Mack – A Look Ahead to the 2020 Affiliates – Kingsport Mets

Good morning.

Predicting what minor player will be assigned to what team is not an exact science, but you can rely on two things:

1.    Players that play well at one level will start the season at the next level up the ladder.

and…

2.    Projected prospect stars, even if they card out above par, will get another shot at either the same level they played, or one up if management believes they can handle the promotion.

This post is the second in a series of predicted roster leaders for the start of 2020. There will be plenty of other players. Some that didn’t fare that well in 2019. Some that haven’t been drafted yet. But these guys are the meat and potatoes of our system right now.

We covered the 2020 GCL Mets last Sunday.

Next up… the 2020 Kingsport Mets.

Rookie-Kingsport:

RHSP Jordany Ventura – The 19/yr. old went 4.36-ERA in nine games for the GCL Mets but was still bumped up to Kingsport where he went 1.13/1.13 in two starts. He also had a combined 43-K in 41-IP for the two teams. I would bring him back to Kingsport in the late spring.

LHRP Jefferson Escorcha – Another 19/yr. old, Escorcha pitched in 15 Kingsport games, going 7-1, 2.38, 1.15. His K/9 was way down (7.13) from his previous year for the two DSL teams (9.89), so I would bring him back here for a little more control work before sending him sometime to Brooklyn.

RHSP Joander Suarez – This 19/yr. old impressed everyone around the Florida campus, going 1-0, 1.79, 1.07 in 11 games (8 starts) for the GCL Mets. He also had 47-K in 40-IP. Suarez did not pitch that well for the DSL teams in 2018 so this was unexpected. We’ll take it and we’ll send him to Kingsport to continue to develop that young arm.

LHSP Franklin Parra – Yikes! Another 19/yr. old starter! Signed with the Mets in 2017 for a $150K bonus. This past season, he pitched in 10 games, 8 of which were as a starter. His impressive stat line was: 1-1, 2.57, with 29 strikeouts in 21 innings. One of two thing could hold him back for a third run with the GCL Mets… 1) his wildness (16-BB in 21-IP) or the fact he has only pitched in 16 games over the past two seasons. However, he has to get out of Florida and move up someday. Why not when the season opens?

(a word… the bats and relievers going into Kingsport next year are a little light and I look for the domestic draft to fill in many of the slots available here. Still, there are three good ones moving up:) 

C Endy Rodriguez – This 19/yr. old started off in 2019 for the DSL-1 Mets (.296) and was quickly promoted to the GCL-Mets (75-AB, .293). He has now become one of the growing list of impressive prospect catchers in the organization (something I never thought I would ever say). He will be blocked ahead for possibly the rest of the season (Alvarez, Regnault) which is the only negative thing I can say about this kid.

SS Warren Saunders – Finally! A grownup! This 20/yr. old was quietly signed out the Grand Bahamas and his debut pro season this year was an impressive .323 for the GCL Mets. He also has been playing some first base this season. A rare find.

OF Kenedy Corona – Back to the 19/yr. olds… Corona came stateside this last season and hit .311 in 151 at-bats for the GCL Mets. 17 walks and a hint of future power (5-HRs).  Let’s remember… Peter Alonso only had 5-HR in 109-AB for Brooklyn in 2016. It takes time to develop professional power but his batting average has earned him a bump to Kingsport in 2020.