Tom Brennan - METS PROSPECTS # 11 THRU # 15
In the first 2 in this series of 10 articles on the Mets Top 50 prospects, I explained why I felt Messrs. Alonso, Gimenez, Peterson, Mauricio, Kay, Vientos, Szapucki, Lindsay, Alvarez and Richardson were my indisputable #1 thru # 10 dudes, respectively.
Today, I move on to the indisputable # 11 thru # 15 dudes.
# 11 FRANKLYN KILOME RHSP
The mid-season fireballer acquisition showed real progress once in the Mets organization - 38 IP, 42 K, 1.08 WHIP - and then (what else?) succumbed to Tommy John surgery, which will shelve him for 2019. He was most likely the hardest thrower in the Mets minors - bummer.
When he returns in 2020, hopefully a) he will pick up where he left off, velocity-wise and otherwise and 2) arrives in Queens by late 2020, as a 25 year old, as a starter or high velocity reliever.
# 12 ADRIAN HERNANDEZ OF
Yo, Adrian!!!!!
The stocky-but-swift bonus baby had a modest debut in the DSL at age 16 (.261/.351/.386 in 63 games) He picked up steam in his final month (.289/.375/.434). Reputed to project to have above average power, here's hoping that Rocky thinks Adrian's 2019 season is fantastic. My guess is he will play in hitter-friendly Kingsport, but he could start out in the GCL.
Oh, and fielding? 5 outfield assists and ZERO errors - nice!
Oh, and fielding? 5 outfield assists and ZERO errors - nice!
# 13 TOMAS NIDO C
I swallowed hard putting Nido as high as # 13. GULP!
An above average defensive catcher, but he has shown little to make us believe he can hit in the big leagues as well as Kevin Plawecki has - which Kevin knows is pretty darned bad. My guess is Nido will be in AAA as the first catcher called up in case of injury.
An above average defensive catcher, but he has shown little to make us believe he can hit in the big leagues as well as Kevin Plawecki has - which Kevin knows is pretty darned bad. My guess is Nido will be in AAA as the first catcher called up in case of injury.
# 14 FREDDY VALDEZ OF
A big, bopping bonus baby, the 6'3" 215 Freddy has the expectation of plus plus power. He will make his debut in 2019, and we will see if he is better than Juan Valdez.
I love power bats and so I put him this high, in hopes he can be a huge bat in Queens by 2023. We'll all be Doing The Freddy, as the following video link will make clear.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oE66VvER6rM
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oE66VvER6rM
# 15 LUIS SANTANA IF
The short (5'8") infielder put up tall, spectacular numbers (.348/.446/.471) for Kingsport in a hitters' league. He has decent speed too - 24 out of 31 in steals in 118 games over the last 2 seasons.
Fielding? Just 7 errors in 52 games (mostly at 2B), which is impressive for a kid who turned 19 in July of last season (4 days younger than the dearly departed Jarred Kelenic).
More likely to turn into a MLB utility player than starter, given how few shorter guys excel in the bigs, but let's see what he can do in 2019 for an encore first. He can become Jose Altuve II, I won't complain.
Fifteen prospects down in my first 3 articles, a mere 35 prospects to go in the weeks ahead. Keep reading.
7 comments:
I really like Santana and expect him to be the 2021 UT/IF in Queens
Mack, I see that Santana target timeframe as a real possibility.
Perhaps Kilome will be our closer by then, too. Follow in Familia's footsteps from unimpressive minor league starter to above average closer.
I'm shocked nobody said I had Tomas Nido too high. Can I dispute my own indisputable rankings??
Tom, I LOVE Nido. Always have. Has proven he can hit for average and is a defensive gem.
I don't have him as a red prospect but I don't think we should give up on him.
Mack, when Nido won the bat title in the FSL in 2016, I was sure excited. Two years of weak hitting since, though - puzzling and disappointing.
A powerless .232 in AA in 2017, and a somewhat improved .272 in the minors last year.
He also walked just 13 times in around 350 minor and MLB plate appearances in 2018, so his OBP at AA and AAA in 2017 and 2018 was just .300 both years.
I hope he figures out the offensive part, because it is clearly sub-Plawecki by a lot, and Kevin's MLB hitting has left a lot to be desired.
Catcher is the hardest position to project. It usually offers the least upside offensively bc the defense is so imperative. And the injuries. Catchers apparently take longer to mature and have the shortest shelf life, because of the squatting.
For example, while pudge rodriguez was considered one of the greatest catchers of all time, the rumor was that he liked to call fastballs primarily with runners on base so his throwing percentage wouldnt go down, which of course gave hitters an advantage. How the hell does anyone account for that?
as for nido, sure why not.
Robb, you want Nido to develop his bat?
Let him lead off or bat 2nd in AAA every day and catch just twice a week.
Why not? Preserve him as a catcher by not catching a lot, which he can already do just fine, and hopefully speed up whatever hitting growth he can attain.
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