The Mets instructional league kicked off this weekend in St. Lucie, where between all the rain the players have gone through the safety protocols and quarantine to begin training at the Mets spring Complex. It is to perhaps be a very important time for many prospects in the organization as Mets head into a new era this offseason pending new ownership and maybe even a new front office coming in. Among the group invited are pitchers, both relievers and starters, who were projected to have played the 2020 season at the AA and AAA levels, one step closer to Queens.
The Sports Report wanted to highlight some of the players, including friends of the show, and their possible impact on the big club going forward as soon as next year. The talk of the season, through summer, has been the progress behind the scenes of former 2017 draft pick P Marcel Renteria. Instead of likely spending the season in AA making a case for AAA, Renteria utilized some advanced metrics and young coaching at a private facility near his home. He has been clocked at over 99 MPH on his fastball, while making adjustments and improvements to his arsenal with a changeup that may surprise many at camp. Renteria was a converted starter in 2019 who appeared to take time to adjust to the role, pitching to a 2.65 ERA in the second half for the Class High St. Lucie Mets. Opposing batters hit .226 against him in the second half with right handed hitters overall batting only .219 again him.
The struggles came against lefties, which also became a focus in his training and adjustments with new reliance on other secondary pitches going forward. Keep an eye on Marcel Renteria in 2021, which can possibly assume will see him begin in AA and have eyes on Syracuse by summer. For a more change of pace pitcher, reliever Trey Cobb is just happy to be back on the field again. Also taken in the 2017 draft, Cobb was last seen on a mound closing out the St. Lucie Mets season recording the final out and save in 2018. Also very strong on right handed batters, who hit only .121 against him that season with the Lucie Mets.
The sinker, slider and change-up pitcher was to spend the 2020 season returning from Tommy John Surgery, and was close to being ready by April when things shut down. Now fully healthy, expect Trey Cobb to also be joining Renteria in the upper minors come 2021. One rotation arm to keep an eye on in 2021 is right hander Tommy Wilson. The former 2018 draft pick started 2019 in Class High and was one of the more dominant pitchers in the Florida State League before earning his promotion to AA. Over his 44 ⅔ innings pitched at the level Wilson had a 2.01 ERA, giving up only 33 hits, one homerun allowed and 36 strikeouts to go with a 1.05 WHIP. Wilson struggled coming out of the gate after the promotion before later settling in the second half, where he pitched to a 4.05 ERA 1.03 WHIP and .219 AVG against over his final 9 starts of the season.
I know my bias but Marcel Renteria is touching 99 and wants to use all of his pitches again, after relying too heavily on the FB/Slider in 2019. Can be a legit option in majors next year
ReplyDeleteThanks Ernest. Look forward to seeing him next year in AA - probably Brooklyn.
ReplyDeleteYou can't overemphasize velocity as a weapon against major league hitters. Renteria could move quickly, even if that means to the pen.
ReplyDeleteThe other names have lower end velocity and can hopefully follow the David Peterson approach to success. I don't want to see any more 1-15 Paul Sewalds. I feel bad using his name so much, but he is emblematic of the kind of player who capsizes Mets seasons and should never get the chance in Queens if we want to be a perennial playoff team.
I look at it this way - if they can't pitch for the Dodgers, I don't want them in Queens either. This team has to figure out how to get its pitchers to shed at least a run less per game.
Maybe more of these arms are best transitioning full time to pen. We shall seem
ReplyDeleteOne change in philosophy that I’d like to see the Mets consider is the Cardinals‘ and Twins’ way of breaking in minor league starters in the MLB bullpen; it will acclimate them to the major league hitter in a less stressful and lower leverage situation for the MLB team. I would do this with Szapucki and it sounds like Renteria is an option for that too. I’m not saying jump them from AA to the MLB bullpen, but let them get some AAA innings - just enough to get used to the level and then move them up.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ernest for the updates and keep them coming. How long will this instructional camp be? What players are there? How come this wasn’t given more attention?
ReplyDeleteTexas Gus, I think some time in AAA is vital for most pitchers. Ryley Gilliam, as one example, needed his AAA time a lot.
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