I love pitcher prospects. Can’t have
enough.
Reese Kaplan sort
of gets sick of me writing about the great pitchers coming up in the draft. Ya
see…
Reese loves bats.
We’re probably both right here, but let’s
look at the glass through his lenses.
Every expert in this game says the Mets
are light in talent throughout their chain. They do tout our two exciting
future shortstops, Andres Gimenez and Ronny Mauricio, as future regulars in this game, but
they don’t have many nice things about anyone else in the chain that makes his
living with a bat.
They are wrong.
There are five emerging prospects that
will change the face of the Mets starting lineup by 2025. All are capable of
producing big numbers.
They are:
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| PC - MiLB.com |
3B Mark Vientos
Vientos was a steal as
the 2nd round pick in the 2017 draft. He’s a 5-tool player,
especially known for his ability to hit for average and power and his plus
potential defense. Huge arm as well.
His only knock in the
draft was his 160 pound frame, but he is already up to 185 and is working on
more muscle as I write this.
Played A-ball last season
as a 19-year old… 27 doubles, 12-HR, 62-RBI
Played both shortstop and
third in college but his future as a Met would be on the hot corner.
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| PC - MiLB.com |
3B Brett Baty
Another third baseman
with a bigger bat than Vientos, but a huge dip in defensive ability.
Was projected as the top
bat in the 2019 draft. The Mets picked him with the 12th overall
pick, but you do have to wonder why would you pick a guy who is projected to
wind up on first base?
Raw power potential is
huge. Senior season in high school: .615-BA, 19-HR.
Off to a slow start: 2019
– 3-teams, .234-BA, 7-HR, 33-RBI
Baty has a huge problem
on his hand. Actually, he has two. The first is bypassing Vientos. The second
would be his sub-par defense.
I played third. You can’t
survive there unless you play ++ defense.
Still, Baty has the
potential to be the top bat out of al five of these guys.
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| PC - Ed Delany |
C Francisco Alvarez
The Mets signed Alvarez
in 2018, giving him a $2.7mil bonus. The 5-11, 220 hunk has huge power
potential and rates out as a future starting catcher in the mold of Mike
Piazza. A ++ framer with a huge arm to second.
Played Kingsport last year
as a 17-year old after hitting .462 in 26 at-bats for the GCL Mets: 131-AB,
.282/.377/.443/.820, 5-HR, 16-RBI.
OF Freddy Valdez
The Mets scouts reported
that Valdez projects out with above average power. This and his projectable
frame (6-3) and ability to loft the ball early warranted a $1.45mil bonus when
he signed in 2018.
He played the majority of
last year for the DSL team (220-AB, .268/.358/.432/.790, 5-HR), which earned
him a cup of coffee with the GCL Mets at the end of their season (10-AB,
.400/.538/.800/1.338).
The power might be coming
on after hitting one home run and one double for the GCL-Mets.
Project that over 400-ABs…
40-HR, 40-doubles.
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| PC - metsinsider |
CF Alexander Ramirez
Nobody comes with more positive hype than Ramirez.
He hasn’t played a single
inning yet, but he raises eyebrows after signing with the Mets in 2019 (as a 16-year
old) to a $2.05mil bonus.
MLB-com project him as a ‘pure
center fielder’. He’s a pure power/speed threat that needs to balance to add
muscle to his lanky 6-3 frame, while still maintaining the speed needed to play
an effective center.
Folks, there is good chance all five of
these could be someday be playing all-star ball for your home team.
Those are 5 potentially great bats.
ReplyDeleteNot just Baty - Vientos also not great so far on defense.
But he and Baty have Pete Alonso for inspiration. Almost everyone was convinced Pete would only be able to DH. Pete showed he can play 1B.
Now his goal, defensively, is to try to be the next Keith Hernandez.
Hard, hard work can change a lot.
The Mets traditionally wait forever on their prospects (Pitchers in particular). The way to find out if the younger hitters can respond is to challenge them at a higher level. The ones with the attitude and talent will respond. Those without it won't and it's time to trade them away.
ReplyDelete'John From Albany' went on injured reserve last night and will return to posting both his weekly post and Breakfast Links in due time.
ReplyDeleteA strange comment, but these days you'd rather hear about someone afflicted with a temporary injury than a long term (or fatal) illness.
ReplyDeleteJohn has done an outstanding job. One suggestion would be a scaled down daily links column. But all in due time.
ReplyDeleteEd Kranepool hit .257 at age 19. He got rushed, and made it work.
ReplyDeleteGet well soon John.
ReplyDeleteBut, some comments on the sticks:
Vientos is slow, and it seems that his defense has been affected to where he may have to go to first base, which we know is taken.
Baty is very athletic with an erratic arm. Left field is probably his future.
I’d like to throw a bonus name in the mix: Shervyen Newton. Strikes out a bit too much right now but he really is a five tool guy and I’m really rooting hard for him as well as Jarred Palmer.