6/18/19

Tom Brennan - METS MINOR LEAGUE TEAMS HITTING OBSERVATIONS


Amazingly, for the 4 full season Mets minor league teams, the season is already half over.

Pete Alonso graduated to the Mets out of spring training.  BOOM!!

So far, no other young hitting call ups who had not yet played major league ball going into 2019 - the closest to newbie hitters being Luis Guillorme and Tomas Nido, but both had major league ABs in 2018.

Of course, the trio of veterans (Adeiny Hecchavaria, Carlos Gomez and Rajai Davis) have gotten call ups and provided reasonable help and succor to the Mets.

What about the 4 full season teams, though?  How are they hitting?


AAA Syracuse:

Stacked with vets this season, how is Syracuse hitting the rock in 2019?

69 games, hitting .251 (last out of 14); 660 Ks (2nd to worst); OBP .336 (12th of 14); 346 runs (9th); HRs 81 (6th).

Stats inflated by vets.  For instance, vets Travis Taijeron (14), Dilson Herrera (13), Danny Espinosa (11), Rene Rivera (7), and Carlos Gomez (6) in just 851 at bats have hit 51 of the team's 81 homers, and Ruben Tejada and Hech are 59 for 172 (.343), lifting the team's low batting average by several points.


AA Binghamton: 

Mostly homegrown players with a few vets:

62 games, .246 (amazingly the best out of 12 teams); 523 Ks (3rd best); OBP .338 (best); runs 284 (2nd, but really first, as the top team has 288 but has played 6 more games); HRs 37 (last).

Modestly good offense, low power.  Would be better if # 1 prospect Andres Gimenez was hitting like what was expected, rather than .232.


High A St Lucie:

66 games, .241 (7th of 12); 509 Ks (2nd best); OBP .323 (3rd best); runs 262 (middle of the pack at 6th); HRs 27 (last).

Modestly good offense, low power.   

Happy note: speedster Jacob Zanon in 13 June games .333/.415/.578.


A Columbia:

66 games, .218 (last of 14, but up 25 points from late April); 571 Ks (best); OBP .288 (last); runs 222 (last); HRs 33 (12th of 14).

The combination of a very young team and having traded away Jarred Kelenic have resulted in very weak first half hitting.  


SUMMARY:

And very low HR power outside of the minor league veterans.

Overall, no standout hitting performances by any young prospects, but a few signs of some guys (like Zanon) heating up.  

Not like last year, though, when Jeff McNeil and Alonso were taking sledge hammers to the Mets glass ceiling.



5 comments:

Reese Kaplan said...

It's as if you're saying their drafts have been disasters...perish the thought! :)

Tom Brennan said...

Reese:

The results speak for themselves, and are to be interpreted as such by the reader.

But there is no emerging Alonso or McNeil in 2019.

I saw Cory Vaughn was playing in the same Indy League as the Ducks. He'd have looked like a top prospect this year. He didn't back then.

John From Albany said...

Speaking of high draft pics, where is Gavin Cecchini?

John From Albany said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John From Albany said...

I had high hopes for Champ Stuart after he stole 40 bases in 2016 and 35 in 2017 but he hit just .136 last year and was released. What's worse it seemed like every ball he hit last year was a fly ball to the outfield as if he was trying to hit homeruns. I would think a guy with that speed would be taught to hit the ball on the ground and use his legs to get on base. The Mets management need to watch the movie "Major League" to see what worked for Willie Mays Hayes.