6/14/22

The Mack Report - Tuesday, June 14th

Today’s Met minor league player we feature is not a top prospect; however going 14 straight games getting on base, going 18-54 (.333) with 3-HR and 15-RBI makes us all in the prospect world look up. 

Daniel Palka is a 6-2/240 LHH 2013 3rd round pick, by Arizona, out of the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

This is his 12th professional season, playing in the minor league systems of Arizona, thw Twins, CWS, and Washington before being signed by the Mets in the off-season. 

His overall 2022 stats aren’t impressive, until you look at the total home runs he has hit and the above mentioned 14 game stretch: 181-AB, 12-HR, .238, 52-K. 

Is he a September option for DH? 

 

We’re coming up to the all-star break for out minor league teams, which usually is a time for players that have produced positive numbers to be promoted to the next level. 

Here’s some to keep an eye on: 

St. Lucie to Brooklyn: 

RP Daniel Juarez

OF Alex Ramirez

OF Carlos Dominguez 

Brooklyn to Binghamton: 

RP Sammy Tavarez

OF Brandon McIlwain 

 

From Monday: 

Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) 

Mark Vientos in his last 20 games for Triple-A Syracuse: 

.321/.384/.628, 7 HR 

Mack - Vientos will be ready to step on third come opening day 2023.

The problem is so will four other Mets be on it. 

 

Michael Baron (@michaelgbaron) 

Edwin Díaz has struck out 48 percent of the batters he’s faced this season 

Mack - This is truly sick. I don’t even think I have ever seen this kind of stat before.

 

Ernest Dove (@ernestdove) 

Mets top OF prospect Alex Ramirez has a hit in 6 of 7 games in June.  Worth noting BB/K rates by month

April---- 4/14

May-----4/28

June-----4/6

Development? I like it. 

Mack - Ramirez is just a few points away from leading his league in batting average.

 

Michael Mayer (@mikemayer22) 

Mets top prospect Francisco Álvarez over his last 15 games: 

.356/.409/.898, 5 2B, 9 HR, 14 RBI 

He’s 20 in Double-A. 

Mack - I just can’t see this guy playing at the same level after the all-star break. 

 

And finally, the last five pitchers that could be available to the Mets at 1.11 and 1.14:

 

LHP Noah Schultz

LHP 6-9 220 Oswego Vandy commit

18 2/3-IP, 24-K, 1.39 WHIP

Age At Draft: 18.9

89-91, T93 FB (with life), mid-70s slider, low- 80s change, slurvy massive spin breaker.

Extremely tall and lanky.

Slider is a difference maker.

Ultra-projectable behemoth

Funk coming from a low, short-arm vertical release.

Max Scherzer type release.

Very intimidating on the mound. Fastball spins up to 2500 rpm. Super high ceiling.

Vandy commit. Could be tough sign.

 

LHP Jackson Ferris 

6-5 190 IMG Academy

0.55 ERA, 50.2 OP, 86-K, 13-BB

Age At Draft: 18.5

90-94, T97 FB, low-80s change

High spin breaking ball at 75-77.

The fastball is definitely his signature pitch.

70s curveball has solid depth with big, tight spin.

Downhill angle late riding life.

Has superior control of all three pitches.

Clean arm action and has plenty of projection on his frame.

@B_Sakowski_PG - “Ferris is the top lefty on our ‘22 PG Draft Board.”

Ole Miss commit 

 

RHP Jacob Miller 

6-2 180 Liberty Union

Age At Draft: 20.6

Key Stats: 48.2-IP, 69-K, 1.71 WHIP

One of the best curve in the draft.

 @ 81-82 w/ 2500+ rpm spin.

Fastball up to 95.

Slider up to 85.

Update - scouting grades per MLB Pipeline:

Fastball: 55

Curveball: 60

Slider: 55

Changeup: 50

Control: 50

Overall: 50

Really quick arm with tons of projection ahead. 

 

LHP Connor Prielipp 

6-1 195 Alabama

2021 Alabama Stat Line -

3-starts, 1-1, 3.86, 7-IP, 12-K

0.96 ERA with a 47/7 K/BB ratio in 28 college innings

Age At Draft: 21.5

Monster 2020, beginning with:

26-IP, 0-R, 43-K, 6-BB, 9-H.  

Elbow gave out in 2021 after one start.

Came back too early - TJS - will miss 2022.

FB  93-96, T-97, with command.

88-90 slider, with late break.

Especially high marks for his command of the baseball. 

 

RHP Walter Ford 

6-3 195 Pace HS (FL)

Age At Draft: 17.5

Reclassified from 2023 draft.

Soaring up the charts.

90-95-FB, T-97 (2,400-2,600 RPM range).

Projected to 100+.

Big 12-6 curve.

81-82 slider.

 3/4 arm slot, plunging movement.

 

Mack - All these guys should be gone before we pick in the second round.

16 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I always like 100+.

Edwin is magnificent - only Hader jumps out at me as equal or better.

Vientos needs to stay on the field. At bats will get him to Queens. They've needed outfielders and pitchers, but no infielders, so he is on a waiting list, unfortunately. He has huge power, if you define power as getting balls to clear fences.

Alvarez probably could be called up now, but they don't want to risk a Kelenic debut.

I do not want Carlos Dominguez in Brooklyn until he cuts the Ks. Newton made progress on Ks in St Lucie early this year, got promoted to Brooklyn, and saw the Ks skyrocket. Carlos needs to cut the Ks a lot before a promotion, for his own sake. He sure can hit HRs, though. Me? I'd promote Carlos to Brooklyn either late this year or to start next season.

Junior Tilien? He could go to Brooklyn...Crow and Alvarez were jumped fast from Lucie to Brooklyn - but I am OK with Tilien being in St Lucie the rest of 2022, like they did with Ramirez in 2021.

Anonymous said...

Tilien being in St Lucie the rest of 2022?!?
Just the thought of it makes me want to write a song.
- John A

Mack Ade said...

There you go again

Tom, a strikeout is 2 inches away from a pop up.

You pop up 6 out of 10, get on base the other 4 and you would promote them yesterday.

Mack Ade said...

Chillen with Tillen

Paul Articulates said...

The prospective draftee that stood out for me in your list was Jacob Miller. "Best curve in the draft" was the quote. There's waaaay too much attention on upper-90s fastballs these days, and unless you have perfect mechanics it just portends an arm problem post draft. I would like to see guys that can master location, throw a wicked breaking ball like Lugo, and then have the 95 fastball to surprise a hitter.

Tom Brennan said...

Paul that combo of pitches works. 100 MPH gets you an appointment with Dr Jobe.

Tom Brennan said...

Mack, let me elaborate on my "contact" thoughts:

Dominguez is .254/.320/.503 - solid Lucie numbers - but 82 Ks in 47 games. Wow High.

Newton got his Ks down to 29 in 24 games with Lucie, much better than Dominguez, where he hit a better .298/.375/.538.

So they promoted Newton to Brooklyn

There, .170/.277/.295, with 43 Ks in 25 games.

Same with Palmer - last year, he fanned "just" 81 times in 66 St Lucie games and hit .276/.378/.386.

Since then, 86 Brooklyn games, 138 Ks, .180/.295/.330.

Based on that, I think Dominguez, given his huge current Lucie K rate, would fail badly in Brooklyn if promoted right now. His Lucie Ks are worse than Newton's and Palmer's and those two are fanning like mad in Brooklyn.

I think Carlos should stay the whole year in St Lucie, hopefully get in another 80 games, and make it his mission to try to not fan more than 100 times. Even that rate is too much, but it would be progress and get him ready for the formidable challenge of Brooklyn in 2023.

Anonymous said...

Hey Mack
I think you said there are about 15 hitters but the pitching is good through about the 4th round
But here is a thought
What would be wrong about doing what the angels did last year and actually draft pitching heavy (draft mostly pitchers) you have always said 3/4 players in a draft make a good draft…
Like I want lesko, bPorter or Prielipp
Probably in that order
But having 2 of them seems to make sense to me with trading all the pitchers we have in the past (including ginn this past season) and M Allen still having not really pitched after a couple of season…
Would love you to hear your thoughts
Eddie corona

Anonymous said...

Sorry Tom hate to disagree but Vientos (if he really is a bad 3b) could be our 1b… sorry but I don’t care how much Pete tries to improve (he should have been improving his whole life since he has been a 1b for his entire career) but he is a DH (and awful at 1b)
So let Vientos see action at 1b and the OF if not he is a DH but get him up soon…
As far as the kelenic debut concept these are the most cocky and arrogant athletes in the world. That’s what got them to where they are. To me they either have it or they don’t… I don’t understand the whole they came up too soon and that hurt them concept… they don’t play a physical game like football or boxing. They still face 95+ pitches and the ball is still hit back to them just as hard…

They either perform or don’t but I don’t believe a extra year of development is why kelenic or any other player fails

Mack Ade said...

Well we did that last year.

Mack Ade said...

Isn't he like 50?

RDS900 said...

I'm not seeing the same Pete as you.

Mack Ade said...

I love when people comment.

Commenting makes us feel like this is all worth it.

Gary Seagren said...

Mack best Met site on the web and we ALL appreciate u. How about "Juniors Farm" from Paul McCartney for Tillen that works perfectly. I also disagree with the Pete's a bad fielder post as he has improved alot since his debut and is not only the heart of this team but he's tough as nails and sets a great example. I still can't believe he just walked away from that rollover car accident and how's he's taken HBP after HBP and just shook it off. Another example of his importance to this team was how we just fell completely flat and lost those last 2 games to the Pods 20-2 last week when he went down because to me it wasn't just a coincidence.

Mack Ade said...

We are currently rooting for the top team in the NL minus their top 2 pitchers.

THAT'S CHILLIN 😎

TexasGusCC said...

Have to agree with Tom on the windmills. Can’t get a hit if you continue to miss hitting the little white sphere with the stick. I don’t want Adam Dunn, Gorman Thomas and the like. I like the Mets offense this year which is predicated on contact. Was anybody really satisfied with the windmills of the past failing in big moments because they weren’t disciplined?