John from Albany - The Alternative 50 Mets Prospects, Numbers 30-26

Again, trying to highlight players that did well last year that not many others have focused on. 

#30: Yoel Romero, IF/OF, Bats Right, Throws Right, DOB 4/10/1998.  Signed by the New York Mets as an International free agent on July 2, 2014.   Yoel played all over the diamond for Brooklyn last year: 23 games at Shortstop, 7 games at Second Base, 25 games at Third Base (including all 6 playoff games), 1 game in Left Field, 4 games at DH.  

His Brooklyn slash line was .251 BA/.326 OBP/.377 Slg. with 4 HRs, 15 RBIs, 6 SBs; Yoel was red hot in July as he hit .340 with a .375 on base and a .528 Slg. He cooled off after that but was one of the main offensive players for Brooklyn. In the 6 playoff games that Brooklyn played last year, it was Yoel that started all the games at 3^rd Base and not Brett Baty, the herald prospect who was brought in at the end of the year for Brooklyn’s playoff run.   

Yoel has good speed and power and can play all over the diamond.   If he hits like he did last July, they will find him a place to play next year. 

Here is Yoel Romero’s FANGRAPHS page.

Here is Yoel Romero’s Baseball Savant page.

#29: Nathan Jones – Starting Pitcher, Bats Right, Throws Right, DOB 1/6/1997, 5^th round, 2019 Draft. Perhaps Nathan’s biggest performance in 2019 came in the second game of Brooklyn’s first playoff series.  With Brooklyn down 1 game to none in the best of 3 series, Nathan Jones started the game and threw three scoreless innings with no hits and a walk, working around two errors.  It was a clutch performance in a win or go home game for Brooklyn on their way to the championship.  

Nathan also started Brooklyn’s Championship game giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks.  In the regular season Nathan was 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA, 7 games, all starts, just 13.2 innings, 10 hits, 10 runs allowed, 3 HR allowed, 8 walks, and 14 Ks.  6 of those runs allowed came in one start where he went only 2/3^rd of an inning.  

In 4 of his 7 regular season starts he gave up no runs and he sure was clutch when Brooklyn needed him. 

Here is Nathan Jones’ FANGRAPHS page.

Here is Nathan Jones’ Baseball Savant page.

Here is Nathan Jones being interview on Coney Convos.

Talking Ball Interviews talked to Nathan as well.

#28: Luis Carpio 2B, Bats Right, Throws Right, DOB 7/11/1997. Signed by the New York Mets as an International free agent on July 11, 2013.  Luis split time in 2019 between St. Lucie and Binghamton.  In 31 games in St. Lucie he had a .330 BA/ .396 OBA/ .426 Slg for an .822 OPS with 1 HR, 2 Steals, 4 doubles and 1 triple.  This gave him a call-up to Binghamton where in 82 games he had a .263 BA/ .347 OBA/ .362 Slg for an .709 OPS.  

He then followed it up with a .188 in the Arizona fall league.  He stole as many as 17 bases in 2017 but has since seen his stolen base numbers fall to 9 in 2018 and 4 last year, 2019.  Hopefully he can duplicate the success he had in St. Lucie in Binghamton this coming year. 

Here is Luis Carpio’s FANGRAPHS page.

Here is Luis Carpio’s Baseball Savant page.

Here is video of Luis hitting.

Here is a 2 RBI Double by Luis (video by Ernest Dove).

#27: Wagner Lagrange LF, Bats Right, Throws Right, DOB 9/6/1995. Signed by the New York Mets as an International free agent on March 5, 2015.  Since his signing, Wagner has played 332 games for 7 different Mets minor league teams and has achieved the following “slash” line: .297 BA/ .352 OBP/ .398 Slg. and a .750 OPS with 375 hits and 193 strikeouts.  

Last year he split time in Columbia and St. Lucie and in 107 games/385 at bats, he delivered a .286 BA/ .337 OBP/ .421 Slg. and a .758 OPS with 4 triples, 6 homers, 26 doubles.  Mack had Wagner as his #15 prospect.  Some people are not as high on him as Wagner started pro-ball late, has played above his age level, and has not shown a lot of power for a corner outfielder.  

However, I’ll take his 26 doubles and his .421 slugging last year and the fact that he gets more hits than he strikes out.  

Sadly, players with more hits than strikeouts is a rare occurrence today.  I think this will be a “make or break” year for him in Binghamton.  Hopefully he will do well there this year.   

Here is Wagner Lagrange’s FANGRAPHS page.

Here is Wagner Lagrange’s Baseball Savant page.

Video of Wagner getting the 2015 Sterling Award (complete with plane flying overhead).

Video of Wagner hitting a triple for Columbia 7/9/19

#26: Adonis Uceta Relief Pitcher, Bats Right, Throws Right, DOB 5/10/1994. Signed by the New York Mets as an International free agent on February 11, 2013.  Adonis had a real good year last year in Binghamton and continued that success in the Dominican league this winter. In Binghamton, Adonis Uceta was 7 out of 9 save opportunities, going 5-3 with a 1.44 ERA, 56.1 innings, 55 Ks, 17 walks, 3 HR.  

In ten games this winter, Adonis only gave up earned runs in his final outing, going he is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in 8 innings with 5 runs, 3 earned, 8 Ks, 9 walks and 3 hits. Like a number of the Binghamton pitchers, he struggled when he was called up to Syracuse giving up 5 hits and 5 runs in 1.1 innings pitched.  

Pitching 7 years in the minors, Adonis was a minor league free agent this winter and elected to stay with the Mets.  He was then eligible for the Rule 5 draft, and was not selected by any other team.  

He will be in the bullpen for Syracuse this summer.  Maybe he can have a year for Syracuse like his last year in Binghamton.  He would then provide the Mets with some bullpen depth should there be struggles in Flushing. 

Here is Adonis Uceta’s FANGRAPHS page.

Here is Adonis Uceta’s Baseball Savant page.

Video of Adonis Uceta pitching for Binghamton last year.

Adonis Uceta getting the 2015 Sterling Award.