our system, which says a lot when you also have Sanchez. Let's remember he hit .320 in 322-AB for St. Lucie in 2016. He did hit .272 last year in the minors, but poof out in Queens (.167, 84-AB).
A lot of
people like Sanchez but, frankly, I need to see more before I get excited about
him. I have seen so many shooting stars like him only fade at the AA level.
Speaking of
shooting stars, keep an eye on Regnault. He’s coming across the channel with a
hot bat which is already showing signs of big power.
Comclusion:
Like the
past years, not much to get excited about; however, players like Senger and
Uriarte could prove me wrong here. Still…
Rating: F
Helium Alert
– The Mets gave 16-year old Francisco Alvarez more
bonus money to sign ($2.7mil) than they have ever done in the International
market. I expect him to start off in 2019 for one of the DSL teams but he will
be fast tracked to Florida before the season ends. Alvarez, though years away,
is easily our top catcher prospect in the system.
It's a bit depressing as each of these position analyses come out.
ReplyDeleteOF- AA and AAA are empty
1B- only Alonzo in upper minors
C- upper minors again are empty
SP- possibilities in upper minors but most come with significant questions.
Unfortunately it's a long road from the Rookie level to the Show. THIS Regnault might actually get a shot. The other one has been cut loose.
ReplyDeleteMazeika was a total puzzle last year - I wonder if something was bothering him. He resumed hitting late in the season, as you show. We can only hope. He'd make an interesting MLB candidate with his lefty bat.
ReplyDeleteMack, I think Nido is overrated even defensively. Sanchez has thrown out 47% of stealers so far, Nido just 34%. Nido - 50 errors in 384 games at catcher. Sanchez - 22 in 224 games. To me that says Ali is the best defensive catcher.
Nido is 3 years older than the soon-to-turn-22 Ali, so Ali (if he can build on last year) could outdistance Nido yet.
My dark horse in the bunch is Scott Manea, a former 40th rounder who had one heck of a year at Columbia. His stats, as you listed them, are quite impressive on a weak hitting Columbia team: 345-AB, .261/.368/.432/.800, 12-HR, and he also gunned down 37% with relatively low PBs and errors. He also does not strike out much.
Can he build on it in 2019? I hope so.
All that to say, the catcher spot overall in the minors is not very strong.
Pretty sure Mazeika is not a LH throwing catcher
ReplyDeleteI’m nervous about Mazeika being available in Rule 5. The nice thing is that I haven’t read a single article that even mentions him, but I like him alot. He has really worked on his defense and can hit. He doesn’t have elite bat speed, but he has great hip rotation and a nice soft uppercut to his swing. I don’t understand the fascination with Nido, but, whatever.
ReplyDeleteOne amazing thing with Mazeika in August and Sept.: Almost 75 plate appearances, fanned just twice. Twice.
ReplyDeleteTexas Gus, it should be a real concern that he is not protected.
Adding to this Mets team in 2019
ReplyDeleteWe all agree that the Mets will need a new catcher who can hit and maybe even homeruns, and possibly also an outfielder. However, the catcher position to most fans is probably the most crucial of these two moves.
Reese Kaplan (formerly known as "The Fresh Prince") is pretty much on target with his commentary of recent suggesting that maybe adding in some more speed would be a wise thing as well. However, the Mets do have Juan Lagares (I think anyway)who is fast (just not a great base stealer but this can be taught I hear) and it is admittedly hard to find a speedy base stealing catcher who can also hit homeruns.
I really did like the stats on that Haniger Seattle outfielder when his name was being bantered about last week on the trade rumor sites. But if the more recent Mets rumor with RP Diaz and 2B Cano are true (Mets sending SP Dunn and OF Kelenic to Seattle) then that would be an upgrade as well.
There are always "things" to consider.
First, can Yoenis Cespedes make it back 100% in 2019? The Mets do still have Juan Lagares and Jay Bruce for the outfield as well.
Secondly, if the Mets were to upgrade the offensive scheme sufficiently enough, could they then go get a rookie well scouted catcher with HR power (like Austin Allen/Pods) to pair up with d'Arnaud, instead of the usual acquisition 32/33 year old dead contract so-so hitting veteran catcher? Sure, there would be some inherent risk with such a move, but the Mets could already have in-place the support offensively that they would need in: 1B Alonso 2B Cano SS Rosario 3B McNeil LF Conforto CF Lagares RF Nimmo, if everything were to break for them just right.
Thirdly, how many more really good relievers will the Mets need even with the possible trade addition of Seattle's Edwin Diaz, who is pretty sensational and had better numbers overall than even "Spider Man" in 2019.
Fourthly, this would prove that the Mets could get better even without trading a top-end starter like Noah Syndergaard. Look, "Thor's" do not grow on trees (best I know) or every woman under the age of 75 would have one of their own. Syndergaard is probably an ace starter on most MLB teams. May want to leave this alone here. If the Mets could add-in a Patrick Corbin as their only off season free agent signing, I say Bravo and well done. Then, it would be time to rumble.
I Think The Coast Is Clear
ReplyDeleteI hope so anyway. Who am I speaking about? Noah. The new Seattle deal leaves Noah Syndergaard out of this deal. The latest? Kelenic, Dunn, Bruce, Swarazak, and maybe here too Gerson Bautista. With the Mets getting Robbie Cano and Edwin Diaz (arguably the best closer in the AL last season.)
I can live with this. It's too early to tell what Kelenic, Bautista, and Dunn will become at the MLB level, but I can live with this trade because Noah stays and we have a decent enough outfield already with Nimmo, Conforto, Lagares and hopefully a returning Cespedes.
I haven't slept well since Noah was included as a possible inclusion to this trade with the Mariners. It would be a really bad move for the Mets to make right now for several reasons. Noah is 26 years old and is not even at his peak level yet. His contract is pretty low considering that on most other MLB teams, Noah could be their ace starter. Noah could relief pitch in jams too, and if Terry had used Noah like the SF Giants had used Baumgardner the WS prior... Having Noah, Jacob, and Zachary as the Mets top three starters gives the Mets three ace starters in a row. What team can match that is beyond me. Patrick Corbin is nowhere near Noah's won/loss or strikeouts per inning. Patrick on this team is a four starter.
Build a great team means it starts with the rotation, then the hitters because come playoff time, pitching always wins. All I can say is WHEW that was too close.
Get Pod's catcher Austin Allen, a lefty starter more, another decent reliever, and a veteran backup homerun guy for the bench as a pinch hitter who can play occasional outfield and the moves are all done.
ReplyDeletePraise the man.