I can't stop crowing about Crow.
The Mets, after Tuesday's game, reassigned many youngsters to minor league camp.
So, how did the kids do, and what did it suggest to me about their respective ETAs?
First of all, my spring 2021 favorite, Pete-Crow Armstrong.
Despite having no pro games under his belt, he gets in 7 games, and while going just 1 for 10, smoked a couple of outs and fanned just 3 times. And he flashed glove and speed.
ETA? I think the young man (about to turn 19) rockets through the minors and is possibly a late 2022 call up, but a possible opening day 2023 CF. The bat will be OK by then, but the glove will be GOLD.
Ronny Mauricio? 5 for 11 production shows the bat is alive and kicking, and he looked more filled out. Still, amazingly, a teenager for another 3 weeks, and still listed at 166 pounds, he looked more like 180 or so when I watched him.
ETA? Ditto - late 2022, or OD 2023. Two more minor league seasons ought to have him ready. He may surprise, and get here sooner, however.
Mark Vientos? Holy Cow, he looks ready already! 3 for 4, 2 doubles, 4 walks, 1 K? That is making a statement. He hit decently in Columbia in 2019 as a 19 year old kid. Now, he is 21 and seems to have grown an awful lot over the last 18 months. He will IMO be ready in 2022, I am guessing mid-2022, but his bat may get him here by OD 2022.
Bret Baty - the 2019 first rounder was 2 for 8 with a double and a walk. The big man, now 21 (all season in 2021) with pole to pole power to me needs 2 full seasons in the minors to refine the hit tool, as I kind of parallel him to Pete Alonso's development cycle. ETA? Early 2023.
Francisco Alvarez - 0 for 5 with 2 Ks. The young wunderkind will play all year as a 19 year old, all of 2022 at age 20, and my guess is he will be ready for the Mets by mid-2023.
Matt Allan - his outing was a bit rocky, but he was gunning it at 97 and fanned one. ETA? 2023 OD rotation starter, but could be earlier if it all clicks. Still 19, folks.
Tom Szapucki - got an inning in, did OK. Sent down quickly. Seeing that I wish we had kept Matz and put him in the pen. Anyway, ETA for Szapucki? Could be this year - but need to see more of him in action to know what he is now. How about 150 innings this year?
Steve Nogosek - no longer a kid at 26, he threw 2 scoreless, walked 3, fanned 4. If he gets in a groove, he will be a 2021 reliever call up. Up to him...time to dazzle in AAA.
Khalil Lee - (still in camp) not a good spring so far the recent 22 year old acquired, going 0 for 12 with 6 Ks. He needs to get the KC Royal bat reignited. I could see him as a September defensive and pinch running call up.
Drew Ferguson - at the other end of the age spectrum, the 28 year old (turns 29 in August) was an excellent 4 for 7 and a walk, and in other Wilpon years might have headed north with the team. Tough to be Drew Ferguson on another club like the Mets after his Astros purgatory that leans towards veteran, proven talent as it focuses on returning to the World Series. But it would not surprise me if he gets a call up this year if/when there is an OF injury.
Sam McWilliams (still in camp) has been wild in his 2 scoreless innings, with 4 walks and 3 Ks. Nogosek knows the feeling. Sam the Man of the very live arm needs to throw strikes and if so, he'll be on the roster. Otherwise, he'll hone his stuff in AAA and get called up when he gets on a roll.
Others:
Tylor Megill - sent down without an inning thrown, which is not a promising sign, but who knows what to read into that. Harol Gonzalez - did nicely. He lacks the high heat of some and IMO will have to finagle his way to the big leagues by pitching effectively with the stuff he's got. Ryley Gilliam - was not sharp WHAT UP, RG? Marcel Renteria - racked up by hitters in his one inning, but fanned 3.
All 3 are 2021 possible call ups, but I would not be surprised if none of them are 2021 call ups. ETA UNKNOWN. First, they need to leave from...The Twilight Zone. DO DO DO DO, DO DO DO DO DO.
So what is your take on the kids? Which are all right, and which are way outa sight?
8 comments:
I am really concerned with Szapucki's future going forward.
I truly hope he is places in the Syracuse rotation, where he belongs.
Mack, I agree on Szapucki - one inning and farmed out.
I wanted a big change with Matz - but it would have been to try him in the pen, to see if he could be the next Brad Hand or Andrew Miller, two lousy starters turned great relievers. Trading him I feel was a mistake. The Mets are sorely lacking in lefties, and Szapucki is supposed to be the Great left Hope. He may turn out to not be.
A lot of these players have to be suffering from Guillorme syndrome where you hit well over .300 and get benched for Todd Frazier.
If we get Maikel Franco, if he is not gone already, he would be a younger Todd
so question . .could Mauricio be the second baseman of the future to pair with Lindor for the next 6+ years?
As the Mets still owe a player to the Red Sox, they may have tried to hide Szapucki. It’s not like he looked great anyway, and we all know he has only pitched 83 professional innings in his life.
As for Gilliam and Renteria, I have heard that Gilliam has wildness issues and if that hasn’t been solved in two years, how long does a college pitcher need?
As for the Frazier pickup, that was a stupid pickup by a stupid front office that didn’t learn its lesson from his first go around. And before anyone wants to give BVW credit for the drafts, Taneous did all the leg work there. Brodie just said “sure, go for it.”
Texas Gus, excellent points.
I still am puzzled with what is going on with Tylor Megill. I guess we'll find out in May.
Mauricio will have to fit somewhere when he is ready. if the Mets are log-jammed with good hitters, he may have to edge his way in. But I first want to see him in the minors this year before I set up a pedestal for him.
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