We all know the names of the top prospects in the Mets chain… pitchers Matt Allan and JT Ginn… centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong… fellow outfielder Freddy Valdez… catcher Francisco Alvarez… and infielders Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio.
Others, like me, think infielder Mark Vientos and pitcher Thomas Szapucki fall into this elite category.
But are there other minor league players we should keep an eye on this season?
I target five other minors league players, surprisingly all pitchers, you need to keep an eye on once the minor league season starts:
Jaison Vilera (pc: Ed Delany)
Vilera is a 23-year old six foot right handed starter that was signed by the Mets out of Venezuela in 2015.
His fastball sits in the 92-93 range and has gone higher than 95 on occasions. He also throws a slider and change.
Vilera did little wrong early on. He burst on the scene in 2016 in the DSL league, posting a 5-1, 1.59, 1.02 stat line. He followed that with 3-1, 188 in 2017 for the GCL Mets, and 5-2, 1.83 for Brooklyn in 2018.
He has started 46 out of 54 outings over a four year minor year season, and posted a combined 2.83-ERA. It included a six game hiccup with Columbia in 2019 (9.00-ERA)
He pitched winter ball this past year for Caribes, posting a 2.19-ERA in 10 relief appearances.
Not overpowering (239-K in 276.2-IP) but an impressive combined 1.13-WHIP.
I expect for him to open up in the Brooklyn rotation; however, because of his age, he could be pushed to Binghamton.
Joander Suarez
Suarez signed with the Mets as an International free agent and debuted with both DSL teams in 2018. He opened up 2019 as part of the GCL-Mets rotation and put up incredible numbers for a 19-year old: 11-games, six starts, 1-0, 1.79, 1.07, 40.1-IP, 47-K
So far, his career stat line is: 61-IP, 2.66, 1.05, 9.54-K/9
He throws a low-90s fastball which is projected to tick up this year. Supplemental pitches include a curve and a change.
He will pitch 2021 as a 21/yr. old.
Figuring that he would have pitched for one of the rookie teams last year, I have him opening up in the A-St. Lucie rotation.
Jose Butto (PC: our Seam Images)
Butto was a 19-year old signed out of Venezuela near the end of the 2016-17 season.
So far, his stat line looks like a roller coaster… 2017 DSL: 1.44… 2018 Kingsport: 1.93… Brooklyn: 6.11… 2019 Columbia: 3.62.
His 3-season stat line comes in at: 54-G, 44-starts, 9-13, 3.19, a high 1.20, 222.2-IP 205-K, 62-BB.
He’s only 6-1, but his low 3/4 arm slot make with a drop off the mound increase his chance of missing bats. The fastball was up to 94 the last time he pitched; however, it has been reported that this has increased a few ticks. Additionally, he throws a change and curve,
Mets insiders are very high on Butto, but he needs to get moving. He will play 2021 as a 23-year old, and needs to open up, at least, in A+ - St. Lucie.
Jared Biddy
Biddy signed with the Mets as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
He graduated from Southwestern Louisiana U. where, in is senior year, his stat line was: 26-appearances, 0-starts, 1-3, 2.92, 1.13, 52.1-IP, 52-K.
The Mets assigned him to Kingsport in the beginning of the 2019 season; however, his success from the get-go created two promotions to Brooklyn and Columbia.
His combined 3-team minor league stats so far are…
Wait…
18-appearances, 4-0, 0.87, 0.87, 31.1-IP, 35-K, 3-BB
Biddy’s arsenal includes a 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs (89-92, T94), a knuckle curve, and a circle-change. The last has the same grip as the 2-seam fastball.
Biddy was a college grad two years ago and will play this season as a 24-year old. Father Time is catching up to him and the Mets need to bump him to, at least, A+ ball on opening day.
Ronny Rincones
Rincones is a name you might not be familiar with.
Rincones is a 19-year old that was signed in 2018, out of Venezuela.
He only has one season under his best and that was for the two DSL teams in 2019… as a 17-year old, his stat line was: 13-G, 11-starts. 1-1, 2.44, 51.2-IP, 53-K. He did have 19 walks which is area he needs to work on. He was named the top Mets pitcher on that league for that year.
For this, the Mets named Rincones the top pitcher on their DSL team.
Rincones is all upside.
I hope they do well. I am still waiting to see what Megill can do - he was up at 98 in his one brief relief outing this spring.
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